Nodding, I grab my bag as Lace pulls me out of the apartment.
“First stop, breakfast. I’m starving.” Lace walks with me, rubbing her stomach. Crystal’s heels clicking on the marble tiles in front and Emerald is on the other side of me.
“Sounds good to me.”
Turning my head to either side, I look at the strong women, lifelong friends, who are excited for the upcoming wedding. And I’m part of them.
Excitement bubbles in my stomach, replacing the pain from yesterday, my mouth stretched as far as it can, smiling.
“Thank you for asking me.”
“Oh Bluebell. You don’t need to thank us, we can see how Ocean acts around you and that you’re special to him. Blind Freddy could see it.” Lace’s voice is forthright.
“But…” Crystal turns from her lead. “You are going to have to spill how good he is in bed.”
Loud laughter surrounds me.
I join them, feeling light and with a bounce in my step, ready to take on whatever comes my way.
“No, I’m not telling you anymore. I’ve told you too much already.” Sipping on my coffee, the sun had been up for barely an hour and the girls were already hard at trying to get information out of me about Ocean. Expressing to them how I thought he was sexy, he had a body of a Greek god and the tattoos on his skin were carefully designed by himself, I didn’t see the need to reveal any other intimate details.
“You’ve told us nothing.” Crystal’s stirring the pot, giggling. “We want details.”
“Leave the poor girl alone. She’s known us for a day, and we are already badgering her.” Lace sits back on the cushioned bench seat eating a stack of pancakes.
Emerald raises her eyebrows and smiles. “We will want info soon. All of us are keen to know what he is like in bed, hard, demanding, dominant or romantic, being single and for so fucking long, never hinting at wanting a long-term relationship.”
Nodding my head, I store away that little tidbit of information. “You’ll have to get me really drunk to get me to talk.” Laughing, I can see these three are trouble.
“That can be arranged, we are experts at having a good time,” Lace chimes in.
“It sounds good, I haven’t had a girly night out.” Hushing my voice, I realize what I’ve said.
“What, never?” Crystal leans over, piercing me with her stare.
Shaking my head, I lower my eyes in embarrassment.
Emerald nudges me. “We are here to help.” I look up. “Looks like after our shopping spree today, we’re going to have the bachelorette night.”
Crystal starts clapping and Lace yahoos. I can’t keep a straight face.
Emerald looks at her watch. “Ladies, it’s time to go.”
“Really? I haven’t finished yet.” Gobbling down her food, Lace is heaving trying to breathe and eat.
“Our next appointment at the day spa can’t wait.”
“Oh, well, why didn’t you tell me that sooner.” Putting one last forkful of pancakes in her mouth, Lace stands fast, taking her bag. We all leave in Emerald’s gorgeous yellow Mustang, ready for a day of fun and indulgence.
“I still can’t believe I’ve been pampered for over five hours.” Skin fresh, my face and body exfoliated, scrubbed and polished, we all look radiant. Choosing a pearl blue for my nails, our pedi and mani were last on the list while makeup was applied to our faces.
“You look beautiful, Bluebell. Actually, we all look stunning.” Crystal beams at us all. “Time to try on some dresses for this special day, eh Em?”
“It’s next on the list.”
We’d completely skipped lunch and continued our way to the fancier part of LA, where the price tags are larger than my yearly earnings. Walking the shop fronts, admiring the clothes and fashion, I’m stunned by the number of women shopping in them. There’re people everywhere. Hand in hand with Lace, I smile as we stop and look at some of the outfits, bursting into laughter spotting some stuck-up chick who looked absolutely ridiculous in a romper and boots that made me think of a Dalmatian dog. Nose stuck in the air, this woman would think anything looked good on her. How wrong was she?
“Where are we going?” Crystal’s taken the lead on this aspect of today.
“To one of my stockiest, she’ll have what we need for us all, including something special for you, Emerald.”
Nodding our heads, my eyes still trying hard to keep a lookout for any signs of my brother. Expecting him to jump out of nowhere, even though today is filled with laughs with security near us, I can’t push my walls right down, alert in case he tries anything. I would hate for my new friends to be hurt because of me.
“This is the place.”
Crystal holds Emerald in place as we all look into a window covered with traditional wedding gowns.
“Yeah, I don’t think so.” Emerald plants her feet and scowls.
“Not for you, for us.” Crystal pulls her arm up the step and she rings the bell. “It’s my best friend’s wedding and we are going to glam it up, girl.”
An intercom sounds. “Crystal Harding.”
A buzz lets us know the door is open and we all stroll in. The sweet smell of roses hits me first, then the shine from the jewels and chandelier hanging from the ceiling.
“Crystal, darling. How are you? We haven’t seen you in a while. How’s that hunky man of yours doing?” A slight built man waltzes through the room, decked out in a ruby red suit, smiling from ear to ear.
“I’m well as is Tanner, thank you for asking.”
“You look fantastic. Having that man’s baby obviously agrees with you.”
Smirking, I can’t hold back.
“Having his cock inside me, fucking me, also agrees very well with me, Sebastian.” Flicking her hair, she keeps going. “But we are here for the purpose of getting dresses not discussing my man.”
Laughing at Crystal, we all try and compose ourselves as the salesguy pulls at his jacket lapels, composing himself after the image put in our heads of Tanner and Crystal, together.
“Of course.” Looking at us, he moves to the lounge, ushering for us to sit. “Who’s the lucky bride?”
“I am, but we’re here for the girls, I’ve got mine sorted but these girls need something glamorous.”
“You do not have yours organized.” Crystal snaps her head and eyes Emerald.
“I know what I want and that is for you girls to find something, anything you want so you can stand with me as I marry my bastard.”
Huffing, Crystal gets up. “Okay, if that’s what you want?”
“It is.” Smiles all around, Crystal nods to Sebastian.
“We need your finest bridesmaid dresses out here. If we had time, I would have made them myself but since we don’t, these designs here are a close second to mine. We will find something gorgeous, ladies.”
Sebastian leaves and I look around at the rows of elegant dresses lining the walls. The girls are chatting, and Crystal is trying hard to talk Emerald around into at least looking at the dresses.
“You’re a pain in my ass, girlfriend.” Emerald rolls her eyes.