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"I'm curious," I replied. Then a hiccup escaped me and I took a giggling sip of my third Tequila Sunrise. Had I eaten anything today? Probably not.
So what?
"Who did you rear-end?" Mira wanted to know.
"Mira! We're not talking about that anymore," Judy chuckled and reached for the next Tequila Sunrise on the bar.
"A Ferrari," I mumbled. "And the guy who was in it..." I didn't finish my sentence, but instead licked my lips with relish. "Top-notch," I added then.
"WHAT?" Judy's eyes widened. "You rear-ended a... So he looked good?"
"Pretty much," I answered and grinned at the memory of Carter's tousled blonde hair, his bright blue eyes, and athletic body. By now, all the alcohol had made me pleasantly warm. The thought of Carter made me even a little warmer.
"Oho, just look at her face," came from Judy. She flashed me a look. Then she raised a hand. "Girls, I have the perfect punishment for Isabella!"
"What? Let's hear it," Fiona giggled.
"It shouldn't be about me, but about Fiona. This is her bachelorette party." I made a half-hearted attempt to escape my impending punishment.
"Yeaah... my night. And I want you to get a punishment." Fiona nudged me in the side, laughing.
Well then. I took a big sip of my third Tequila Sunrise. Or was it already the fourth? I couldn't remember exactly. But what did it matter anyway?
"Sooo..." Judy looked conspiratorially around the group and then whispered something in Fiona's ear.
"Oh yes! That's good! That's very good indeed!" Fiona giggled.
"What? Come on, tell us!" Elly urged.
"Excluding us is mean," Mira grumbled with pursed lips.
"Isabella has to kiss a man," Judy announced, looking around the group for approval.
"What?" My slightly foggy brain registered the words slowly. "I have to do what?"
"You haven't had any fun in the last few months. We weren't even allowed to mention men. Unless they were ancient, neutered, or fathers. Or all of the above. It's time for you to come out of your shell. And since you're slowly starting to notice attractive guys again, we're giving you a little push now. So you can enjoy life again!" Judy looked at me triumphantly.
"Great idea," Mira chimed in.
"But what if the man doesn't want to be kissed?" I asked.
"Then it's even funnier," Elly giggled and winked at me. "Kissing someone you know and like, anyone can do that. But this is about something else. You're supposed to kiss a stranger who has no idea about his luck. And who knows what might happen then..." She squinted her right eye.
I was supposed to just kiss someone?
Well...
Isabella. Admit it. Earlier, you would have loved it if Carter had... well, maybe not kissed you, but somehow touched you. Stroked your hand. Just to know what it feels like. His skin on yours.
So if I imagined now that I would kiss Carter, then I should be able to press my mouth to the lips of a stranger.
"We'll choose the man," Judy announced.
Oh God.
Help.
Hopefully not some old codger.