“Of course you think that.” Tess shakes her head with a quiet laugh.
I lift one shoulder in a careless shrug, not bothering to pretend she might be wrong.
“I mean… let’s be honest, no one here knows how to throw a party the way I do.”
She raises a brow at that, but there’s the faintest trace of agreement in the look she gives me.
“You’re not exactly wrong,” she admits.
A small smile touches my mouth as I lift the glass back to my lips. “Exactly.”
I walk over to the sofa and sink into it, crossing my legs as I lean back against the cushions, my glass still in hand. Tess drops down beside me, setting hers on the table before reaching for it again.
I take my phone out and unlock it, already opening a few tabs.
“What are you doing?” she asks, attention shifting to the screen.
“I’m ordering everything.” I keep scrolling through the app. “I have better things to do than spend the day running around this town for basic supplies.”
“Right, because that would be far too… human for you.”
I don’t give her the satisfaction of reacting. I keep scrolling, adding things to the cart without looking up.
“Alcohol first,” I murmur, more to myself than to her. “And not the cheap kind people here pretend to enjoy.”
Tess shifts a little closer, watching the screen.
“You’re really doing this tonight?”
“Obviously. I didn’t come back for a quiet night in.”
She studies me carefully before a smirk pulls at her mouth. “People are going to talk.”
I lift one shoulder, entirely unbothered. “They always do. At least now they’ll have something worth saying.”
I scroll a little more, then pause.
“And we’ll need something extra,” I add in the same casual tone. “So if you still know someone capable of handling that, call them.”
“You mean drugs?” she asks, raising a brow.
“I mean if we’re doing this, we’re not doing it halfway.”
“You’re unbelievable.” She rolls her eyes, but the smile tugging at her mouth ruins the effect.
“Tess, people need to know I’m back.” I set my glass down against the table with a quiet clink. “This town has been boring itself to death long enough. I’m doing it a favor.”
She watches me quietly, then breathes out through her nose, her gaze drifting aside like she already knows there’s no point arguing once I’ve decided something.
“You really came back ready to cause problems.”
A faint smile touches my mouth, and I make no effort to deny it.
“Call everyone you know.” I turn toward her slowly. “And tell them to bring whoever they want. I don’t care who shows up. I just want this place full.”
“Full?”
“Packed,” I correct, leaning back on the sofa. “I want people talking about it before the night’s even over.”
