Harper smiled. “Yes, you’ve told me at least eight times since you had your first shot.”
“Well, it’s true. I love you. I feel like we’re bonding right now. Don’t you feel it?”
Raini and Devon were laughing so hard – at nothing, from what Harper could tell, they were just trapped in a fit of laughter – they couldn’t seem to sit upright.
Khloë grabbed Harper’s arm. “Listen, listen, are you listening to me? You’re not listening to me. This is important. I love you. Like for realsies.”
“That’s great, Khloë, I love you too.”
Her cousin groaned as the song changed. “I hate this one. It makes me think of my ex. He’s such a bastard. I should text him. Text him and tell him he’s a bastard.”
Raini managed to get out through peals of laughter, “Khloë, we never text our exes when we’re drunk.”
“But I’m not drunk. Just a little buzzed, that’s all.”
Raini wagged her finger. “No talking to exes when we’ve had shots.”
Khloë huffed. “Fine, I don’t want to speak to him anyway. I’ve moved on. So has he. But we’re friends. I can text a friend, right?”
“To tell him he’s a bastard?” chuckled Devon.
“Exactly.” Khloë suddenly frowned. “I need to go pee. Want to come pee with me?” she asked Harper.
“No,” replied Harper, “but I will, because I have to protect you from yourself and stop you from getting into shit.”
Of course, the moment Khloë stood, she almost fell on her ass. When Harper moved to help her, Khloë held up both hands and declared, “I got this, I got this.”
Unreal. Harper kept her hand on Khloë’s elbow as she led her to the restrooms.
“I’m sorry,” Khloë whined.
Harper frowned. “What are you sorry for?”
“I don’t know. Isn’t that weird?”
With a sigh, Harper shoved open the door and guided Khloë to a stall. “Do not try to wrap yourself in toilet paper so you look like a mummy.”
“Why would I do that?”
“I don’t know, I asked you that last time you did it, and you didn’t know then either.”
With a haughty sniff, Khloë slammed the door shut. And burped.
It was only as Harper turned to check her face in the mirror, strongly – and correctly – suspecting that she had Khloë’s lipstick all over her face after the girl’s dramatic display of affection earlier, that she noticed the two she-demons by the hand dryers watching her warily. “Hey,” Harper said as she wiped off the lipstick.
They smiled shakily as they both greeted, “Hi.” One looked as if she’d say more, but then her eyes widened as the door opened.
Turning, Harper found none other than…Kendra. How fabulous. Dressed in a long emerald green dress, her hair up in some elaborate do, she slowly advanced on Harper wearing a wide, patronizing smile. Her inner demon rolled her eyes, finding the bitch pathetic. Harper asked, “Something you want?”
Kendra seemed taken aback by her bored tone. “I simply thought I’d say hello. How are things down your end? And by ‘end’ I mean the bottom of the social ladder.”
To people like Kendra, who clearly prized social status, that comment would probably be offensive. Harper found it nothing but petty. “I see someone got up on the wrong side of their pigpen this morning.”
Kendra ground her teeth. “I’d imagine you can’t believe your luck that Knox Thorne is your anchor.”
“You’re having a little trouble dealing with that, huh?”
“Trouble?” Kendra laughed. “Of course not. I pity him, having not only an imp but a Wallis for an anchor.”
Harper batted her eyelids. “Well, aren’t you sweet to care.”
That was when Khloë came striding out of the stall, fixing Kendra with a hard look. “I’ll never understand why people can’t just let their exes go.” This was coming from a girl who had only moments ago considered texting her own ex. “But I guess Knox doesn’t really count as an ex, since you two weren’t in an actual relationship. That’s gotta hurt.”
Harper’s inner demon didn’t at all like the reminder that Kendra knew Knox intimately.
“Kendra,” interrupted one of the she-demons by the hand dryers. “I really think you should leave. If Knox hears you’re bothering his anchor, he won’t take it well.”
Kendra looked at Harper speculatively. “Yes, I’ve heard he’s quite protective of you. Still, it won’t last long, because his demon simply doesn’t attach itself to people.”
Harper heard the bitterness in the latter words. “And that just eats at your pride, doesn’t it?” It also satisfied Harper’s demon.
“Does it bother me that I have to watch him with others? Yes. However, I’m used to it – Knox doesn’t believe in being exclusive. But the good thing for me is that I can move on. I can keep him out of my life and out of my thoughts. You can’t, can you? So you’d better hope you don’t come to care for him or your life won’t be fun watching the man you want flit from woman to woman.”
A hurt that was deep, concerning, rose in Harper as the prospect fluttered through her mind. “It’s true that I might find it hard on some level. I mean, anchors are possessive of each other, right? But that means Knox is in the same boat. He’ll get pissed watching me with other guys. Whereas you…well, he doesn’t give a shit what you do. Making him jealous isn’t working out so well, is it?” Harper pouted. “How sad for you.”