Suzi felt a flush of excitement and anxiety all at once as evening fell. The pink dress she’d snagged at a tiny local boutique seemed like a stroke of fate—it fit her like it had been tailored, even though she barely knew her own size these days, and it was the perfect shade of pink. Not Barbie bright, not quite pastel—somewhere in between. The lace-up pink heels weren’t exactly visible under the dress’s length, but she’d chosen them because they were pretty and matched the dress’s vibe. For a moment, as she slid into the truck, she thought: I look like a cotton candy fairy. And somehow, she was okay with that.

But her jaw nearly dropped when she finally reached her apartment—and saw what her step-brother Ricky had arranged for the gallery show. Colored spotlights traced luminescent arcs in the sky on either side of the building, casting shifting beams over the sidewalk. A low-key electronic beat pulsed from hidden speakers, weaving an inviting background hum. A red carpet spread out from the entrance in both directions. Fancy cars and limos lined the curb, their passengers stepping out in designer suits and gowns.

“Fuck if I’m ever getting my parking spot back tonight,” she mumbles. Groaning, she parked two blocks away. She hiked up the fluffy bottom of her dress, preparing to jog across the busy street—only to freeze at a voice behind her.

“I’m starting to think you don’t love me anymore.”

She spun, adrenaline spiking—then broke into a grin. Darcy leaned against the front of Aiden’s truck in a crisp tuxedo, top hat angled on her strawberry-blond hair, black round sunglasses perched on her nose. She looked annoyingly suave, more polished than most men could hope to appear tonight.

“What’re you doing here?” Suzi asked, though relief tugged at her chest at the sight of the other celestial.

Darcy gave a knowing smile. “Bodyguard duty, ring a bell? You still have at least two nasty demons after you.”

Suzi raised an eyebrow. “I was fine at work all day.”

“Because Bear was watching you,” Darcy said, stepping forward. “Remember the ‘raccoon’ in the ceiling? Yeah, that was him.”

Suzi sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “So that was Bear messing around up there? For fuck’s sake.”

Darcy lifted one shoulder. “He’s changing clothes now. He’ll be here soon—bigger the crowd, bigger the risk.”

“Fine,” Suzi said, fighting a smile. It might be overkill, but she couldn’t deny the warmth in her chest at having watchers on her side.

She grabbed Darcy’s hand and darted across the street, the squeak of her heels overshadowed by the traffic hum. The red carpet felt plush underfoot, and for a second, she had the insane urge to slip off her shoes just to feel the velvety texture with her toes. But the intricate laces around her calves made that move a logistical nightmare. Plus, she’d look like a weirdo. She made a mental note never to show up in jeans to an event like this—everyone here looked like they’d stepped off the cover of a fashion magazine.

The entrance was jammed with guests stepping out of expensive cars, paparazzi-style. Suzi half expected to see a collection of large, gorilla-men in tight-fitting monkey suits, checking off names on a clipboard, pulling back a red velvet aisle blocker for her, but it was just a wide, welcoming threshold. She wanted to extend her clout and start shoving through people, claiming she knew the artist and she was a guest of honor, but she guessed that all of these people also knew the artist. She wanted to holler that she actually lived in the building—Don’t worry, I’m legit!—but she guessed nobody would care.

A massive figure emerged in the doorway, towering above the other guests. The broad shoulders and thick beard were a dead giveaway: Kyle. Suzi’s smile covered her face as she rose onto her tiptoes, waving him down.

“Kyle!” she called over the murmuring crowd.

He noticed her immediately, beaming, and signaled her forward.

“Come on,” she said, tugging Darcy along.

“Is this normal for you?” Darcy muttered, scanning the swanky spectacle.

Suzi laughed under her breath. “Hell no. I’ve never been to something this fancy. But it’s kinda fun, right?”

Darcy’s face twisted in an uneasy expression. “I’ll let you know if I ever start having fun.”

Kyle held the door for them. “Rick’s waiting for you.”

It’d only been a day or two since Suzi had last seen Kyle at the fire scene, but she went in for a hug anyway, pressing her face into his chest. The man was built like a mountain—she couldn’t even get her arms around him. He wore a tailored suit, though he didn’t look pleased about it.

She stepped back, grinning up at him. “You clean up good, Kyle.”

A flicker of discomfort crossed his face. “I feel naked without my Desert Eagle,” he muttered, then extended a polite hand to Darcy. “Darcy. How are you?”

Darcy offered a curt nod, top hat bobbing in time.

“You guys know each other?” Suzi asked pointedly, scrunching her brows.

“I know people,” Darcy said dismissively.

Kyle remained quiet.

The three of them stepped inside, greeted instantly by servers bearing trays of champagne flutes and hors d’oeuvres. Everyone working the event wore glimmering masquerade masks that were more stylish than practical. Suzi spotted Ricky and Ellie in the room’s center with Tom, Becca, and Alanna. They were all dressed to the nines, but Ellie, in particular, looked like she was a work of art—her form-fitting white dress daring gravity to keep everything in place.

Darcy’s fingers suddenly clamped on Suzi’s arm, a near-painful grip.

“Ow,” Suzi hissed, jerking away. “Keep your pants on, damn.”

But Darcy’s eyes were fixed on Ellie, some strange intensity there. Suzi didn’t have time to dig into it because Ricky intercepted them.

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“Finally,” he teased Suzi. “I was about to turn everyone away.”

She offered a sheepish grin. “You didn’t have to wait for me.”

“Of course I did. I’m not doing a show without my team.” He gave her a stagey wink.

Suzi scanned the room. “I don’t see Phineas.”

Almost on cue, Phineas appeared around the corner, decked out in a sleek tux, arm in arm with a familiar female figure in a green gown. Detective Garrett. Suzi’s brows shot up, lips curling at the corners. When Phineas spotted Suzi, he gave a small nod, a silent command saying, ‘Don’t you dare start anything.’ She bit her lip to hide her amusement and smiled approvingly.

Ricky did a round of introductions. Suzi made sure to connect Darcy with the group, leaving out any mention of supernatural craziness, especially with Detective Garrett there.

“Rick! Let’s get this party started. I want to see how many of these suckers buy your kindergarten artwork here,” Tom laughed and raised his glass.

The crowd swelled. The hum of conversation, clinks of glasses, and bursts of laughter turned the gallery into a vibrant social swirl. Suzi wandered with Darcy, checking out Ricky’s paintings and sculptures. Some, she recognized from the apartment’s corners or from photos he’d shown her. Others were brand new—raw with social commentary, or violent, or erotic. In a rear room, one enormous canvas stood draped, easily eight feet tall. It gave the space an air of suspense.

“I’m no critic,” came a voice from behind them. “But I think his sales might improve if he actually unveiled that thing.”

Suzi spun, heart jumping. Bear—tall, lean, black coat and crisp white shirt minus a tie, bright blue shades perched on his nose, beaded headband shimmering in the overhead lights. He leaned on a blue metal cane. She wondered if his limp was real or just part of his style. Either way, he pulled it off.

She grinned. “Bear. My boss wants to exterminate you, apparently. I guess raccoons aren’t allowed in the crawlspace.”

Bear shrugged, plucking a flute of champagne off a tray as it passed. “Occupational hazard.”

“We might have a problem,” Darcy cut in. Tension edged her voice. “I was telling Suzi—something’s off. The artist’s wife, Ellie—”

“Barron?” a deep voice interrupted.

Both Suzi and Darcy whipped around. Kyle stood there, gazing at Bear with a guarded expression. Bear turned fully, glass in hand, face neutral.

“Kyle,” Bear acknowledged, lifting his flute in a half-salute. “Been a while.”

Kyle closed the distance, blocking the path of any would-be intruders. Suzi sensed a crackle in the air, something personal. They didn’t shake hands, didn’t hug.

“How do you two know each other?” Suzi asked, stepping sideways to see them both more clearly.

Darcy answered before either man could open his mouth. “They used to date. And if I recall, Kyle broke Bear’s heart.”

“That’s enough, Darcy,” Bear said in a measured tone, taking a controlled sip of champagne—eyes never leaving Kyle.

“Oh? Do tell.” Suzi crossed her arms over her pink dress, eyes twinkling with curiosity. A smile tugged at her lips—she craved the story behind that casual bomb Darcy had just dropped.

Kyle exhaled slowly, setting his broad shoulders. “I met Barron after I retired from the SEALs and moved back to Chicago a few years ago. We dated for about a year.” His mouth quirked in a near-pout, like that was the entire explanation.

“That’s it?” Suzi pressed, arching a brow. “Why’d you break up?”

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Bear giving her a warning look—one that practically screamed, Shut the fuck up. She ignored it.

Kyle cleared his throat. “Bear had a habit of disappearing randomly. He could never give me a decent reason, so my sister convinced me if he couldn’t be honest, I needed to cut ties.”

Bear fumbled for words. “Kyle, I— It’s not that I wanted to— You know our job isn’t easy,” he said, glancing nervously at Suzi as though hoping she’d back him up.

Kyle shot him a baffled look. “‘Our’ job? You’re not a mortician. You’re a research analyst. How does that keep pulling you away?”

In that second, Suzi understood the entire puzzle. She laid a hand on Kyle’s massive bicep. “Kyle… Bear is a celestial, like me.”

Darcy’s and Bear’s mouths both dropped a fraction. They stared at Suzi like she’d just whipped out a confetti cannon. Bear’s tension morphed into resignation, then flickered back to anxiety as he looked at Kyle.

Kyle’s confusion deepened. “Like angels and demons? That shit?”

Bear’s gaze volleyed between Kyle and Suzi, then darted to Darcy, then back to Kyle. “You knew about Suzi’s—?”

“Yeah,” Kyle said. “Me, Tom, Rick, Phineas… we helped her fight some nasty fucks last weekend. She tried explaining angels and demons before, but I didn’t get it. After what I saw, I can’t deny something bigger’s going on. So, you’re like her?”

Bear swallowed, nodding slowly. “We’re different, but—yeah. I couldn’t tell you, Kyle. I was trying to keep you safe.”

Kyle snorted. “I can handle myself. I’m a big boy.”

A fleeting smile curved Bear’s lips. Darcy rolled her eyes, and Suzi beamed like a proud matchmaker, giddiness flaring in her chest. This felt right—like bridging a gap that had long needed closing.

“Excellent,” Suzi said, clapping her hands once. “No more secrets. Now go talk it out, you two.” She nudged them together with little shoves, then resorted to waving her hands and making shoo motions when they wouldn’t budge.

They drifted away from the group, stiff and awkward at first, then gradually settled into calmer postures. Suzi watched them go with a blooming sense of satisfaction.

Darcy sidled up to her, voice laced with sarcasm. “Proud of yourself?”

Suzi half-laughed, letting out a contented sigh. “Hell yeah.”

“Don’t forget you can’t go around telling humans we’re celestials,” Darcy warned, hooking an arm through Suzi’s and steering her into the main hall. “They can’t handle it.”

Suzi shrugged. “I was reluctant. But they were already in the thick of it—seeing weird shit they couldn’t explain. I owed them honesty, and they deserved better than a lame cover story.”

They halted when Darcy suddenly tensed, staring straight ahead. “I’ll forgive you if you can tell me who that is.” She jerked her chin at the entrance.

At first, Suzi assumed it was another random socialite. Then the figure in the doorway came into the light—a woman in a blue and black dress, corseted in the middle, hair pinned up with sparkling feathers. The grace and elegance caught Suzi off guard, until she realized who it was.

“Gracie Jo? Goddamn, you look fucking incredible!” Suzi rushed forward, hugging her friend. The corset made Gracie’s figure look downright statuesque.

Darcy stepped up, doffing her top hat in a flamboyant bow. “Bonjour, jolie fille, très magnifique,” she purred, voice dipping into a sensual French timbre. “Darcy Jean, entrepreneur extraordinaire.” She held out her hand.

“Pleased to meet you, Darcy,” Gracie said, slipping her gloved fingers into Darcy’s.

Darcy bowed over those fingers, pressing her lips to the knuckles in a slow, lingering kiss. Jo flushed a vivid pink, her mouth falling open in delight. She was practically glowing when Darcy straightened.

“Would you do me the honor of letting me escort you, m’lady?” Darcy offered her elbow.

Gracie glanced at Suzi, half seeking permission. “We were gonna hang out, but—”

Suzi’s voice came out a beat late, her mind still reeling from Darcy’s charm. “Oh—yeah, absolutely! You two go enjoy yourselves.”

Beaming, Gracie Jo looped her arm through Darcy’s, placing her other hand on Darcy’s arm. Darcy covered it with her own, and the two moved off to chat about the artwork.

Within Suzi’s mind, James spoke up, “That was fast.”

Annie’s voice quavered, “She’s going to break her heart.”

“Which one?” Suzanne muttered.

“Yes,” Judith chimed in, vague as ever.

Spike started humming a rough tune with a southern, country-like twang, “She broke my heart, so I broke her jaaaaaw.”

Suzi rolled her eyes, ignoring the internal commentary. A small smile tugged her lips. “They’re a good fit,” she whispered under her breath. “I think it’ll be fine.”

“Hmph,” Judy sniped, “Darcy literally just warned us not to get tangled with mortals.”

Suzanne’s inner tone was breezy, “Do as I say, not as I do.”

“Ma’am?” A server’s hand appeared, extending a champagne flute.

Suzi accepted it automatically, murmuring thanks, her thoughts drifting to everyone pairing off—Phin and Officer Garrett, Kyle and Bear, Darcy and Gracie Jo—and she couldn’t help the glow warming her chest. She sipped her champagne, content to play matchmaker for a night.