Page 93 of Ballrooms & Blackmail

“You’re right. That’s delicious.” She looks over at us, eyes dancing. “You should definitely pick this one, Briar.”

Briar just smiles. “I already have.”

I nearly choke on my bite of carrot cake.

Then we’re laughing.

Then we’re decimating cake.

Then Brooks is coming in and murmuring something in Briar’s ear that makes her cheeks flush pink before he sweeps out of the room.

And just like that, I’m thinking about Thorn again.

About whispered words and fingers on my skin and…

A conversation that keeps replaying inside my head.

The ultimatum I gave him.

And the roughness in his voice when he said, I miss you.

I hate that he sounded so lost.

Hate that I miss him.

Hate that he won’t let me in.

But, for better or worse, I can’t hate that I love him.

I blink down at my cake, suddenly not tasting the delicious combination of spices and cream cheese frosting.

Stubborn freaking man.

“All right,” Briar says, clapping her hands together. “I never thought I’d say it, but enough cake.”

The entire table freezes, looks up.

But she just disappears from the room without another word.

“Um.” Marie points her fork. “That’s not a good sign.”

“Definitely not,” Rory adds.

“I’m sure it’ll be great,” Chrissy says. “Because Briar’s great.”

“Definitely,” Tiff agrees.

“Thanks, Chrissy,” she says, popping her head back into the room, her smile bright. “I think you’re great too. I think all of you are. Hence…drumroll please!” She rolls a garment rack into the room.

Marie bounces with excitement. “Is that what I think it is?”

“Yes!” She grins widely. “I got us all dresses for the fantasy ball!”

Chrissy and I look at each other and then we’re all moving, rushing over, excitement growing.

Within ten minutes, the dining room has been completely taken over.

Tiff and I bring the dirty plates into the kitchen, Chrissy and Rory start unzipping garment bags. Briar and Marie bust out the champagne…and boxes and boxes of shoes and costume jewelry.