The memory of the pig’s blood plays over in my mind. It’s not the canapés he has to worry about. At least today he hasn’t made himself a target by hacking Tiffany’s rigged poll, but I’m still worried. Even though he knows what the Hawthorn Elite are planning, it still feels like the night could very easily go sideways.

‘Actually,’ I say, interrupting them mid-photo, ‘why don’t you call her?’

‘Oh, you absolutely cannot call your mum right now,’ Bec says with a wicked smirk.

‘Huh?’ Chase says. ‘Why not?’

‘Because she’d lose her mind if she saw us drinking this.’ She reaches into her garment bag to pull out the bottle of Toxicquila.

‘The tequila can wait,’ I say, plucking the bottle from her fingers and giving her a look to say this is important.

Bec hesitates for a second and then smiles. ‘You’re right,’ she says. ‘Call your mum! I need to know what she thinks of my dress anyway.’

‘She’s gonna say it’s too short!’ Chase laughs, pulling out his phone. ‘Zach, can you hurry up and put some clothes on? My mum doesn’t need to see your nipples.’

‘All right, all right.’ I pull on my shirt and button it. ‘Better?’

‘Much,’ he says, hitting dial on FaceTime. His mum answers almost immediately.

‘I thought you’d never call!’ she shrieks from the other end of the phone, holding it way too close to her face. ‘Let me see! What are you wearing?’

‘Hi, Myra,’ Bec says, waving into the camera. ‘Here,’ she says, taking the phone from Chase and stepping backwards so his mum can get a full view of his outfit.

‘Oh my God,’ she says, her smile faltering. ‘Is that … my dress?’

The smiles disappear from Chase and Bec too. I swear my heart temporarily stops beating. I knew today could go sideways, but I didn’t think this would be the cause of it. There’s an uncomfortably long silence and then …

‘It looks incredible!’ Myra says, joy rushing through every muscle in her face. ‘Let me see closer!’

Thank God for that. Their smiles return as Bec works all the angles.

‘You’re not mad?’ Chase says after a few moments.

‘How could I be mad?’ his mum says. ‘I have my alarm set for 11:11 every day. To wish for my son to be happy. And look at you. It looks like all those wishes came true.’

I see a wash of relief run through him. All his worries now replaced with a smile.

He switches to Mandarin, and they exchange a few more words. I don’t understand the specifics of what they’re saying, but I know they’re having a moment. A moment they never had yesterday.

‘Now let me see Bec,’ she finally says, and Bec dutifully does a twirl for her.

‘Not bad, not bad,’ she says. ‘Though that dress is a little … short.’

‘Told you,’ Chase says with a laugh. ‘Zach, put your jacket on.’