Third Chances (Men Of Manhattan #2) - Ivy Smoak Page 0,3

Kristen said. "We're five minutes late."

"Oh, yeah. Sorry, I was running late." I switched off my computer.

"Daphne running late? I'm pretty sure no one has ever heard those words together."

I laughed. "I'll be right down, smartass." I hung up the phone and tossed it back into my purse. After double-checking that all the burners on my stove were off, I grabbed my suitcase and left my apartment.

The limo was pulled up next to the curb. Kristen opened the door, a bottle of champagne in her hand and a huge smile on her face. I guess the party's already started.

"Daphne!"

Layla poked her head out too. "Daphne!" she said even louder than Kristen had, and in a very awful British accent. I didn't know Layla that well, and for some reason she wouldn't believe that I was born in America. Apparently my name sounded too British or something. I blamed Frasier.

Yup, they're both drunk. They were also going to be thanking me for the bottle of Tylenol I had packed. "Hey, guys," I said and climbed into the limo.

Kristen threw her arms around me. "I've missed you, Momma Bear!"

I sighed. Not because I didn't miss her. I had just been hoping that maybe she had forgotten that terrible nickname. No one wanted to be the momma bear of the group. "I've missed you too. Wow, this limo is amazing." The last time I had been in a limo was for my prom. And I thought it was the coolest thing ever because it was a limo. Apparently it wasn't a very cool limo, because it didn't even compare to this one. Chilled drinks, fancy glasses, weird neon lights, and definitely new leather seats.

"Right?" Kristen said and plopped down on the seat next to mine. "The perks of having rich friends."

Layla laughed. "I'm not rich."

"We've both seen your house. Yes you are."

"I'm not even doing endorsements anymore. I'm focusing on my career."

"You can't win an argument against Kristen," I said. "If it was possible, there's no way she'd still be calling me Momma Bear."

"You don't have to tell me," Layla said as she poured me a glass of champagne.

"Oh, no, I'm okay," I said as she handed me the glass.

"Momma Bear," Kristen whispered very poorly and pointed at me.

"I am not." I grabbed the glass out of Layla's hand. "See? Drinking?" I took a tiny sip of champagne. It was only 10 o'clock in the morning. Why were we drinking anyway? "Does Alina know we're coming? I haven't seen her bakery since they expanded. I can't wait to see it."

"A," Kristen said as she held up her index finger, "Alina isn't in Wilmington, she's here in New York. Two, you have to go see the expansion, it's so cute. You're going to love what they've done. And C," she said, only holding up a second finger, "no, it's a surprise. We're kidnapping her."

I glanced over at Layla. She shrugged. I couldn't tell if it was because she agreed with everything Kristen had just said or because she was surprised by how drunk Kristen was too. "Okay," I said and grabbed the champagne bottle out of Kristen's hand. I didn't bother telling her she had enough to drink. I'd just hoard the bottle and she'd think I was being fun instead of acting like a momma bear. "So, where in New York is she?"

"We put her up in this hotel in Manhattan," Layla said. "She thinks we're just having a fun week in NYC. She's going to be so surprised."

"I bet. Where exactly is it that we're going again?"

"I don't know. Kristen wouldn't tell me either."

I turned back to Kristen. She shook her head and just smiled. "Don't even try. I'm not telling you. You'll find out at the airport soon enough."

"I tried to look up the Blue Parrot Resort and couldn't find anything."

"I specifically told you not to do that," Kristen said.

"Which is why you didn't tell me the real name of the resort?"

"Oh, no, it's real. You guys, it's the most crazy, secretive, exclusive resort in like, the world. We're so lucky that we got a room."

I laughed. "I'm sure if that was true, they wouldn't have let us in."

"Um...have you met Layla Torrez, sensational weather girl and former spokesperson for Sword Body Wash? And everyone who watched the ITAs knows Alina after that uh...performance. They're both famous."

True. "Fine. So they wouldn't have let you and me in then."

Kristen laughed. "Tim has connections."

"No. Kristen, please tell me you didn't let Tim plan