She ground to a halt, looked at me with wide eyes, and then started laughing. “Well played, bitch, well played. Can we go now?”
I took a step toward the front desk and the four clerks in their navy blue suits and ties. They stood in shock until one—I assumed he was the manager because he looked a bit more pompous—realized that I was going to leave Stella unattended.
“You’re all set, Miss Haines, we have you all checked out. Your receipt has been sent to your email address on file. Take care of your friend.”
I couldn’t look the man in the eyes. If I did, I would probably lose it. “Thank you.” I wasn’t shocked that no one said they hoped to see me soon. Really, who would want me to come back with friends like this? The woman had no shame in her game.
Before we stepped into the revolving door, Stella thrust a pair of sunglasses toward me. “You’ll need these. I have water and Excedrin in the car.”
“You are forgiven.” I slid the glasses up my nose to shield my light-sensitive eyes.
Stella loudly, obnoxiously said what everyone else was thinking but was scared to say, but she was the sweetest, kindest person at the same time. She let me sleep the entire way to Rocco’s Tacos.
“Wake up, sleepy head,” Stella sing-songed.
I groaned as I uncurled myself from the seat and got out. For some dumbass reason, the sun seemed to be shinning brighter than it had been a few minutes ago. “Who all is meeting us?”
“Everyone probably.” Stella flicked her wrist as if it were no big deal, but more people meant more noise, and that was definitely a big deal . . . a huge, ginormous fucking deal.
We walked into Rocco’s and I cringed, the sound shooting nails through my head. It took a moment for me to acclimate before I pasted on a smile and waved to a couple of guys I knew from Sixes, the bar that I owned. We wound around a large bar area and headed straight for the back. If the weather was nice, we loved sitting outside. Rocco’s had a great area with big, plush, deep furniture that you could really relax into as you took in the lake view.
“Wow, please tell me the look you are sporting is because someone rocked your world last night,” Harley, a dear friend and deputy, said as I dropped into an empty seat.
“Yep, two in fact.” Everyone stopped talking as if I’d pressed mute. I laughed because nothing changed in this group. If anyone even alludes to sex, they turn into bloodhounds. “Their names were Korbel and Brut, we had a blast, only problem was it didn’t last very long, which is why I’m like this today.”
“Oh, you poor baby,” Sophie soothed as she took the seat on my right and Leo took a seat to my left. I offered them the best smile I could, and they patted my shoulders in sympathy. They were great friends.
I loved being around friends who knew me from when Eric and I opened the bar, who were with me when I first learned how to ride a motorcycle, and friends that I had added along the way. We tried to get together once a month, but unfortunately not everyone always could.
“Sooo, tell me just how bad the wedding was.” Stella smiled as everyone leaned in to listen just as our waiter approached. He was maybe in his early twenties and was clearly fighting a tough battle against acne.
“I’m Arwin, what can I get you?”
He turned his attention to me first. “I’d like two steak tacos, a mango margarita, and the largest glass of water you have and keep them coming, please.” I gave him my cheekiest smile.
As soon as he got all the orders and promised to be back with chips with guac and salsa, everyone turned their attention back to me.
“Sooo, tell us,” Stella demanded.
“Do y’all remember when I told you about a girl from my sorority who was the maid of honor at a wedding I went to last year? The one who stood up to give a speech at the reception, told the bride that she was so excited they were best friends, and that the day would always be special to the both of them. Everyone thought she was talking about the bride and groom, but then she announced her engagement and spent the rest of her speech showing off her ring?”
“I would have stabbed her,” Leo growled. Leo was a motorcycle mechanic and although soft spoken, she could be a tad scary when it came to catty women.
“We remember.” Stella was nodding, since she already knew some shit had gone down at the wedding last night. She just didn’t know what it was.
“But that was like a year ago, right?” Ariel asked. “What’s that have to do with yesterday?”
“The wedding I went to yesterday, was that maid of honor’s wedding.” I paused and everyone nodded to show they were following along. “She asked the former bride to be her matron of honor.”
“No shit,” Stella cackled. “Not only is the woman heartless, but also she’s a dumbass.”
“Anyway, all the other bridesmaids who were in the first wedding were waiting, knowing that at any moment, all hell was gonna break loose. When the wedding coordinator ran in saying the flower girl was tossing out blue petals instead of the ivory ones she was supposed to, we all figured the shit was going to hit the fan, but nothing happened. Then when the napkins on the head table were all exchanged for blue ones, we all braced ourselves. Still . . . nothing. When the former bride started speaking, she had a photo montage for the happy couple projected behind her. The last picture was a sonogram image.”
“Oh fuck,” Stella hissed and then
