Page 97 of Stars and Scars

“Only thing in this backyard that is, am I right, Grayson?”

Griff slaps me on the arm, but I’m too worked up about my planned surprise to appreciate his antics.

Avery rolls her eyes and heads back towards Charlotte and Lexi. I’m a little surprised she and Ryker got hitched, to be honest. Even if Avery wasn’t actually to blame for Ryker’s team getting wiped out in the field, there still had to be a ton of obstacles. But they make it work.

Just like Charlotte and I. We don’t work on paper, either, but in reality it’s damn near perfect.

I escape from Griff with my new brew, making a beeline for Lexi and Charlotte. But Cole heads me off at the pass.

“Hey, who’s the blonde? I hear she’s friends with Charlotte.”

“Blonde?” I look over to where Emory helps Easton set up lawn chairs. “Oh, you mean Emory. She’s friends with Easton, too, as it turns out. I guess if you’re a hotshot dance choreographer, you get to work with all the famous folks.”

“Dance choreographer?” He swipes a hand through his hair, his gaze faltering. “Do you think she’d expect to be taken out dancing?”

I give him a look.

“I can pretty much guarantee she’ll expect it. It’s kind of her thing, man. Anyway, didn’t you take dance lessons?”

“Yeah, yeah, right...but I don’t dance anymore.”

He retreats to the other side of the pool, and tries to pretend he’s not checking out Emory from across the yard. I chuckle to myself. Apparently Cole is not as impenetrable as he seems.

At last, the sky grows dark enough for the show to begin.

“It’s time for the laser light spectacular,” Easton announces, using a megaphone. “Everyone please turn off your devices and direct your attention to the sky above you…that means you, too, Ryker.”

I settle into a lawn chair beside Charlotte. She gives me an appraising look.

“You’re awfully eager.”

“I’m really into laser light shows.”

“Since when? You’ve never mentioned it before…”

“Lasers are a spy’s best friend.”

Walking on Sunshineplays over the speakers, and the lasers sculpt a picture of the sun with a smiling face.

“This is an odd choice. I thought Pink Floyd or Metallica would be more in keeping with…”

Her voice trails off as the laser lights change the sun slowly, morphing it into her likeness.

“Okay, this is pretty cool,” Charlotte says. “But who is that…”

The lasers trace out an outline of Charlotte standing in front of a lot of flashing cameras. It’s only the outline, but whoever Jax hired did a great job of capturing her likeness. You can tell it’s Charlotte.

“Is that me?” Charlotte gasps.

“Maybe,” I reply. “Keep watching.”

I can barely contain my excitement. I made some requests, but someone has gotten quite creative with this laser lights show. A laugh erupts out of me, and everyone else, when my own likeness arrives.

Whoever drew my face for the laser display made me look a little bit on the goofy side. I look over at Jax and he’s got a shit-eating grin on his face.

“I’ll get you, asshole,” I mouth silently to him as the show continues.

“Oh my god,” Charlotte says, grabbing my arm. “Look! They’re re-creating the car chase we had! Is this our life story or something?”

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