“Told you I know how to pick ’em, Mama. I know my party scene, and this is a hot spot as far as having a devilish good time.”
“What do you mean you ‘know how to pick ’em’? McKenna invited me out, remember?” Not that there was any stopping Georgie and Juni once they heard the name of this place.
But rest assured, both Georgie and Juni dressed appropriately for the venue—Georgie in a low-cut purple kaftan with neon green sequins sewn over it and Juni in a black and white ensemble that assures the masses she’s a wench herself. As for me, I’ve donned a little black dress. Nothing too fancy, nothing too casual. It’s more or less unassuming, but for some reason, in this hot bed of depravity, it seems to be working as a calling card, baiting the attention of every inebriated man in the building.
Georgie and Juni exchange a wide-eyed look of panic.
Don’t you think about anything, kiddo, Georgie reprimands Juni, and now I’m wondering if Georgie has let Juni in on my supernatural secret. Not that I would mind terribly, but it would probably be terrible in general. Juni has less of an ability to keep a secret than Georgie does. The tattletale fruit didn’t fall far from the tattling tree.
Georgie gives a hard nod. “Of course, McKenna invited you out here. Juni doesn’t know what she’s talking about. She’s always taken credit for things she’s not responsible for.” She bites the air between her, and Juni hisses. “You’re going to ruin the surprise!”
“What surprise?” My antennae go up and I’m not at all amused. “Wait a minute. Is McKenna here at all?” I do a quick sweep of the vicinity, suddenly afraid that Georgie somehow garnered the power to hijack my phone and pretend she was McKenna. But before I can pull out my phone to confirm the duplicitous theory, I spot McKenna waving to me from the back. “Oh, thank God.” I sigh. “For a second there, I thought I was going to have to kill you both for throwing me some impromptu bachelorette party.”
A nervous laugh escapes Juni. “Just for kicks, if you were going to kill us, how exactly would you do it?”
“A bullet to the heart?” Georgie tips her ear my way. “Something quick and easy. Bizzy would never want to see me suffer.”
“Nah,” I say as we make our way to the back. “I don’t own a gun, and I’d hate to waste Jasper’s government-issued bullets. I’d probably dissolve the two of you in a vat of acid. I’ve learned a lot from my days as an amateur sleuth. Like for instance, it’s best not to leave any evidence lying around.”
Juni seizes as she grips Georgie by the arm. “Let’s make a run for it before it’s too late.”
“Too late?” I’m about to inquire further when the crowd parts and I see McKenna once again. She rushes at me with a strong embrace and I take in the warm cinnamon scent of her hair as she inadvertently smothers me with it.
“Thank God you showed! For a second, I thought you wouldn’t. This place isn’t exactly your style.” She pulls back. “Here you go, Bizzy.” She holds a hand out to the table behind her, and I’m shocked to see it’s brimming with familiar faces, each of which is holding up a fruity concoction.
Macy, Emmie, Michaela, Mayor Woods—aka McKenzie—my mother, and, horror upon horrors, Jasper’s mother Gwyneth are all here. They all look polished and pampered with dramatic makeup and fun, flirty dresses as if they’re ready and raring to have a good time.
“Surprise!” they all chime in unison and the place lights up with a spontaneous round of applause.
“Oh my God.” I glare over at Juni and Georgie. “You’re going to pay for this.”
Georgie grunts over at her spawn. “It looks as if it’s acid soup for us, kiddo.”
McKenna laughs. “Don’t blame them. It’s really my doing. I asked Macy if they were planning anything for your bachelorette party, and they said you threatened them within an inch of their lives.”
“Not well enough,” I say as I look to my sister and she winks my way before knocking back the rest of her drink. Great. They’re all happily imbibing, which means we’ll need a party bus to haul us back to our respective homes by the end of the night.
Emmie mouths the words I’m sorry my way, and I make a face before giving McKenna the rest of my attention.
“Go on,” I say. “You somehow think this is all your fault?”
She nods while taking a sip of her high octane drink, and I give a few good blinks as the scent of vodka comes in hot.
“I had my bachelorette party a few weeks back in Vegas.” She leans in a notch. “And I’m still not thrilled you declined. But I understand. That year we went out on Spring Break and you got so schnockered you married Emmie’s brother—well, it’s easy to see why you’d want to steer clear.”
I shudder at the memory. Not that I have anything against Jordy. But drowning in cheap liquor doesn’t exactly lead to the best decision-making skills on my part. Vegas is pretty much a no-go for the foreseeable future as far as I’m concerned. Same with cheap liquor.
Macy waves me off. “Don’t listen to her, McKenna. She’s the reason our brother makes a fantastic divorce attorney. Bizzy’s first wedding was essentially a free internship for him.”
Gwyneth gasps. “My son is about to marry a divorcee, and I’m just hearing about this first wedding of yours?”
Mom butts her shoulder to Gwyn’s. “And I bet she had a dress for that one.”
The two of them share a sharp cackle, and I’m not so sure I care to see them bonding over their desire to mock me.
“Lovely.” I wrinkle my nose before giving Michaela a little wave. “Hopefully, I can see you about that dress snafu. I guess the countdown is on, and
