The volume of the party went up and he had to lean a little closer to be heard over the stereo and the college students. "Whoa, Cary did not instigate that one and I resent the implication...or rather the outright accusation! I might have asked for advice on what exactly to spraypaint on there, but 'Happy Birthday, Mallory' was Stieg's idea, not Cary's. I just wanted to make sure that your name was up there because it wouldn't have been much of a birthday gift without it."
Benson had to keep reminding himself that Mallory had a boyfriend; they were acting too much like they had as a couple and it bummed him out a little that they couldn't be like that--for real--again.