𝐒𝐓𝐘𝐋𝐄 || 𝐉𝐉 𝐌𝐀𝐘𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐊

𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍

        AVERY STOOD in her bedroom, the lilac silk dress slipping over her body like water. The soft fabric hugged her curves perfectly, the neckline plunging just enough to be daring without crossing the line into scandalous. She turned slowly in front of her full-length mirror, checking every angle, smoothing invisible creases. Her hair was down, cascading in loose, glossy waves that caught the glow of the string lights framing her room.

She reached for a delicate silver chain with a single pendant and clasped it around her neck, then added a pair of pearl earrings that dangled just below her jawline. Leaning closer to the mirror, she swiped on a final coat of lip gloss, her eyes scanning her reflection with the kind of confidence that only came from years of growing up tough as a Pogue.

Her phone buzzed on the dresser, and she glanced down. It was Kie.

Kie: Better not bail. I'm already here drowning in Kooks.

Avery rolled her eyes with a small laugh and texted back.

Avery: On my way to save you from the country club horrors.

She slipped her phone into a silver clutch, grabbed her sandals, and took one last look in the mirror. "Lion's den, here I come," she muttered, and then she was out the door.

At Midsummers

The country club was bathed in the warm glow of string lights draped across the open-air event space. Tables with crisp white linens and silver platters of hors d'oeuvres were spread out across the lawn, where servers in matching suits moved briskly through the crowd. The scent of saltwater mixed with the faint aroma of expensive champagne and grilled seafood.

Avery scanned the scene as she approached, already spotting clusters of Kooks dressed to the nines in pastel dresses and tailored suits. Her eyes landed on Kie and Pope standing near the oyster bar.

"Avery!" Kie called, waving her over.

Avery made her way through the crowd, raising an eyebrow as she took in Kie's outfit. "Wow, Kie, you clean up pretty well," she teased.

Kie smirked and struck a mock pose. "Excuse me, sir," she said in a terrible English accent, "Do we have to shuck these ourselves? 'Cause it might mess up my costume."

Pope burst into laughter. "We wouldn't want that now, would we?"

"That accent was bad," Kie admitted with a laugh.

"It was," Pope agreed, shaking his head. "I was gonna let it slide."

Avery glanced around, taking in the sheer number of Kooks swarming the place. "You ever seen this many Kooks in one spot?"

"Yeah," Pope replied dryly. "Last year."

Kie leaned closer, lowering her voice. "We're in the lion's den."

"Exactly," Pope muttered, scanning the crowd nervously.

Pope glanced at Avery. "Have you heard from JJ?"

Avery frowned, shaking her head. "No."

Kie waved a hand dismissively. "He'll be fine. That guy's got the survival instincts of a cockroach."

Pope's expression darkened. "It's my fault he's in this mess. Now he's got the cops breathing down his neck."

Kie placed a hand on Pope's shoulder. "Uh... you didn't do this, Pope. Don't put that on yourself."

Before Avery could chime in, she spotted movement at the edge of the crowd. Her heart skipped as she recognized the figure approaching-a tall, lean guy in a slightly rumpled suit, balancing a tray of drinks.