Eden had been hoping to find Willow, but she let herself be led to the bumper cars, and then everyone decided to get fake tattoos sprayed onto their arms and back. She went last, selecting a pretty butterfly design for her midriff.

“Cool choice,” the artist shouted. “It means, like, fertility!”

Eden’s stomach turned over. “Can I pick something else?”

But the artist either couldn’t hear her or couldn’t be fucked finding another stencil and Eden got a fake tattoo of her nightmarish revelation on her belly.

“What now?” Andy said as they sipped strawberry daiquiris. “Anyone wanna ride the teacups?”

“How about we check out the warehouse?” Eden suggested. She couldn’t see Willow or any giant football guys anywhere, so odds were they were in the hangar.

“Sounds good,” Beth yelled. “I want to show Byron my tatt!”

The warehouse was packed and full of the familiar scents of alcohol, dry ice, and sweat. Eden wandered among the lavender-coloured lights, admiring the dancers dangling from ballet ropes, stripping inside cages, and roaming the floor in kitten costumes and fireman outfits. There were men and women, Drag queens and the androgynously beautiful, all smiling, all seeming to be having a great time. And as the DJ transitioned from Britney to Boris Brejcha, Eden changed her mind. This joint bachelor party thing was incredibly sweet and cool.

“Hey guys!” Mara strode into their path, looking slightly cross-eyed. “What do you think?”

“It’s amazing,” Eden said. “I’ve never seen so many strippers.”

“Right!” Mara took her hand and squeezed it. “This way everyone can get stripped on!”

Mara let out a small scream. Eden raised her fists, but she was looking across the crowd at Derek Hardiman. He was wearing a tuxedo and scowl, looking straight at Mara and pointing to his chest in a ‘get over here’ gesture. It was pretty hot. Mara ran at him, flinging herself into his arms. “Daddy!”

Derek buried his face in her hair. “Little Miss.”

Eden glanced away, embarrassed and a little turned on.

Beth sprinted toward a sandy-haired guy. They kissed, the dude sliding a possessive hand around her waist. He was tall and chiselled like a male model and Eden felt her respect for Beth rise. She had fun sober, and she’d locked that down.

“Hey, pretty girl!”

Relief ran through her. She turned and there he was, his red hair rumpled, his bow tie loose around his neck. He beamed at her, a bit ugly, a bit handsome, a bit boyish, a bit royal. Always smiling, always looking at her like she was the only woman in the world.

Something in her chest clanged like a broken cymbal.

Shit. I fucking love you.

She didn’t need to run to him like Beth or Mara, Willow was already on her, picking her up and pulling her into his chest. She buried her face in his shirt.