Page 46 of Party Favors
“You have to wear that one,” Wren said. She was full-on grinning and staring straight at Amanda. “It’s soyou.”
“You think so?”
“I know so.”
Chapter Eleven
The New Year’s Eve party was busier than Amanda had expected. The core dancefloor was in the banquet hall where they’d had their little MLM protein powder run-in, but the party filtered into the main atrium, where there were high bar tables, appetizer stations, and a cash bar. Partygoers packed into both spaces, laughing and talking loudly over the dance music.
When they arrived and got their tickets stamped, they were each given one drink ticket and a gift baggie full of weird goodies. Now they were posted up at one of the tall tables emptying the bags.
Benji pulled out what appeared to be a tiny champagne bottle. “Oh, look. Bubbles.” He popped the cap off and blew into the bubble wand. Bubbles floated around their heads. There were also party hats, headbands with disco ball antennas, novelty sunglasses, and an array of noisemakers.
Wren donned her sunglasses and plopped one of the headbands on Amanda’s head, being very careful of her hair. “There’s my disco ball heiress. I love party favors,” Wren said, her hand still lightly resting on Amanda’s jaw.
It was an innocuous thing to say, but it felt like more, what with the eye contact and the soft touch.
“Me too,” Amanda managed to stammer. She glanced down at her bounty. “Breath mints. That’s a smart favor with all the kissing at midnight.”
Other people around the atrium had also dug into their gift bags, so noisemakers echoed through the room, almost drowned out by the music, and bubbles sparkled in the party lights.
“So … shots?” Benji said. Rosie seemed scandalized by that, but everyone else cheered.
“Shots, shots, shots,” Wren sang.
William and Leo dutifully retrieved the shots from the bar, and everyone slammed them back. Amanda was instantly glad she’d eaten before the party, but she needed to stay on top of her alcohol intake if she wanted to have sex with Wren again tonight.
And she definitely did.
Wren might have been thinking the same thing because she waved off a second shot.
“Who are you going to kiss at midnight, Rosie?” Wren asked, a twinkle in her eye.
“Well Leo, of course,” she answered primly. “And maybe whoever else we’re with.”
“Ew.” Benji covered his ears and chanted, “La la la la.”
Rosie bumped him with her hip. “Sorry you aren’t as exciting as me.” Her voice was incredibly deadpan. “Only kisses from William for you.”
“I would kiss someone else,” he insisted. “If William were there.”
William coughed a laugh.
Benji scowled at his boyfriend. “What? I would. We played Spin the Bottle that one time on Valentine’s Day, and I kissed a bunch of your friends that night.”
“That’s true. Whatever was I thinking?” William said.
“I’ll kiss someone else right this instant, mister.”
William, unperturbed, nuzzled Benji’s hair. “We should. Let’s all do it. Kiss a person who is not our date. That sounds like great fun.” It was clear that William was mostly kidding, but Amanda also suspected that Benji kissing someone else in an agreed-upon manner truly didn’t bother William that much.
She felt as if she’d fallen into another dimension, but she liked it. She liked the looseness and comfort these people had with each other and with their partners.
“I’m in,” Leo drawled. Rosie nodded, a smile playing over her lips.
“What the hell. Me too,” Wren said. Then she glanced at Amanda. “As long as it’s fine with—”
Amanda grinned, her smile so wide it hurt. “I’m in too. I can’t imagine who I’d kiss, but—”
