Marty spun Lucy, but the dizziness didn’t stop when her body did. After a quick peck on Marty’s cheek, she pushed through the sweaty pack and to the buffet, where she downed two mason jars of hibiscus water. The only tacos left were labeled beef tongue and Cowgirl Creamery goat cheese, and she ate one, cold, as her eyes searched for Maddie and Delia. Head still swimming, she started down the hall to the restrooms, remembering the door that led to the private patio area on the roof of the club.

She climbed the stairs, flung the door open, and breathed in the crisp night air, for once grateful for the microclimate surrounding the city. Lights from buildings in the Financial District glimmered in the distance, none more than the top floors of Salesforce Tower, which had edged out the Transamerica Pyramid to become the tallest building in San Francisco when it opened. Each night, fleeting images moved across the aluminum panels that formed the crown at the top—a public art installation visible from twenty miles in every direction. Lucy watched as a lone cyclist, a black shadow against the white lights, pedaled around the side of the building and out of view. When she stepped forward and turned to try to get a glimpse of the lights on the Bay Bridge, she realized she wasn’t alone.

Ryan was here. With Emma. Eric and Marty’s teammate. Ryan and Emma were so deep in conversation, his hand on her forearm, that they didn’t even notice her. She considered quietly leaving, but if Ryan was dispensing advice, Lucy wanted in.

“Hey,” she said.

Ryan’s head jerked back, and Emma averted her eyes.

Is this more than a tip or two? Is Ryan actually helping Emma’s team?

That if Lucy’s Pulse were higher, maybe he’d be helping her raced through her mind. Damn you, Gavin Cox.

Ryan handed something to Emma and she nodded. He then sauntered over to Lucy. “Someone’s been having fun.”

Pissing in a tin can, right? Just because Lucy wasn’t a 10 didn’t mean she couldn’t act like it. “How could I not? Especially when it’s this very club that inspired Lit.”

“Really? So you’ve been before?”

“A couple of times.”

“Isn’t it a shame we didn’t run into each other?”

“Tragic, really,” Lucy said.

He laughed and placed a hand on her shoulder, just past the skinny strap of her tank top. “Keep enjoying yourself, Lucy.”

His fingers pressed into her bare skin, giving a gentle squeeze. It wasn’t until he’d reentered the club that Lucy realized she’d basically admitted to using a fake ID and he hadn’t even blinked.

He’s so cool.

Emma barely looked at Lucy as she moved past her.

“Care to share?” Lucy said.

“Share what?”

“The intel on ValleyStart. Us girls gotta stick together, right?”