“What’s wrong with hyenas?” Masters asks.
“Besides the fact that they’re the ugliest creatures on the planet?” I grimace. “Nothing at all.”
“We’re much cuter than hyenas,” Harper murmurs. “Meerkats, maybe.Oh! Or otters. Otters are adorable. Did you know they hold hands to keep from floating apart while they nap?”
Masters merges the car left, taking the turn toward my neighborhood. “Don’t care what you see yourself as, so long as you can acknowledge you’re alsocrazy.”
“Rude,” Harper says.
“True,” he mutters.
We reach my house fifteen minutes later. I’m barely out of the car when Harper spots the silver envelope in my hands and swipes it from me.
“What’s this?”
“See for yourself, you’ve already stolen it.”
She pulls the thick card-stock out and reads aloud. “A masked affair…Sloan’s having a New Year’s Eve masquerade party? Am I invited?”
“Does it say I get a plus one?”
“Yes.”
“Then consider yourself invited.”
“Excellent.” Her eyes glitter. “I have an Olympic gold medal in coordinating cute New Year’s Eve outfits.”
“Didn’t know they gave those out,” Masters says dryly.
She waves his words away. “You’re just jealous because you aren’t invited.”
He glances at me. “Assuming you’ll need a designated driver?”
I nod.
He glances at his girlfriend. “Apparently, I’m invited.”
I laugh as she narrows her eyes at him, then stomps inside. Alone with Masters, I pause before following her in.
He looks at me questioningly.
“You’re good for her,” I inform him.
His brows go up. “But?”
“Who says there’s a but?”
He just waits.
I sigh. “But… if you screw it up… you know I’ll have to kill you, right?”
“Appreciate the sentiment.” His lips twitch. “Not planning to screw it up.”
“Glad to hear it.”
“You okay?” he asks. “The Dunn situation. Not ideal.”
I let a gust of air out from between my lips. “No. Definitely not ideal.”