Page 99 of Top Shelf

“They’re more Swedish than you think.”

Chase pauses. “No, they’re not.”

“Yes, they are.”

“No. You don’t get to claim the Backstreet Boys for Sweden. There are limits to nationalism.”

“Max Martin wrote or produced many of their biggest songs.”

“Fake news.”

“It is true.”

Zoe already has her phone out, scrolling her screen. “Oh my god.”

Lulu leans across the table. “Wait. Which songs?”

I take a sip of beer because if America is going to rediscover Cheiron Studios in a karaoke room, I might as well be hydrated. “I Want It That Way. Everybody. As Long as You Love Me.”

Chase stares at Zoe’s phone as the results appear, and his face goes through several stages of grief before he shakes his head. “No.”

Heidi’s eyes shine with delight as she grins up at him. “Oh, this is devastating for you.”

“This is propaganda!”

“It’s Google, Walton,” Zoe says.

“Google can be propaganda.”

Reid, who has been quiet for too long, scrolls his own phone. “Max Martin worked on *NSYNC too.”

Heidi sits up. “Excuse me?”

Chase points at her. “Don’t change sides now.”

“I was never on your side. I’ve always been Team *NSYNC.”

“I knew there was something wrong with you.”

“You once yodeled on a rooftop balcony with a cowboy in neon face paint to win Zoe tickets to a music festival. Be careful.”

Zoe lifts her drink. “He did.”

Eli takes the phone from Reid and scrolls. “I Want You Back. Written by Max Martin and Denniz Pop.”

Heidi gasps and slowly turns her head toward me. Her eyes sparkle, and her grin is wide. I know that look.

“No,” I say.

Her grin spreads. “Yesss.”

“No.”

“You brought this information into my life, Karlsson. These are the consequences. You said Sweden has excellent music!”

“It does.”

“And you said Max Martin helped write it.”