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“No way did you hold the record for push-ups!”
“He’s right,” Seb tells me, mock-serious. “I’m all lean muscle.”
“Ahem.” Austin gives him a playful shove. “We all know who dominated in the gym.”
“Yeah yeah, professional athlete, whatever.”
Grace, Charlie’s girlfriend, catches my eye. “Time to hit the dessert bar?” she suggests.
I immediately get up. “Yes please!”
Grace leads me across the party, to where we find Callie and Piper by the buffet table. “Great minds think alike,” Callie grins, greeting me with a forkful of pie in her hand. Somehow, she’s managing to eat without smudging her amazing red lipstick, and I make a mental note to ask about the brand.
“We needed a breather,” Grace explains. “The guys are deep in bro-mode.”
“Hazard of the business,” Callie tells me. “You never know when they’re going to get nostalgic and start up with their old dorm games.”
“And by nostalgic, she means drunk.” Piper adds with a grin. She’s Dash’s younger sister, a perky blonde with a mischievous glint in her eye. “Believe me, I’ve seen some things.”
I laugh.
“Are you having fun?” Grace asks. “I know it’s a lot, meeting everyone at once.”
“It’s fine,” I smile. “He’s already been in the deep end meeting my knitting group. And Evelyn is a tough audience.”
“Ooh, you knit?” Grace perks up. “You wouldn’t happen to know a good place to get fine woolen yarn would you? One of my clients needs a source.”
“She runs a concierge service,” Callie explains.
“I’ll ask around,” I promise. “And let you know.”
“Thanks!”
We pile our plates with desserts, then find a corner to relax and chat. They ask me about working for Austin and share a little about their jobs, too. I laugh over how Grace and Callie met Charlie and Dash, respectively. Although I will eternally hate Karl the creep, I do enjoy sharing that immediately after I met Austin, he witnessed me punching a guy in the dick.
“You’re my hero!” Piper cheers.
“You’ll fit right in,” Callie agrees with a smirk.
Before I can process the warmth that I feel at her comment, a familiar chord sequence blasts through the bar. We turn. The guys are kicking off karaoke —with a surprising choice.
“What…” I begin, staring the five of them on a makeshift onstage, “is happening?”
“Their college karaoke go-to,” Callie explains.
“You have to give them points for taste,” Grace adds. “Kelly Clarkson is a queen.”
We remain in awed silence as Dash leans into the microphone for the chorus, an impassioned falsetto of ‘Since You’ve Been Gone!’
“Hands off, everyone,” Callie jokes, laughing. “That one’s mine.”
The rest of the guys are fast with backup, nearly yelling the chorus. It’s infectious, and the crowd calls back the lyrics.
“Austin mentioned something about karaoke,” I say. “But…”
“Kind of takes your breath away.” Grace smirks.
“Right?” Piper snorts with laughter. “At least they went with this song and not Usher. Nothing kills a buzz like having to watch my brother perform ‘Yeah!’”
