“And my tongue blue.” Calista drank the liquor anyway. She grimaced at the harsh taste.
Their whole table got into the game and stacked their empties into a pyramid.
Calista leaned closer to her sister and whispered, “The captain’s here, at two o’clock.”
Piper jerked her gaze to the right. There, at a table with several of the stars. Mikah sat beside Captain Ronan in a dark navy suit, so handsome. She sighed.
By the fourth golden pineapple shot, the room was beautiful and love was flowing. Piper turned to Calista, who was on her laptop and had refused all shots post blue. “I love you.”
No response.
She kicked Calista’s foot.
“Me too.”
“You should send your inventions to the world. You’re so clever.” Piper had pushed Calista more than once in the past, but not too hard. When her sister was ready, she’d share her work. The lights switched to orange, and Piper blinked at the shot. She couldn’t take mango.
“Oh no.” Calista stared at two o’clock. “The captain’s leaving.”
“I’ll stop him.” Piper pushed her shot glasses back and gripped the edge of the table. The waiter came and cleared them away. “Thanks.” She got to her feet. Ronan was gone.
Calista rose too. She pouted. “Maybe I’ll catch him outside, see you at home.” She left.
The light switched to purple, and people were giggling and chuckling, the room noise growing. Definitely time to kick off the dancing. Piper waved at Dahlia and did a wiggle dance to clue her in that the energy and mood were right. They needed to open the dance floor.
Dahlia signaled the waiter, and a curtain opened, revealing the other half of the room. Laser lights flashed off of disco balls and lit the empty dance floor. She went to the microphone. “Dancing starts in five, so grab your partner.”
Would Mikah ask her to dance? She shouldn’t want him to. But she did. Piper stared at his broad shoulders to compel him to rise and take her in his arms.
Kiernan went to the microphone. He carried two shot glasses filled with green alcohol. “I’d like to propose a toast. Dahlia has helped us in many ways this season.” He looked to the sky and drank a shot, then placed the empty glass underneath the other one. The process took a moment. “We can’t name them in public.” He paused. “That didn’t sound right. We appreciate Dahlia. And her friends.” His words slurred. “They’re really pretty, and we’re glad they’re here.”
That set off a flurry of giggles.
Aww, Piper’s lips curled up into a smile. She gave him a thumbs up. Who knew that dude could get it right?
Mikah took her hand and lowered his mouth to her ear. “Dance with me.”
Her palm warmed and her fingers closed over his. Excitement lit through her body. They had to stop doing this, but not tonight. Piper rose and curled against his side. “If you like.”
They moved away from her table.
With his free hand, Kiernan removed the microphone from the stand so it was closer to his mouth. “Just wanted to clear the air. Last time, when we were together, the evening was not what you thought.”
Uh oh, Piper turned her head to the stage as she walked, letting Mikah guide her with his arm around her waist.
“Models are just taller. We’re taller. That’s why we went to introduce ourselves to those women back in Vegas. They’re used to fame and fans, like us. Physically fit, we are too.”
Mikah stared at his bro. “What the fuck is he doing?”
Piper chuckled. Mikah was so clever, recognizing the pitfall ahead. “Listing how models are better than all the woman here.” Piper’s voice was dry despite her tipsiness. Kiernan’s toast wasn’t shaking her mood. They’d reached the dance floor. She was moments from wrapping her arms around Mikah.
Mikah frowned. He waved at Liam and pointed to Kiernan, indicating he should pull him off the stage. “That’s not what Kiernan means. He’s apologizing.”
“Sure, makes sense.”
“Models are…” Kiernan’s mouth touched the microphone. “…thinner.”
CHAPTER 31