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Still, she wasn’t supposed to be here.

“Ha, ha,” I said. “Very funny, Kay. What Imeanis what are you doing here? Your girlfriend is going to spend the whole picnic complaining bitterly to everyone in earshot if you’re not there. Do you really want me—me, Paisley Macleod—to have to listen to that?”

Kay scratched her head. “Far be it from me to do that to the venerable Paisley Macleod, but—I have a shift here. Trust me, I really want to go, but…”

“You can ask Dani. She’ll let you take off for the event.”

Her expression faltered. “I wouldn’t want to cause any trouble for her… she’s been so good to me and everything. It’s fine. I can stick it out.”

I put my hands up. “Meaning you didn’t even ask? Good lord. I guess I have to do everything myself. Also, just like… a small bubble tea for me please. Whatever the one Emby got last time was, I want that. I’m gonna rub it in her face.”

“Small green tea boba with—Paisley?”

Kay stopped halfway through ringing me up as I pushed through the swinging door behind the counter, heading for the back.

“What are you—”

“Oh, just put it on my tab,” I called, pushing through the swing door into the back of house. Tidying up boxes on shelveswas Dani, a tall brunette with an athletic build, hair up in a ponytail, and she glanced sidelong at me.

“Paisley,” she said. “How nice to see you back here.”

“Kay needs to take off for the party,” I said cheerfully. Dani let out a noncommittal noise, turning back to the boxes.

“I didn’t realize you were the staffing manager here.”

“You’re not going to keep her, are you? Gwen’s going to be outraged. And if Gwen is outraged, then she’s going to yell at Annabel.”

Score. Dani’s expression faltered just a little. She’d hooked up with Annabel once or twice, and my sources told me shetotallystill had a crush. I put the pressure on while I had the advantage.

“Half the regular crowd is going to be there, so there’s no use running up operating costs while nobody’s coming by, right?”

Dani hung her head. “I guess if everyone’s going to be over there, I could close solo… does Kaywantto take off?”

“Uh, duh. It’s only the most amazing party ever. You should come by once you’re done closing, too. Maybe hit on Annabel.”

She turned her back to me, opening a box and rifling through the contents. “Annabel has a girlfriend,” she said idly.

“Oh, am I the one who gets to break the news to you? Man, you’re behind on things. It’s an open relationship. And Annabel still likes hookups.”

She paused. I turned back to the door, a bounce in my step.

“I’ll tell Kay she can take off once you’re done with the count?”

“S-sure.”

Another win for Paisley. I was going to have to get a trophy wall soon to hold them all.

I strode back out through the door just as Kay set down the cute green bubble tea drink that Emberlynn had been a cruelmonster yesterday and refused to let me steal, and I picked it up and took a long sip.

“Oh my god, it’s so good I’m gonna cry,” I said. “Also, Dani says you can take off once she’s done with the count.”

Kay stopped, eyes wide. “She did? Really? Er—how did you—”

“Paisley has her ways.”

She laughed, eyes sparkling. “Paisley does have her ways. Wow. I don’t know how to thank you. I was so bummed I’d have to miss it.”

“You can thank me by not charging me for the drink?”