"Me too!" Miranda beamed, her eyes sparkling as she held onto her idol''s hand. "What a coincidence!"


    "It is," Juniper nodded slightly. "Are you looking for the restroom?" she asked.


    "Oh, yes, that''s right!" Miranda remembered, thenunched into an exnation. "It''s a family dinner. In a little while, I''ll introduce you to my son and my daughter-inw." "Okay," Juniper replied, unaware that the restaurant had been cleared out. She assumed Miranda was just there for a normal family gathering.


    "Your hair is a little damp. Let me get you a towel," Juniper offered before heading upstairs.


    Meanwhile, Shanley was growing anxious. Juniper still hadn''t returned, and she wasn''t answering his calls or texts. A sliver of panic set in.


    Had she gotten cold feet and run away?


    No, he thought, that couldn''t be it. If she were going to run, she''d at least take the payoff check first.


    "Dad, keep an eye out for Mom. I''m going to go find Juniper," Shanley said, getting up hastily.


    "Mhm," Hayden grunted, still wiping sweat from his brow.


    It was only after the door closed that the words registered. What did Shanley say his girlfriend''s name was? Juniper? He felt like he was hearing that name everywhere these days. His wife''s idol was named Juniper, and now his son''s girlfriend was also named Juniper. What a strange coincidence.


    Shanley searched all over but couldn''t find Juniper. Instead, he found his dear mother standing outside the restroom.


    "Mom-" Before he could finish, Miranda cut him off. "Come here, quickly! There''s someone I want you to meet."


    "Someone?" Shanley let his mother drag him along, a frown on his face. "What someone? I thought we had the whole ce to ourselves today."


    "My best friend," Miranda


    II


    announced, lifting her chin proudly. She was tempted to reveal Juniper''s true identity right then and there but decided to draw it out. After all, this was her first sessful fangirling experience. She''d heard Shanley had paid a fortune to get Demon to consult a few days ago. Little did he know, the legendary Demon was now her best friend. She couldn''t


    have been prouder!


    "Best friend?" Shanley waspletely lost. All he could think about was finding Juniper. "I need to go get my girlfriend first. We can do introductionster."


    "She''s already here," Miranda said, patting her son''s arm and looking off into the distance.


    Shanley followed her gaze. There, walking slowly toward them with a towel in her hand, was Juniper.


    Shanley''s head tilted slightly. His usuallyposed face showed a flicker of utter confusion, quickly followed by shock Juniper esteemed mother''s best friend


    was... Juniper?


    "Juniper!" Miranda waved excitedly. Her son had acquired Neverfall Navigators,


    hadn''t he? She would use that connection to convince him to invest more.


    Juniper was looking down at her phone, about to text Shanley back, when she heard her name. She looked up instinctively. As she saw Miranda, she also saw the


    distinguished man standing beside her.


    Shanley? Blinking, Juniper walked toward them in a daze.


    "This is my best friend the legendary Demon," Miranda announced proudly.