“Look.” Linna puckered her massive red lips for Jess to see. “You want this.”

“I don't. I promise.” Jess backed away, staring at the Juvalips device Linna and I had started worshiping, like it was an evil robot intent on killing her with one touch.

“Hold her,” Linna muttered.

“What?” Had I heard her right?

“Grab her. I’ll attack.” She waved the small white device in the air as though she might be kidding, but I wasn't sure. “Once she sees how beautiful she looks, she’ll be addicted too.”

Jess warned with a glare but lifted her fists in case. “I’ll kill you both. This dog costume is the line I draw.”

“Maybe you should just trust us. It will give you pouty lips. You could use some plump.” Linna softened her tone and tried to reason with her.

“No!”

“Fine, have white-girl lips,” Linna snapped back into bossy-pants Linna. “But just saying, with your small, narrow face, the lips would really pop.”

“There’s nothing to be scared of.” I laughed at her terrified expression. “It’s easy.” I grabbed it and put the suction part up to my lips and let it suck them until they were plumped. “See?” I smiled, knowing how big it made my lips. “And it lasts six hours.”

“Living with you two is like being in a never-ending infomercial,” Jess said with a growl and pulled on a jacket over her sexy puppy outfit.

“What are you doing?” Linna pinched the bridge of her nose. “You can’t put a coat on over it.”

“I’ll be cold. There’s no fabric.” Jess plucked at the tiny furry minidress. “And I look like a stripper with these boots.” She held up a furry knee-high boot.

“That’s the whole point of Halloween. It's the lip plumper or boots!” Linna shrieked. “You’re getting one of them.”

“Fine!” Jess shouted back, dragging on the boots as I laughed harder.

“I can’t even right now, Jess. Like I’m not even evening.” Linna stomped out of the room. Isaac chuckled softly as everyone followed her down the hall.

“Not evening isn’t even a sentence,” Jess kept it going.

“Maybe, but I’m still not.” Linna sounded like she might laugh but didn't. Her eyes continued to flash spicy rage when she turned to me. “Anyway, back to the important part of the story. Me.” She paused as we reached a second set of stairs. “You two hos better be helping me find some Scottish dreamboats tonight. And yeah, I said ‘boats.’ I need options.” She glimpsed past me. “And you two best be helping too.” She nodded at Isaac and Tracy. “Not even kidding. You try to stand too close and cockblock on me, I’ll end you.”

“Oh my God.” I sighed at her dramatics.

“No, last time we went out, you all needed to get home early. Miss Thing here”—she pointed a coffin-shaped nail at Jess—“had to be back to the room to text Don Johan, and your ass was on the phone, grinning like a Muppet the whole night. No more! This is wingwoman time.” She clapped her hands and marched on.

“That was one weekend, the rest we’ve been total wingwomen.”

“Lies! You’re both in love and you two are like the cockblockers of the century.” She waved her hands in the air.

“Your pregame talks are always so amazing.” I snickered with everyone else as we headed for the main door and hurried out into the cold night. The park-like common area between St Salvator’s and the Irvine Building was packed with young people scurrying in every direction. Laughing and chiding came in a variety of accents and languages as everyone rushed about for their Friday night party plans.

When we reached the parking spot, Tracy jumped in the driver’s seat while Isaac watched the three of us get in the back seat of the SUV.

They did everything so seriously. We honestly couldn’t be safer.

“How long is the drive again?” Linna asked. We hadn’t gone to Dundee since we’d arrived at the airport there, but apparently, the Halloween party at the university was off the charts. Considering most of the UK didn't ring in the spooky holiday the way we did, that was a win.

“About half an hour,” Isaac answered as he climbed in and closed the door.

“Just enough time to get a perfect selfie for my streaks and my Insta update,” Linna said in a singsong voice and lifted up her phone. “Squish in,” she ordered Jess and me.

When she said, “just enough time,” she wasn't kidding. It was half an hour of different filters, forced smiles, dragging Jess’ dress down to create more cleavage, while the bodyguards laughed harder than I’d ever heard them do.

Linna finally had a perfect shot but lamented as she posted, “I really wish you’d just let us Juva those lips. Me and Fin have great pouts and you look like Reba McEntire.”

“Suck it,” Jess fought back.

“We’re here.” Tracy sounded way too excited about it as he pulled into a busy parking lot. He passed all the people and the entrance to the party, parking the car in a dark and lonely spot where a man in a security uniform strolled over.

“Evening,” he greeted Isaac as he climbed out. They spoke in hushed tones, the man’s stare making its way through the open door and into the back of the car.

My phone rang in that moment, flashing Aiden’s kissing face at me.

“Hey,” I answered with a whisper.

“Why are you whispering?” He didn't greet me back.

“Tracy and Isaac are talking to some dude and I want to listen. What’s up?” I watched the conversation as the guard’s eyes lingered on us.

“Why are you in Dundee? Why are you dressed like that? And how on earth did you think bribing teachers for grades was appropriate?”

Damn, he was good.

“Are you—are you spying on me?” I turned and scanned the interior of the car. How did he know that?

“Of course I am. You’re half naked with animal ears on and failing all your classes.”

“I’m not failing. A C+ isn’t failing.” I rolled my eyes so hard I swore I saw where my soul attached to my spine. “How do you even know that?”

“It helps that I went to St Andrews, Fin. I know the professors. As far as your outfits tonight, Linna’s Instagram and Snapchat. Johan showed me. He’s also less than impressed that he isn’t there. Answer the questions please.” He was testy, which for some bizarre reason made me smile. I enjoyed the grumpy prince when I was far enough away not to suffer from his moodiness.

“But how did you find out I was in Dundee? Her Insta didn't have that,” I answered with my own questions, earning a look from Jess.

“Promise not to get angry or I won’t tell.” He didn’t smile when he spoke. Something was wrong.

“Nope, take your chances.”

“I shared your location with me the last time we saw each other. Why are you there?” he growled.

“Are you being serious right now?” I was no longer whispering or smiling. “You jacked my phone and shared my location with you? That’s messed up.” Jess’ eyes widened and Linna ran her long pointer finger over her throat.

“Says the girl who bribes her teachers.” He tried to do the girl thing and swing the discussion back to my sins.

“No way. You are not shaming me for trying to manipulate the system so you can get out of trouble. You stole my phone. Who even does that?”

“Someone who worries about their fiancée being abducted, of course.” He said it monotone, like of course I should have known that. “And before you ask, I didn't tell you because you would turn this into some American girl version of my being jealous and overbearing, and you would, like need space and shit.” He changed his tone to match my valley girl accent.

“Funny guy.” I tried to stay angry but couldn't. I loved it when he did my accent. He was right. I’d totes gone from normal to insta pissed about the violation, but it made sense in his world.

His world . . .

Taking a deep breath, I answered his question on the exhale, “Halloween party. Dundee has the claim to the best party in Scotland. Obviously, we had to go.”

“Duh, Aiden,” Linna shouted into the phone.

“And the grades?” He wasn't letting this one go.

“It’s not uncommon back home to help motivate teachers into liking you, okay? I realize now it’s not a thing here, I won’t do it again.” He was worse than my dad.

“What if someone finds out, and you’re asked about this by tabloids or they don't bother to ask you, they just publish it, and we have to do damage control over something so trivial as you being lazy?” He was way worse than my dad.

“Lazy? Clearly, you’ve never put the time into figuring out what a person likes and where they shop and what their hobbies are.” I scoffed, defending myself but not entirely sure I was winning.

“Try putting that effort into your schoolwork, and you’ll be amazed at the grades you get.”

“Whatever. I’m not fighting with you over the phone. You want to fight, come here and do it,” I challenged him.

“I’d love to. But if I come there, we’re not fighting.” He lightened, smiling a little and sounding less tense. “We can wrestle, but not with clothes on. Unless whatever is wrong with your lips in that picture is permanent. Then I might have something genuinely not good to say. Did you have a surgery of some sort?”

“Oh my God, Linna it worked.” I pulled the phone from my face. “Aiden totally thought we got injections.”

“Yes.” She tilted her head smugly at Jess. “Bet he doesn't think it about you.”

Jess rolled her eyes so hard I had to assume she also saw her soul.

“So that's not permanent?” Aiden asked annoyed.

“God no. I’m way too young to start filling now. I have to wait until I have some creases.” I scoffed at his stupidity and added extra valley girl for his benefit. “Once you get fillers, you have to maintain them.”

“It’s true, you do learn something every day,” he said with a lackluster and disinterested tone. “Even if you don't want to.” He didn't laugh. Normally he laughed. Something was actually wrong.

“Why are you so cranky?” I lowered my voice and climbed over Jess to get out of the car. Isaac watched me as I stood behind the car.

“Because you’re bribing teachers instead of working for grades, you’re wearing next to nothing while going out, with lips like one of those whatever-Dashian people—” He sounded super judgy for about a second before he sighed and the real truth slipped out, “I’m here, with my family, entertaining when I don’t want to. Becoming something I don’t want to be. Missing you. And I hate your lips like that. I want them normal. I believe I told you they were delicious. I like them just as they are. Not all swollen like you got stung by a bee.” He sounded a bit desperate. It had been ages since we’d last seen each other. I liked that he was desperate. It mellowed all the crazy I was feeling too.

“Okay, calm down.” It was my turn to be the rational one. I stopped trying to annoy him and smiled sweetly. “I miss your Shakespeare. So much. And I promise the grades thing won’t happen again. It didn't work anyway and now Jess is threatening me with a tutor. I don't need a tutor. I genuinely am nowhere near as dumb as I am manipulative and lazy with school work. And about us partying tonight, you wouldn't want to be here anyway. This is a Halloween party, not really your thing, but totally our thing. So we’re annoyingly excited. And besides, if you had been here, the sexy nurse dress wouldn't have done justice to your cute butt, and you would have been bored. But thank you for the Kardashian compliment.”

“As impossible as it would seem to you, I have no idea what you’re talking about. Why would I have dressed as a sexy nurse?”

“Because that’s our theme. Sexy puppy, sexy kitty, and sexy bat. So if you wanted to hang with us, you would have to be sexy.” Something finally made him laugh which made me smile. I enjoyed being the reason he cheered up. He was so serious and stuffy now.

“I miss you being part of my air.” He exhaled, suggesting some of the stress in his life had faded, just a touch. “Perhaps more than I can bear.”

“I miss you too, for sure more than I can bear.” I grinned, wishing he were here, even if he ruined Halloween. “But I’m hanging up now before you kill my buzz for this party by making me sad. I love you.” I didn't wait for him to argue and ended the call. The distance between us lingered for a moment, but Linna saved me from my poor heart. She was shouting at Jess and wrestling with her over her dress.

“Jess, stop pulling it up.” She yanked on Jess’ dress to show more cleavage and fixed her ears. The misery on Jess’ face warmed my evil heart.

“It’s going to be fun.” I walked to them and gripped Jess’ hand, dragging her toward the music. “Let’s go,” I called to Tracy and Isaac.

They said goodnight to the guard and followed along, visibly unimpressed, but I was ready to dance. I needed distraction and fun to help me forget my boyfriend was a billion miles away. Okay, like twelve hundred.

Linna had our tickets, so she went first and let them scan her phone. We entered what would’ve normally been the student union building, with the club music pulsating inside us. The lights were out, but in the dark, strobe flashes and effects were going strong.

Costumes created a sexy monster mash, and the decorations were the same as back home.

It had been incredibly transformed into a haunted-house club.

Brimming with excitement, Linna and I dragged Jess onto the dance floor, rushing into the crowd and finding a spot to claim as our own.

We landed at exactly the right moment. The beat changed, slowing, allowing us to find the rhythm. The music took over, filling us and moving our bodies.

The next song was even better, mixed like we were at one of the legendary raves in New York or London.

The song ended and the DJ shouted something in a thick Scottish accent. I didn't understand what he said but everyone cheered.

“I’ll get drinks,” Linna hollered and hurried off.

Jess’ eyes lingered on some of the people around us and her nose wrinkled.

“Stop whatever you’re thinking and have fun, I order you.” I grabbed her hands again and made her dance as the music picked up. After a moment, she was dancing on her own.

Linna came back with a guy helping her carry drinks. She handed us the ones she held and took one of the ones the guy had. “This is Seamus. He’s from Ireland, Dublin. His dad owns a bunch of tourist shops. He plays rugby.” She beamed and turned her attention back to the exceptionally hot guy with the big muscles. He wasn't super tall, but he was fit.

Fit enough that even Jess took notice of his arms.

Linna started dancing seductively. Seamus didn't seem to mind, though no one would accuse him of having moves.

Jess and I gave them space, drinking and dancing less aggressively so as not to spill.

After a couple more songs, Seamus shouted, “Want another drink?”

We all nodded and Linna went off with him to make sure we didn't end up with something we didn't want in the drink. I’d played that game one too many times already.

They carried them over, handing us drinks again to cool off from the hot messes we were becoming. We drank and danced until I was covered in a sweaty glow.

“You wanna go sit?” Seamus asked loudly.

“Sure,” I agreed when Linna’s face lit up at the question, and we followed him into the crowd to some booths.

“Over there.” He pointed at a large table with four other guys already seated.

Jess gave me the not-so-sure side-glance, but I nodded my head back at Tracy and Isaac, the not-so-subtle guards.

“They with you?” Seamus followed my stare as I tried to tell Tracy and Isaac they were too close.

“Yeah. They’re friends of the family,” I said, not clear on how to explain them but certain I’d just made us all sound like some sort of mob daughters.

“Random.” He shrugged and held a hand out at the guys at the table. “Jack, James, Oliver, and Lewis. This is Linna, Jess, and Finley,” Seamus introduced us all. “We play rugby together in Edinburgh.”

“And we’re at St Andrews,” Linna completed our introduction.

The guys smiled but their eyes darted to the two large men looming over us.

“Ignore them,” Linna said as she sat next to the one named Lewis. “They’re a formality we can’t avoid. So who knows how to play Cardinal?” she said with a smirk, and I knew these boys were about to get so drunk they wouldn't be able to walk home.