Page 92

“FUCK!” Piper jumped. “You scared me!”

“To go home,” said Cicely.

“Er—hic—ya.” Piper’s sticky hand playfully smacked Casey’s face. “Bwit Twit! You look sssssoooo sleeeepy.”

He swatted her away. “I had a Red Bull when you lot downed shots.” He fist-pumped the air. “I’m buzzed. I could throw shapes for at least another hour—”

“Caseyyyyyyy.” Piper’s eyes widened like she was trying to force him into a mind meld. Her sparkly eyeshadow had migrated, creating silver splotches on her cheeks. “Cice and I need you. It’s…”

“Nearly 2:45,” Cicely filled in helpfully. “Pip’s staying at mine, so how ’bout riding the subway with us?”

“NOW!” Piper stomped her flats.

“What? To the Bronx?”

“Ten points to Gryffindor! Duh!” Piper stumbled out of Cicely’s grip, blocking Casey’s view of Riley and Ben. “You staying at your parents’, right? Makes sense to go togetha—pleeeeease?”

“Coffee’s on me next time at Peet’s.” Cicely batted her enviable eyelashes. Unlike Piper, the dance graduate looked as neat as she had when she arrived at Riley’s apartment.

“Fine! I’ll go, but…” Casey peered over Piper’s slouched shoulder. “Let’s walk Rye home first.”

“No!” Piper foisted her empty glass into the hands of a passing guy. He stared at it like she had handed him a dirty diaper. “She’s got Ben. She’s ffffine.”

“Is she?” He narrowed his eyes. “That bloke—I’m not sure about him.”

Piper smirked. “Yeah, he’s a shapeshifter, all right—aren’t ALL actors? The Tischie ones are…”

“If he wants to act so badly, why isn’t he doing anything about it?” Casey scrolled on his phone. “I was on Facebook. He has like, ten friends—including you, Riley, and Maggie—but no Mark Keegan.” Flipping the phone around, he shoved it in Piper’s sweaty face. “His Instagram is nothing but food.”

Piper chuckled, pulling the phone closer to her bloodshot eyes. “Ooh, noooo! Ben might suffocate Rye with a roti!”

“I’m being serious! I think he’s lying about Mark. We know more about Keegs than he does. Something’s off.”

“Oh, stop acting like an overprotective brother.” Piper shoved Casey’s phone into his chest. “He’s a nice guy, okay?”

Cicely nodded. “He’s lovely! We talked about my move to London to try the West End.”

“See?” Casey pursed his lips. “He never talks about himself.”

Piper’s eyes leapt to the ceiling and fell back to Casey, a jolt of clarity making her stand up straight. “Lay off, Mr. Conspiracy Theory! Cice and Ben just met, for fuck’s sake! He’s not going to download his life story, is he?”

Cicely nodded in agreement.

“So, say goodbye now—or not. Do what you want, but I’m not dragging Riley out of here if they’re having fun together. She needs that right now. Got it?”

“Fine,” he muttered.

Casey followed Cicely and Piper through the crush, not waiting for the song to end.

“Dancing queens! Hic. We’re goin’.” Piper threw daggers at the gyrating elbows jabbing her back. “Have fun, catcha laters.”

“Oh, okay.” Lightheaded from twirling around, Riley breathlessly giggled at Ben, wobbly-kneed and reeling. “We won’t stay much longer. He has to open his present.”

“A present?!” Unsteady, Ben bumped into Riley, his hand skidding down her back. “Hell yeah!” He flicked his hair from his eyes. “Goes without saying, I’ll walk Riles home.”

I’d like to do more than walk… Dizzy, Riley leaned into his chest as Ben’s fingers pressed into her lower back, his warmth setting off goose bumps all over her skin. Does Ben…? Or is he holding on for balance? Looking up, she caught Ben smiling at her.

Casey squinted, his eyes darting between the pair. “Rye, can I talk to you a sec?”