Adrenaline

48 | grammys pt. ii

"Is that dog hair on your jacket?"

Maverick looks down. "I thought I got all of them—"

"Kidding." I flick his nose. "You look good." His jacket does tie everything together well. Seeing Everleigh not too far away, I smile at my walking bi flag.

"So do you. Clean up nice." He flicks me back.

I mindlessly run my fingers along the pleated silk fabric. "Everleigh is stunning, of course."

"As is boy wonder."

"Between the two of them, I'm going to faint." They're standing right next to each other now. Eighteen-wheelers could be barreling toward me right this second and I wouldn't even notice. They're a sight for sore eyes.

He looks in their direction. "Can I say something you're not allowed to repeat?"

"Sure."

"I was....seconds away from trying to convince her that we should...you know, stay at the hotel instead of go to the ceremony when you texted. I almost did pass out." It's visible in his eyes; one wrong (or right) look and he'll be ready to drag Everleigh back to their hotel room.

"Honestly, totally valid. I almost jumped Brendon when he showed up at our door," I say, conveniently not mentioning that it's more or less what I did. What Maverick doesn't know doesn't hurt him or me.

"Stevie and Kingston found dead in Los Angeles," he says wistfully.

Bunch of horny bastards we are. Must be the August Leo energy. Or maybe it's a fire sign thing. Jun has been quite touchy with Lauren since she put her dress on.

I tear my eyes away from our Achilles heels. "Unfortunately, I have to see you lose your bet in person." Maverick does a terrible job at looking innocently aloof. "You didn't forget, did you?"

"I don't remember any bet." Where's a spare Razzie when you need one? Maybe I'll raid Maver's closet.

Jun hears the word bet come out of Maverick's mouth and flocks to us, ready to watch our friend's fatal flaw in action. Maybe his real Achilles heel is bets he'll never win. "Did you say Mav made another bet against you?"

"He sure did."

Maverick shakes his head. "Don't think so. Nope."

Jun looks at me. "And what's the bet?"

"Said he'd get my name tattooed if we won best duo/group."

He laughs. "What a spoon."

"I might've been under the influence when I made the bet," he says as if I didn't notice the slurring during that phone call. It might have taken a few repeats for me to understand what he was saying, but I haven't forgotten it since. "But...dare I ask, have you picked a spot for it yet? I vaguely remember saying you could."

"Shame I can't make it a tramp stamp."

Jun's eyes go wide as he processes the implication of my comment. "You have a tramp stamp?"

The silence drags for too long. "...No?"

I turn on my heel and call out to her. "Everleigh, can you describe the tramp stamp in detail while I decide on where this new tattoo should go?"

Not a second is wasted before Everleigh begins walking over to us.

Maverick shifts into panic mode. "Baby, you don't have to—"