Page 171 of The Fake Out Flex

A waiter carrying a tray of goblets walks past. Levi grabs two glasses, and we move a little bit away from the girls, who have engulfed Margo in another fast-talking tornado.

"Cheers," he says, lifting his glass.

"What are we cheersing to?"

"To you being happier than I've seen you in a very long time. Possibly ever. And to me for being the best brother in the world by setting you up with my awesome best friend."

"Fine." I tap my glass against his. "I suppose you did play a very small role in Fraser and me getting together."

"Very small role, ha. Yeah, right. If it wasn't for my meddling, you'd still be harboring a crush on the guy, and Fraser would still be secretly in love with you from a distance. I deserve an award."

"I'll call the UN first thing in the morni—" I latch onto Levi's arm, my mouth hitting the floor. "O…M…G."

He follows my gaze, and something a lot less PG than OMG flies out of his mouth. He waves Mom, Dad, Harper, and Laney over to us.

"Mom, what are you wearing?" Levi asks, since I'm too stunned to say anything.

"There was a little mix-up at the costume store," Dad explains since Mom—excuse me, Wilma Flintstone, is not looking very cheery at the moment.

I'm not entirely sure who Dad's meant to be, but at least he's in the right theme, donning a distinguished Victorian gentleman's outfit, complete with a waistcoat and top hat.

Mom-slash-Wilma folds her arms. "A mix-up that we would have had time to rectify if someone had picked up the costumes yesterday like they were meant to and not today on the way over here, leaving me with no other option but to wear this ridiculous outfit."

There's a momentary hint of guilt in Dad's eyes, but it's quickly replaced by a smile aimed at me. "Someone's been keeping me very busy."

I smile back at him.

"You've got nothing to be embarrassed about, Mom," Levi says, trying—and failing—to hide how funny he's finding this. "You have amazing legs."

A giggle escapes me.

Mom glares at the two of us, but it's a little hard to take her seriously, standing there in an asymmetrical, knee-length white tunic dress, chunky stone necklace, and red bob wig topped off with a white bone hair accessory.

Say what you will about Meredith Freeman, but when she commits, she commits.

"You could have just not worn a costume," I mention.

"Don't be ridiculous, Evelyn. Who shows up to a fancy dress party not wearing a—?" Her eyes narrow. "Wait a minute. Why are you dressed like that? Why aren't you in fancy dress like the rest of us?"

"Don't know." I shrug. "Fraser's orders. He told me to wear normal clothes."

She gives an unimpressed hmph as she surveys the packed ballroom. "Oh, no," she groans. "There's Anita Bickmore."

"Who's that?" Levi asks.

"She's on the hospital board with your mother," Dad answers.

"Arts and cultures committee," Mom corrects. "She's been hounding me incessantly to let her sister join. Now I'm going to have to spend the whole evening trying to avoid her."

"At least you're not wearing anything that will make you stand out," I point out helpfully, but strangely, I'm on the receiving end of a very unimpressed glare.

"Soooo…" I decide to move on and address my sisters, "Who are you guys meant to be?"

"We're both Juliettes looking for our Romeos," Harper answers.

"So, art imitating life, then?" Levi teases, earning himself a very deserved smack across the back of the head from Harper…who proceeds to totally non-discreetly cast her eyes over the ballroom.

Fraser's brothers, Trace and Clayton, are coming tonight, and my money is on Harper being keen to spend some time with Clayton, AKA America's favorite reality TV villain.

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