Irene laughs too, leaning in to give Benevenuta a very quick kiss, so as not to smear either lipstick nor the boundaries of being friends with benefits; "Thank you."

Another considering glance towards the cake, and she adds, extremely seriously, "I can hardly dig in now without all my other guests wondering where on earth I've vanished to, but if by some mysterious chance you end up being last to leave, I might find it within me to share later on. Of course, it's my birthday and my present, so naturally I call the shoe."