"Woo-hoo! Me 'n' Nick brought the house down! Hi, everyone!" Maya slid herself neatly into the booth and the conversation, snagging one of the untouched drinks on the table. "We can duet if you're nervous, Mr. Edgey! The musicians here know all the Steel Samurai openings!"

Sipping her drink, Maya turned toward her cousin. "Say, Pearly, who's the tough-looking guy you were chatting up a second ago?"