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Let me know when it’s a good time to talk.

I don’t answer right away. Instead, I turn around, and Chase is watching me.

“What is it?”

I shrug and look for something that’s not a lie. “I’m going to celebrate with Mimi and the crew tonight. Want to come?”

He shakes his head so forcefully that it could probably detach from his shoulders. “Like the kids like to say, hell no to the no, no, no.”

I chuckle at his song but can’t help but tease him. “Chase, she just thinks you’re attractive. You don’t have to be scared of her.”

“No one’s scared, but still hell no. I don’t want to be anywhere close to her. But you can take Lauren. It will be good exposure for her and Autumn Lush.”

“You’re so smart.”

“Obviously,” he says.

That’s what I’ll do. Lauren can serve as a buffer for Mimi, and I can get her opinion about Oliver.

Lux

Mimi set up the celebration dinner at Innuendo, a 20s-inspired luxury spot in the heart of downtown. It’s Baltimore’s hottest and most exclusive restaurant/bar/lounge. Here’s where you catch NFL and baseball players after the games, not to mention celebrities from the DC/Maryland/Virginia area.

And we dressed to give them a show. Lauren had the idea to covertly style ourselves in 20s fashion. I don’t know where the hell she got me this velvet pink cocoon top with the long split all the way to my belly. We paired it with exact-fit, tapered tuxedo pants. For herself, she found a scoop-necked jumpsuit in the same material as my pants. We chose a pearl choker and necklace for her. For me, we found tassel earrings.

“Thank you for indulging me. It’s such an ego boost that you trust me with fashion.”

I look away from my Instagram feed to stare at her. “Are you fishing for compliments? Because this is the hottest idea. We are going to start a trend.” I sweep a hand back and forth between us. “This is viral material.”

She half smiles, half chews on her glossy lips. “Maybe I am, because I think we look sexy and fab, vintage but understated, like old money.”

I nod. “We’re flapper-non-flappin’.”

She laughs. “That’s a good way to put it. We need to coin this style so it flows naturally when we tell people.”

She’s right.

“I can’t believe we were able to find all these pieces in such little time.”

She shrugs. “According to your brother, I’m a fashion hoarder.”

“Ignore him. He says the same thing about me. That reminds me, I need to have all my stuff shipped from Cam’s apartment.”

She taps her chin. “Or you can convince your new kissing buddy to help you bring it down.”

My pulse picks up. “I’ve been trying not to think about it”—the kiss, that is, but I don’t have to explain it—“but failing miserably.” I can’t get his lips out of my mind, the tender but firm way they settled against mine. “I’m so glad Chase didn’t run him off.”

“Ollie’s a man, not a fuckboy. But you need to be ready because I think Chase is going to try something. He was all secretive on the phone with Cam. Adri noticed it too.”

And there it is again. I’ve been trying not to think about my brother’s reaction, because I don’t think Chase is that open. Neither is Cam. Something’s coming, but I’m so excited about seeing Ollie again, I’m trying not to freak out.

“Chase’s reaction was too…well-adapted? He was always a few breaths from beating Mateo. The only thing that stopped him is that I got him to make me a promise.”

Lauren purses her lips. “I believe it. He hates that guy. Mateo hurt you.”

“He did,” I agree. And God how dumb can someone be? “It’s like I never learned.”

“Forgiving ourselves is the hardest part. I never asked: how did you ever get Chase to promise not to hurt Mateo?”