Chapter 2
Chapter Two
When you’re in charge of your best friend’s bachelorette party, you don’t hold back.
Which is exactly how I ended up in Vegas this weekend.
Will I remember much of what I’m about to do?
Probably not. Am I going to be nursing a hangover of all hangovers for the next week?
Absolutely. Am I still going to drink my body weight in alcohol and give my best friend the send-off into married life she deserves? Abso-fucking-lutley.
Alice has been my best friend since we were in kindergarten.
We have done everything together, from getting our periods in the same week when we were thirteen, to losing our virginities in the same week at fifteen.
Neither was planned, but the universe has a way of always making us experience milestones together.
Except for this one. I’m more than happy to be on the sidelines while Alice experiences this milestone. Getting married isn’t on my radar. Then again, neither is having a steady boyfriend. Unlike Alice, who has been sickeningly in love with her fiancé Brandon since we were seventeen.
I’m happy for her. This is what she wants out of life.
It’s her dream. Mine is to stay single and live life to the fullest. We might be best friends, but Alice and I couldn’t be more different personality-wise.
Where she’s quiet and reserved, I’m loud and don’t have a problem being the center of attention in any room I enter.
But somehow, we work as best friends and there’s no one in this world I love more than her.
As Alice’s maid of honor, it was my responsibility to plan the bachelorette weekend.
And when Alice gave me the slightest hint that she wanted a wild weekend in Vegas, I ran with it.
Okay, it might have been more me hinting and her smiling and politely saying: I will love whatever you have planned.
Because that’s Alice. The girl’s a people-pleaser through and through.
I wanted her to have a weekend she’ll either never remember or never forget.
Which is why I pulled out all the stops.
Friday night, we went to the Thunder from Downunder show, then bar hopped our way halfway down The Strip.
Saturday was a pamper day, recovering from the previous night of drinking before following it up with another night of dancing and, of course, more drinking.
There are blisters on top of blisters on my feet from my heels, but that’s not stopping me now.
We’re on the last stretch of the weekend. It’s Sunday night.
The rest of the girls went home this morning.
I may have told everyone we were leaving too.
I’m selfish and I wanted a night with Alice to myself, and a night for her to really let loose without her sisters or future sisters-in-law judging her.
Which is how she’s currently sitting across from me at a tiny bar-top, wearing a white bodycon dress and a veil in her hair with a pink-and-white sash that says bride on it in rhinestones.
“You are going to make the most beautifulest bride this world has ever seen, Miss Alice,” I tell her.
“First, beautifulest isn’t a word, Poppy. And second, thank you.” Alice beams at me.
“I can’t believe you’re leaving me.” I pout.
“Where am I going?”
“This is our last night together, before you’re gone.”
“Again, where is it that you think I’m going, Poppy?” Alice keeps her voice soft. Her hand reaches out to mine.
I may be a little more than drunk at the moment. “You’re getting married and leaving me to live with your husband, and you’re going to have babies. Cute babies, but they’re gonna suck the life right out of ya. But, I guess, they will be cute,” I tell her.
Alice laughs. “I already live with Brandon. Nothing is going to change. I’m also not planning to get knocked up anytime soon.”
“Yeah, but that’s what married people do, Alice. They have kids.” I shrug. “Okay, here. I have something for you.” I hand her the gift bag she’s been eyeing all night. I’ve waited to give it to her because I know it drives her nuts knowing it’s for her and not knowing what’s inside it.
“Is this suitable to open in public?” Alice asks.
“Yes.” I laugh and wait for her to take out the first item.
Alice carefully unwraps it, making sure she doesn’t rip the paper.
I roll my eyes. “Just tear into it.”
“It’s too pretty. I want to keep the paper,” she says. When she finally gets the gift open, she looks up at me with a smile plastered on her face.
“That’s so you don’t forget me,” I tell her.
“As if I could ever forget you. I don’t need a framed photo of you to remember you, Poppy, but I love it. Thank you.”
“Okay, there’s more.” I point to the bag. The frame was a gag gift. I reach in and pull out the first real present. “This one first.”
The small box is wrapped in pink paper. Alice opens it, revealing a jewelry box. When she pops the lid, I see tears in her eyes.
“That’s your something old,” I tell her.
“How did you find this?” she asks, looking at the small, gold, half-heart-shaped locket. I gave this to her for her eighth birthday. I have the other half, and when they’re joined, it says best friends.
“I spent a day or two digging through your bedroom at your mom’s house,” I explain. “You’re a bit of a hoarder, Alice.”
“Yeah, but some things are too sentimental to throw away.” She fingers the locket. “I love it. Thank you.”
“Okay, next gift.” I reach in and pull out the small box that’s wrapped in white paper.
Again, Alice takes her sweet-ass time opening it. When she finally does, her eyes widen. “What?”
“That’s your something new. I saw it and knew you had to have it.”
“It’s so beautiful. You shouldn’t have spent this much money on me.” She stares at the diamond pin that’s in the shape of an eternity symbol.
“You can pin this to the inside of your dress.”
“I’m going to pin it to the outside. Thank you so much.” She reaches over the table, careful not to spill our cocktails, and hugs me.
“You’re welcome. Come on, don’t get sappy yet. There’s more.” I slip a hand into the bag and pull out a purple-wrapped box. “This is your something borrowed.”
Alice grins. “Sure. I’ll totally give it back.”
“No, you won’t, but we can pretend.” I laugh. Alice is a bad borrower. She never remembers to return things. Which is why she’s no longer allowed to borrow books from our local library.
When she opens the gift, her eyes meet mine. “Are you sure? What if I lose it? Or worse, forget to give it back.”
“It’s okay. I want you to have this with you on the big day.” I also have no plans of forgetting she has it.
“This was your mom’s, Poppy. I can’t borrow this,” Alice argues, putting the lid back on the box.
“You can and you will,” I insist. “It’s just a hairpin, and we both have loved that pin for as long as I can remember.”
My mom showed me the pin when Alice was over once, telling us both the story of how her mother gave it to her on her wedding day, and how one day I’d wear it on mine. Since I don’t have plans of that ever happening, I figure Alice wearing it is the next best thing to carry on the tradition.
“Okay, last one. Your something blue.” I hand Alice the small blue box.
“You didn’t need to do all this,” she says.
“I’m your best friend. This is what best friends do. Now open it already.” I nod towards the box.
Alice opens it and smiles. “It’s so pretty.” Her fingers trace over the lace garter.
“I fully expect to see Brandon rip that thing off with his teeth at the reception.” I laugh.
“We’ll see.” Alice grins. “I love it all. Thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome.” I hold up my glass and finish what’s left of the sugary cocktail. “We need another.” But then the music changes and a song that Alice and I both know all too well comes on.
“Don’t even think about it.” Alice glares at me, worry written all over her face.
“Oh, I’m not thinking about it. I’m already doing it,” I tell her, jumping off my seat. I then climb up onto the bar and belt out the lyrics to “Can’t Fight the Moonlight” by LeAnn Rimes while doing the best dancing I can muster.
“Oh god, Poppy, get down,” Alice hisses at me.
“Sorry! Can’t hear you!” Throwing my head back, I laugh as I live out all my Coyote Ugly dreams in this uppity bar, where absolutely no one else is dancing.