I turned and left him, heading back out to our friends, making sure I neatened up my appearance in tiny increments as I walked. The alcohol was really kicking in at this point, but I was pretty sure I still managed to walk without looking obviously drunk. When I reached the group, Kayla gestured to be picked up again. I was a little hesitant, but she seemed so insistent that I handed my drink to Doug and lifted her into my arms again. Mercifully, I didn’t fall over.

She studied me with those big blue eyes, and I wondered what she sensed. Something about her gaze affected me in a way that Seth’s chastising hadn’t. I felt bad for what I’d done. Dirty. Cheap.

“She sure does like you,” said Maddie. “And you’re great with her too. You should have kids of your own.”

I ran a hand over Kayla’s fine hair, recalling the dreams Nyx had sent me while she’d stolen my energy. They’d all shown an impossible future, me with a daughter and husband. “Can’t,” I said. “Doug would be lousy at child support.”

“Oh, be quiet,” he snapped back good-naturedly. I think he’d been drinking as much as me by now.

Seth returned just then and touched Maddie’s arm, his expression grim. “We should head off. Terry and the others will be back, and Kayla’s probably getting tired.”

Maddie’s face fell a little. “Already?” It was the first time in their idyllic relationship that I’d ever seen signs of clouds.

“We need to get her back,” Seth reiterated mildly. “And I’ve got a chapter to write.”

She rolled her eyes. “Ah. Now the truth comes out.”

Interesting. Maddie had to put up with the same stuff I had.

“Stay,” Doug told her. “I’ll give you a ride.”

“Yeah, like I’d trust you behind a wheel right now.”

“Then you drive me and Kincaid home, and Mortensen can go now.”

They all finally decided that was a good idea. As Seth and Kayla were about to go, Maddie suddenly did a double-take. “Oh! Wait. You have to give Georgina her present.”

I blinked. “Present?”

Seth’s face turned almost—almost—mischievous, though he was still clearly bothered by what had taken place in the house. “Uh, yeah. I just got a box of advanced copies of the next Cady and O’Neill book and wondered if you wanted one.”

“I . . .” I stopped, unsure what to say. Maddie laughed.

“You’ve been the belle of the ball all night, and this is what makes you speechless?”

“Hey, it’s not that easy. I mean . . . this is Cady and O’Neill. You know how I feel about them. I’ve sort of accepted that I wouldn’t get to read their next installment until October. If I get it now, my whole universe will be thrown out of whack.”

“So you don’t want it?” asked Seth.

“Oh, I want it. Just seems . . . I don’t know. It feels like cheating.”

“They’re in the car right now,” teased Maddie in a sing-song voice. “Sure you don’t want one?”