Claimed By The Devil - Joanna Blake Page 0,81
added helpfully.
“Oh, my God, I’m getting married,” I said stupidly, my eyes wide. I had totally forgotten for a second.
“Yes, you are. Now, hop to it,” Becky said, clapping her hands together. She was almost as bossy as Janet. But they were both so loving and supportive, it kind of took my breath away.
“Okay. Let’s do this.” I nodded and the ladies got to work. I was already showered, so Sally misted my hair and started blow-drying it with a round brush. She tugged hard and muttered ‘sorry’, but I didn’t complain.
Becky grinned and said, “Beauty is pain, Highness,” riffing on the line from her favorite movie, The Princess Bride.
We all knew how much she loved it because she quoted it all the time! I had plans to make them all watch The Thorn Birds one day too. Actually, watching the whole thing would take an entire weekend! But that was the kind of things the girls did together.
I had friends. Real friends. And they were more than that. They were my ‘sisters in motor oil’, as they liked to say.
A warm feeling of contentment settled over me as they painted my nails, did my hair, and applied makeup. Janet even brought me a glass of mimosa with a straw so I could sip and not muss up my makeup.
“Did you wax?” Janet asked as she brought me a refill, splashing some extra champagne into it. She could tell I was nervous. I was trying not to sweat under the hot curling iron, too. Janet gave me a critical look and aimed a fan at me. I smiled in blessed relief and sipped my drink.
“Yes. Sally took me.”
She nodded.
“Good. You won’t be leaving that camper for a few days at least. And you won’t be able to shave in that tiny shower.”
“Well, she could, but it would be awkward.” Angel chortled. “Can you swim?”
“Yes.”
“Well enough for skinny dipping at night?”
“For what?”
“Oh, just ask Janet. That’s how she seduced Jack.”
“That man did not need seducing.” Kaylie giggled. “He was a goner from day one.”
“Maybe, but he put up a valiant fight,” Janet said with a sly smile. “Now, where are our ‘somethings’?”
“‘Somethings’?” I asked curiously, much calmer after sipping my drink.
“Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue,” Angel explained.
“Does the dress count?” I asked worriedly. I hadn’t even thought about all the stuff they were talking about. “Is it bad luck that I don’t have all that?”
“Oh, do not worry, doll face. We got you covered,” Becky crowed, holding up a little shopping bag triumphantly. She handed it to me with a giggle. I opened it carefully, still wearing the silky bathrobe Sally had put me in.
On top was a jewelry box. I opened it and let out a gasp of pure feminine pleasure. A beautiful gold necklace with a pearl drop in the center. Beside it were a pair of my mother’s earrings. I remembered them from special occasions growing up. They were delicate pearl earrings with a crystal teardrop hanging from each lobe. It looked like a matched set.
“Something old and something borrowed! The necklace was a gift from Whiskey, but it looks perfect with your mom’s earrings.” Becky looked so pleased with herself that I giggled. “I hope you don’t mind us fishing around in your house.”
“I don’t mind at all. It’s so thoughtful.”
“Open the rest,” Suzannah urged me. I smiled tentatively and reached into the bag. I pulled up lace in a pale blue. It was a matching set of lingerie. A bra, garter belt, and panties. I held up the panties and stared in shock.
“These are completely see-through!” I gasped.
“Don’t worry,” Janet said practically. “You won’t be wearing them long.”
Everyone laughed at her joke but I was blushing. I pulled out the sheer white thigh-high stockings to match.
“Thank you all so much,” I said, suddenly feeling like crying again. Becky squealed and started fanning my face with a magazine.
“No crying!”
I laughed and nodded.
“There’s more!”
“Open it!”
I reached down and pulled out another jewelry box.
“You needed something new,” Kaylie said with a wink as I popped it open.
A beautiful gold charm bracelet was nestled inside. It had a horse charm, a heart charm, and a motorcycle charm.
“You can add to it,” Sally said. “We all have one. It’s a friendship bracelet.”
She held up her wrist. So did the other girls. They all had different charms, other than the hearts and the motorcycles. I was so overcome with emotion that the tears were inevitable.
“Shit! We should have given