Free All In by Fallon O'Donahue

when the waitress came over to ask if they were okay. “Go away!” they shouted in unison.
    “So, not Toph?” Lo asked, and laughed with Cass as she gave a resounding, “No.”
    “Damn,” Lo sighed, wiping the stray mascara from under her eyes. “That’s just depressing.”
    “Why?”
    “Well, things are really progressing with Dan, and I had dreams of double dates and Christmas in the mountains with the four of us.”
    Cass laughed. “Getting a bit ahead of yourself?”
    Lo laughed.
    “You really like him?” Cass softened.
    Lo got serious, biting her lower lip. For all of Lo’s confidence and talk about men, she was different when she mentioned Dan. For the first time in years, she saw Lo’s insecurities on the surface. “Yeah. I really do.”
    Cass grinned. “I’m glad. You deserve this, Lo. You deserve to be happy.”
    “I am, girl. I really, really am.”
    Cass hugged her best friend and laid her head on her shoulder.
    “I want you to be happy, too.”
    “Honey, I will. One day. One day someone will get through all my bullshit, work through the crazy, and just love me for me,” she smiled, but her heart clenched. Would that ever really happen? She may say those types of things out loud, because that’s what you do when someone wishes you the best. You tell them it will be okay, even when you don’t think it will ever really happen.

10

Maddox
    “ I hate these things ,” Maddox grumbled as he and Phil made their way to the reception. He could already hear the party in full swing, the din of music and conversation wafting down the hall.
    “You do not, idiot. You know you love this shit,” Phil rolled his eyes and looked at his watch. “I’m the one who hates this.”
    “I’m not in the mood,” he sighed, and checked his phone—seventeen emails from people at the cocktail reception, all saying the same thing: Where are you?
    “Well, get in the mood, dammit. I need you on tonight.”
    Maddox took a deep breath. “Fine,” he sighed, and smiled as they walked through the doors. The room was buzzing with energy as executives schmoozed and plotted with one another. Maddox and Phil went straight to the bar, ordering a scotch apiece.
    Normally he loved these things. They tended to stroke his ego. If the men weren’t posturing to get in his good graces, the women were looking to get in his bed. Overall, these soirees usually turned out pretty well for him. But he was tired. His flight ended up being detoured because of some idiot on board getting too drunk and rowdy, so he had a four hour layover that meant he hadn’t gotten in until 9am, which also meant he’d had little sleep.
    Then his sister called, crying hysterically over some guy breaking up with her. He probably could have been nicer, but it was Miss Drama Queen’s third breakup this year. He didn’t have the energy to coo and make her feel better, but he’d tried. She still ended up calling him an ass before hanging up. He reminded himself to send her cookies in the morning. She loved cookies.
    “Maddox Paul!” Harry Baron shouted as he knocked Maddox on the back, almost causing him to spill his drink. Maddox scowled before looking over at the pudgy man.
    “Harry, great to see you.” He put on his best smile before shaking the man’s hand.
    “We have to talk, my friend,” Harry got serious and peered over the top of his glasses at him.
    “About the internet deal?” Maddox guessed.
    “Yes, about that god-forsaken deal.”
    Maddox laughed. “Set up a time with my assistant. It’s a good deal, Harry.”
    “For you, maybe.”
    “For all of us. Promise.”
    Harry waved him off and moved onto the next person he could complain to. Maddox smirked. Always the same.
    “Fancy meeting you here.” A familiar giggle tickled his ears.
    “Baby Girl, what are you doing here?” he smiled, for the first time genuinely happy to see someone.
    She laughed. “Phil thought it would be good for the managers to schmooze a bit. So I got