Page 53 of Running from Drac

Pushing her glasses up her nose, Poppy goes back to reading her trashy romance novel, ignoring the conversation.

“Well, can I at least plan your bachelorette party? We all know which twin is the party twin, and it sure isn’t bookworm Jane over there.”

“Sure,” I say reluctantly, not liking her enthusiasm. Something’s off, but I don’t have the heart to call her out on it. I’ve missed my best friend. She can be the biggest bitch in the world to me, but I still love them both like they’re my sisters.

“Amazing! I already started planning something epic! Just wait, you’ll see! Oh, let Mallory know not to make any plans next Saturday.”

“Why?”

“That’s when we’re having your party, silly!”

“Why so early?”

“Because I have something extra special planned. Something you’ll never forget.”

Poppy briefly looks up from her book, assessing my reaction. It’s the same as hers, cautious and curious at the same time.

“As long as it has nothing to do with strippers, I’ll be fine.”

She crosses her heart and grins. “I’m not promising anything. Anyway, I’m going to start planning this shindig. We need to make this the most epic bachelorette party ever! I’m thinking dick straws and pussy shaped wine glasses. Yup, this is going to be amazing!”

She dances from the room, and the second she’s gone, I shoot her sister a confused look. “Is she on something?”

Poppy shrugs. “She may be doing speed again. One can’t be too sure.”

“That was weird, right? Tell me I’m not reading into this wrong.”

“Oh no, that was definitely weird. She’s up to something, but what she’s up to, I have no clue.”

A long silence filters between us as I mull over everything that just transpired. Something is off, my arm hairs are raising, and that only happens when I get a bad feeling about something.

“You’d tell me if you knew she was planning something awful, wouldn’t you? I know you two are sisters and twins, but you’d tell me if she was planning something not so great, right?”

Poppy places down her book and sighs. “Amber, you know how I feel about being brought into the middle of you and Pippa. But yes, if she’s planning anything nefarious, and I know about it, you’ll be the first to know. I’m not going to let my sister ruin your wedding day. I do have a moral compass that mostly points north.”

We share an awkward laugh. Still, I can’t shake the strange feeling that Pippa has something planned—something more than just a fun party celebrating my last night as a free woman. The fact that she wants to have it three weeks before the actual wedding is even more unnerving.

What does she have planned?

Why is she suddenly being so nice?

And why does that creep me the fuck out?

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

Eddie

“So, let me get this straight?” Wesley questions as he throws a tire up on the truck we have sitting on the lift. “Pippa’s suddenly planning a bachelorette party for Amber, and you’re not freaking the fuck out about it?”

He must catch my nervous glance because he grins. “Why would that freak me out?”

Rich interjects, “Because you fucked Pippa. Don’t look at me like that. I can’t believe you thought we didn’t know. We heard everything, Eddie, we’ve just been waiting for you to tell us about it. When you didn’t, we figured it sucked, and you wanted to forget about it, or you didn’t remember at all. You were rather drunk that night. But I have to say, I’m impressed. I have no idea how you’ve been able to keep it a secret this long from Amber. That in itself is a bloody miracle.”

“No, the miracle is the fact that Pippa’s kept her big trap shut about it. We all know the girl’s got diabolical tendencies. She’s abad girl in training, that one. If she hasn’t told her yet, it’s only a matter of time, buddy.” Wesley tightens one of the bolts on the tire. “You know it.” He moves to the next one. “Rich sure as fuck knows it.” Then tightens the last few. “And you damn well know it too. Face it, Eddie. You’re fucked.”

If I could erase that night with Pippa from memory permanently I would, but it doesn’t help that my two best friends have known about it this whole time and are just now giving me shit about it. “Would you two shut up? I’d like to fucking forget about it as much as possible.”