Annika sat back and smiled. They would do this. She was going to save Make Up with every last scrap of ferocity she had in her.

Her phone dinged again. Does this mean you’re in the mood to go to that housewarming party with me tomorrow night? Didn’t want to remind you before …

Oh, right. She’d completely forgotten. Yeah sure. Sounds like it’ll be a good networking event. Let’s do it.

THAT’S MY BAD BITCH RIGHT THERE

Annika laughed, feeling a spike of energy and confidence, and began to drive again.

On Wednesday night, Annika and June made their way up to the penthouse suite of a high-rise in a special, gold-dusted elevator.

“This elevator has a touch screen,” Annika said, staring. “I’ve never seen that before.”

“It’s really flashy, right?” June looked impressed, even though she herself had grown up in a twenty-bedroom, four-kitchen mansion. “This guy must be doing well for himself.”

Annika frowned. “You really don’t know whose housewarming party we’re going to? Are you sure this is going to be okay?”

June waved an ombre-nail-polished hand. “Lucy said it’d be fine. She got to invite whoever she wanted, and she wanted to invite me.” She flashed Annika a big smile. “And I wanted to invite you. Look at it this way, sugar. After your disastrous date with Alesandro and subsequent ambush by Hudson, you deserve this night. Maybe you’ll meet your prince in this palace!” She swept her arm around her in a grand, very June gesture.

Annika shifted her present from one hand to another. “Okay, but if I get thrown out by a scary bouncer, I’m blaming you. Also, by the way, who throws a housewarming party on a Wednesday night? That’s so random.”

The doors pinged open onto a marble-floored foyer. A wave of sound swelled and crashed over them; there had to be two dozen people here that Annika could see, clustered around the canape table and standing near potted palm trees.

June raised an eyebrow. “I guess all these people don’t mind.”

Annika adjusted her purse strap with one hand, shifted the present she was carrying for their unnamed host in the other, and followed June out, suddenly wobbly in her stilettos. She checked herself out in an enormous mirror opposite them. She looked pretty good, she thought, in a green wrap dress and a simple emerald pendant her dad had given her when she graduated college. She had a bit of cleavage on display, but not enough to be gauche. June, of course, looked stunning in a bright yellow dress and shiny hot pink Prada pumps.

“This must be the present table.” June set her prettily wrapped box next to hordes of others on a gleaming wooden table off to their left. Annika followed suit, looking around at the other guests at the same time.

Oh my god. “June.” Annika grabbed her elbow.