The Neon Influencer by Patrick Logan

Author:Patrick Logan [Logan, Patrick]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-02-13T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 26

“That spread was amazing, Mads,” I say as we walk arm-in-arm to the bar. The music is still blaring here, but it’s more subdued than in the kitchen.

“Thanks.” She shrugs. “It was just leftovers.”

Yeah, right. Just leftovers.

"And your dress? Love it.”

Instead of revealing her upper chest, the outfit that Mads is wearing tonight is more conservative. The sleeveless neon pink outfit has a mock turtleneck and appears to be made of patent leather.

It’s more conservative but far from being traditionally conservative.

“Thanks. Went for something a little different tonight. Do you think—"Jake cuts Mads off mid-sentence.

“Hey, can I join?”

“Sure,” Mads says. She ducks behind the bar. When she reappears, there’s a frown on her face. “No more clean glasses. I’ll get some from the kitchen.”

“I’ll go,” I offer.

“No, stay here.”

I get that feeling again, the sense that she’s trying to set me up with Jake.

But why? Jake is clearly in a relationship with Em.

Just like Tyler is in a relationship with Natasha, but I saw how he was acting with Lily last night.

Is it an influencer thing? I wonder. Did everyone else leave their keys in a bowl by the door with their phones?

Jesse stops Mads before she makes it to the kitchen and Jake and I both watch their exchange.

“Ah, my beautiful, bright, shining Neon.” Behind the woman with the big hair, Alex appears. “I’m looking to freshen up, but I want to make sure that my coochie isn’t caught on camera, if you know what I mean.”

Mads laughs.

“Right, well, there are cameras in the kitchen, in the foyer, outside by the pool, and in the hallway upstairs, but there aren’t any in the bathrooms.”

“Splendid. When I get back, this party is really going to pop off.”

“I hope so.”

Jesse grabs Alex and they walk off. They make an odd couple; the only thing bigger than Jesse’s hair is her personality. Alex, on the other hand, is so low-key that I’m often tempted to check for a pulse.

“She always like this?” Again, I only mean to think this.

“When she’s Stardust, yeah. When she’s just Jesse, not so much,” Jake says.

“Right.”

Moments later, Mads returns with clean champagne flutes and she fills them to the brim.

I offer a toast this time, surprising everyone, including myself.

“To the biggest party of the century… which only has nine guests.” Both Jake and Mads stare at me queerly. Neither drink. “What? I was only kidding.”

“She doesn’t know,” Jake says, looking at Mads.

“Know what?” I demand.

Mads sets down her glass and I do the same.

“You know how I said that we’re going to break records tonight, Harper? Well, I wasn’t kidding.”

“I know, I know.”

“No, you don’t. We’re going to be the most live-streamed party in the world.”

I feel skepticism manifest on my face.

How many people can actually be watching? I’m not that naïve—I know that people get off on watching others get drunk and make fools of themselves. Hell, MTV survived on these ‘reality’ shows for decades.

“It’s true,” Mads continues. “When I go live, I draw about 40k viewers, Jake gets ten—”

“Twelve plus,” he corrects.

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