by Stacy Borel
“I think this one is lovely and will look perfect on the three of you. Plus, we can ask the seamstress to add a couple of small straps to Sarah’s dress.” A warm hand came to rest on my shoulder. Donna had stood up to come to my rescue. “How long will these take to come in?”
“These we can get in pretty quickly. Three weeks should be the longest you’ll have to wait,” the consultant replied.
“Are you good with that, Keegan?” Donna asked her.
“Yep! I think these will be perfect. Sarah, I want you to try on the dress that Annabelle has on to see what we need to do to make it work on you too, okay?”
As Keegan turned to talk to her mom and little sister, Macie leaned in to whisper, “We need to plan this bachelorette party now, or it’s never gonna happen.”
Donna grinned at us and took a step towards the other girls. “Y’all are on your own. My bachelorette days are over.”
Macie and I laughed, but I couldn’t help the blush that came to my cheeks. Donna turned and joined the other girls.
I raised my arm as the consultant placed a tape measure around me and wrote down some numbers. “Do people even have those anymore?”
She scoffed. “Bachelorette parties? Well, whether anybody else has them, I don’t care, we sure as hell are.”
I giggled. “Oh boy. What do you have in mind? And don’t tell me strippers. If there are strippers, you can count me out.” The little blonde girl coughed, and walked out of hearing distance.
“What? You’re kidding right? Strippers are a must at a bachelorette party.”
“Aren’t most of the strippers gay these days? Call me crazy, but I don’t want their junk swinging in my face pretending like they are attracted to me, just so I will slip them a dollar bill.”
She laughed. “You’re probably right. Damn, now I don’t know what to do.”
Keegan came over to listen in. “Don’t know what to do about what?”
“Nothing,” we both chimed.
“Huh uh, girls. I already told y’all, no parties. Camden isn’t having one, so I’m not having one.”
Macie rolled her eyes and put her hand on her hip. “Give me a break. One of his nosey brothers is going to drag his ass to a bar or club downtown. They aren’t going to let him get away with his last days of bachelorhood without going out with a bang. Don’t fight me on this. I’m throwing you a party.”
“You’re ridiculous.” She bit her lip. “What are you thinking about doing?”
Macie pointed at me with her thumb. “Well, this one over here doesn’t want any gay dicks slapping her cheeks so the strippers are out.” I busted out laughing. Keegan smiled but looked perplexed. “So, what if we just take you to the new bar downtown? It’s supposed to be an old warehouse they beefed up to look like some California club that Ashton Kutcher owns or something. How does that sound?”
“That would be fun. When I get home I’ll ask Cam—”
“Err . . .” Macie made a car screeching sound. “Them’s the brakes, missy. No asking Camden. I don’t need his permission to take you out for a night of girl time and drinking. Annabelle and I will work out the day, then I will call you to let you know when later this week. Capisce?”
She sighed. “All right.”
“Don’t sound to disappointed, princess, it’ll be fun.” Macie slapped Keegan’s butt and she squealed.
“Good. Annabelle, I’ll give you a call later tonight and we can discuss the details and maybe round up a few of the girls from the hospital that would like to go. Anyway,” she said, effectively changing the subject. “Isn’t there a wedding dress that you should be putting on?”
Keegan grinned. “Yes! It just came in.” She clapped her hands. “Come on, I’m ready to try it on.”
The three of us went over to Rowan, Donna, and Sarah. The rest of the day was spent sipping champagne, talking about wedding decorations, venues, food, and the dress Keegan was wearing. All of the excitement for her big day was swirling around and it was easy to get caught up in everything. By the time she dropped me off back at home later that evening, I sat in my living room, mindlessly petting Chaz and wishing I could take back my agreement to be a part of the bachelorette party. I couldn’t very well call Macie and cancel, she’d never let me. But I also knew I was going to be a train wreck that whole evening. So instead of trying to shut off my overactive brain, I came up with a failsafe plan. I’d let the girls know that I was the designated driver. Limiting my alcohol would insure I was in control. At least I thought it would. With that crowd, you never know what you’re getting into for the night.
Chapter Two
Annabele
“HEY, ARE YOU ALMOST READY?” Macie hollered at me from the living room.
“Yeah. Give me a sec,” I yelled back.
It was two weeks later, and the girls were all in my living room. Sometime in the last couple of weeks, it had been decided that not only was this a bachelorette party, it was doubling as a slumber party. Because I was the driver for the evening, my house was the obvious choice. Now here I sat, alone in my bedroom, feeling overwhelmed. I’d been having small panic attacks throughout the day that I’ve had to trample back down. I didn’t exactly hate people being in my house, I just didn’t like it. I knew I was being ridiculous and letting my anxiety take control. I’d taken a Xanax about an hour ago and it was just what I needed to settle my frazzled nerves. I looked up in the mirror at my reflection and tried to conjure the girl that I once was—a carefree spirit that loved being spontaneous and wild. What stared back at me was a control freak with eyes too wide, dressed like a grandma going to church. Sighing, I stood up and went out to meet the girls.
There were five of us all together: Keegan, Macie, Jordan, Erin, and me. Jordan and Erin were girls from our L&D floor. They were a lot of fun and were the type to roll with the punches. Erin’s a stocky girl with chestnut brown hair and eyes. Her hair was cut into an adorable little bob and despite being slightly overweight, she had more self-confidence than all of us put together. Jordan was Erin’s polar opposite in looks. She was tall and lanky with long blonde hair, similar to Keegan’s. Except where Keegan’s was wavy and thick, Jordan’s seemed thin and fine, and she was a bit more reserved. I, personally, liked both of them and was glad they were able to come. Several other girls had been invited as well, but the party either conflicted with their shifts, or they couldn’t find a sitter for their kids. That’s what I should have done. I should have offered to be the babysitter so I could have avoided tonight all together.
“All right, hookers, time to make a toast,” Macie said, grabbing a couple of shot glasses and filling them up with grape flavored Vodka. I lifted my glass of water in the air. “To my bestie, Keegan. May she get completely wasted, lose her panties, and kiss a stranger tonight.” They all laughed and cheered, throwing back their drinks.
“Annabelle, is that what you’re wearing?” Erin asked, genuinely intrigued.
I glanced down at my floral print dress. “Yes. Why?”
Jordan and she snickered. “Honey, nobody is going to be looking at you when you have a dress on that goes to your knees, and a neckline that covers every inch of cleavage.”
“Good. I don’t plan on having anybody looking at my legs or cleavage.”
“Why?” Jordan chimed.
I sighed. “Girls, whatever little thoughts you have conjured up in your heads, stop it. I have no intention of finding a man tonight.”
“Such a waste,” Macie said as she tossed back another shot. I had no idea how many she’d had, but she appeared to be happy as a clam.
“Y’all, it’s not a waste. Tonight is about Keegan, not me. Besides, I’m comfortable. So can we get this ball rolling?” I argued.
“I think you need to change into something more . . . comfortable,” Erin said.
“I just said this is comfortable,” I grumbled.
I didn’t like where they were going with this. I watched as all four of them glanced at each other and smile
d. They were like a group of she-devils scheming. Whatever they were up to, I wasn’t going to be dragged to the fiery pits of hell with them. I had a plan. This dress was part of my failsafe.
Keegan all of a sudden looked at me and poked out her lip. “Can I dress you in something a little more clubish? Pretty, pretty please?”
“Oh my God, you’ve got to be kidding me? Sure, sic the bachelorette on me to make me feel guilty. Well, it’s not going to work.” I picked up my purse and crossed my arms.
“Come on. Just this once. I know you have something hiding in the back of your closet that deserves to be aired out,” Keegan said.
“Every girl does. But I don’t want to wear it.”
“Can I at least see it?”
“No.”
“Just let the bride see the dress, then we will go,” Macie demanded.
I sighed. “Fine. I’ll show it to you and then we are leaving. Deal?” I glanced around the room. All four of them made a motion to cross their hearts. I knew better than to trust them.
Thirty minutes later, they had me in the skin tight black number that I kept in the back of my closet. The top of the dress was low with a square neckline that pushed my breasts up and made them spill over the material. It had capped sleeves and the length of the dress went to the middle of my thighs. I put on a pair of black pumps and then pulled my hair down, combing it out to give the illusion of soft waves. I held up my hand and drew the line with the make-up. Erin wanted to darken my eyes and add red lipstick, but I refused. Accepting that I wasn’t going to allow them to take their shenanigans any further, they all nodded, finally appeased with the way I looked. I think they assumed I wasn’t confident in myself or that I wasn’t comfortable in my own skin. That wasn’t it at all. I knew I had a great body. It’s why I bought the darn dress in the first place. It flattered my every curve. But like most women, I had an outfit that was just for me. Something I kept as a “just in case” but never had an occasion to wear it. I had no doubt I would attract the opposite sex if I wore the dress. I just didn’t want to. Especially not tonight when I had four other people to keep an eye on and out of trouble.
“We are fuckin’ hot!” Macie all but yelled when we stepped out of the house. I would have shushed her if I had neighbors to worry about, but I didn’t. The closest person lived a quarter of a mile up the road.
The girls all giggled and loaded into my car. The ride into downtown Athens didn’t take very long. I may live in the country, but I was on the outskirts of the city. As we arrived, I spotted that they had valet parking. With a quick look around, I knew I’d was never going to find a spot on my own, so I went ahead and pulled up. We all climbed out and I think every male eye turned in our direction as if honing in on a prime cut of steak and their mouths were watering. I gave my keys over to a young man and he handed me a ticket. There was a line that trailed around the building and I almost got giddy. If they saw how long it was going to take to get inside, maybe they’d feel deterred enough to want to go back home. At least I would feel safe and comfortable there and not so out of control. Instead, just as I was about to turn and suggest it, Macie was talking to one of the bouncers at the door. He was eyeing her up and down and she had her hand on his shoulder. Oh no, the look on his face told me this wasn’t going to go in my favor. Sure enough, she whistled to get our attention.
“Let’s go girls.” She motioned us inside. The bouncer moved the velvet rope out of the way to let us by. Several people in the line grumbled. I didn’t blame them. I’d like to know what Macie said to convince him to let us in.
As we walked up a few steps, there was a girl with a stamp pad standing in front of a cash register. We paid our cover fees and worked our way into the warehouse. The music behind the closed door was a dull thumping. The bass rumbled through the floor to my feet. But that was nothing compared to how it felt when you walked inside. Standing on top of the steps and looking down, I could see everything. Strobe lights flashed in every direction and flickered off and on according to the beat. There was a large DJ booth that sat above the dance floor while several people worked up there. To my right and left were two bars. The establishment was so huge, it didn’t surprise me. The sea of people in here likely required a couple of places to get drinks. Looking into the corners, there was one section that was roped off with very few people occupying the space. It looked like a VIP section. The other corners had cushioned seats that lined the walls.
The girls were bouncing on their heels with excitement. They were ready to head to one of the bars and get something to drink, while I, on the other hand, wanted to hightail it out of there, change into some comfy pajamas and cuddle with Chaz. There were too many people here. What if we somehow got split up? What if someone slipped one of the girls a Roofie and I didn’t see it? What if one of them decided to go home with some random strange guy and they drove drunk? The Xanax I’d popped earlier was doing nothing to calm my overly shot nerves. This crowded cesspool was a nightmare. I hadn’t really planned on being surrounded by this many people. When I googled the Warehouse, it showed photos, but none of them displayed this many people. This was madness. As we started to step down, I grabbed Keegan’s hand. She linked hands with Macie and Macie did the same to the other girls. We formed a chain as I led them through open patches when the crowds would break apart. As soon as I reached the bar, the rest of them circled around me.
“All right, what do you all want?” I asked.
“I say we do a shot together. Lemon Drops, y’all down?” Erin yelled over the music.
“Yes!” Keegan stated. “Why don’t you do one with us, Annabelle. It will help loosen you up.”
I shot her a look. She knew most of my issues, and I had a feeling I wasn’t hiding my mood very well with her. Not wanting to dampen her evening, I agreed to take one shot. It was her night, and frankly one little drink wasn’t going to cause me to lose my inhibitions. Jordan squeezed her slight frame in between several people squished together at the bar, and placed our order. Once the drinks were made and we all held one in our hands, Keegan grinned at me, letting me know I had made her happy. She knew I wasn’t going to get trashed tonight, but she liked seeing me let loose.
This time, Keegan stepped up and said, “My turn to toast.” We raised our glasses. “To good friends, lasting relationships, hot future husbands, and a lifetime of love.” Clinking glasses, I was just about to tip my head back when something . . . or should I say, someone caught my eye. The other girls had yet to notice me staring, but it didn’t take long for Macie to catch my line of vision.
“Well, what are the odds? Looks like a Brooks brother can be found in every little corner of this God forsaken town,” she said with clear disdain.
Jordan, Erin, and Keegan all turned their heads to see what she was glowering at. About twenty feet away stood a very tall, and exceptionally well dressed, Turner Brooks. He was wearing black slacks and a slate gray button down shirt. His eyes were looking down at the woman in front of him who was all but dry humping his leg as she danced. Personally, I wouldn’t call it dancing, it looked more like she was convulsing while standing upright. His features were smooth as I took in the square line of his jaw, and the way he absently nodded at her. He wasn’t listening to a word she was saying. Couldn’t she see his blank expression? Despite my disinterest, I felt a pull, preventing me from taking my eyes off of him. Like an invisible tether that drew me closer even though my feet never left the spot they were standing in.
“Oh look . . . another one.” Macie’s disgust was palpable. For whatever reason, she wasn’t a fan of the four brothers that everyone in this town seemed to know, or want to have some part of. We all stood and watched as two more barely dressed women approached. “It’s like flies on shit. They just can’t get enough of it.”
Erin busted out laughing. “Girl, I know you didn’t just refer to that man as shit. He is anything but. I’ve seen him around the hospital and I’ll tell ya right now, if I ever had a chance with that
man, I sure as hell wouldn’t say no.”
I glanced at her, as a pang of jealously shot through me. Oh, I just bet you would. I silently thought. I bet every woman in this bar would take a ride on the “Dr. Turner Brooks train.” Everybody but me, that is. Just as the thought came and went, he lifted his head. Ice blue eyes that almost seemed to glow in the flashing strobe lights zeroed in on mine and everything around me stopped. I heard no music, I saw no woman grinding on him. In fact, I didn’t even see people. In those short seconds before Keegan stole my attention, it seemed as if I were standing alone in a room with Turner and I was seeing him for the first time after seven and a half months. But who’s counting? He held me there, unmoving and unable to turn away. What happened to my indifference? There certainly was something about him, wasn’t there. Tilting my head to the side, I watched him as his eyes stayed glued to mine. I wish I understood men more. I wonder what he’s thinking, I thought curiously.
“Earth to Annabelle.” Keegan spoke loudly into my ear. I cut the invisible line that entranced me and looked over to her. “I’m going to go say hi. Do you want to come with?”
Of course she would want to say hello. It was her future brother-in-law. I thought about it but decided to remain where I was. “No, I’m good. I think I’ll keep an eye on Macie.” It may have been an excuse, but at least it was a believable one.
“Okay, I’ll be right back.” She pushed her way through the crowd and approached Turner.
I watched their interaction from where I stood. She hugged him lovingly, and he responded back with a smile that was actually real. Not like the ones I saw him give the people around him that vied for his attention. He kept his hand on her lower back as he spoke closely to her ear. Their conversation seemed easy and not forced. I wondered how well Keegan actually knew Turner. Did they hang out on the weekends? Did they chat outside of family gatherings? I’d grown curious about him as the months passed. Not enough to go talk to him, obviously. But I did find myself occasionally thinking about him. What was it that drew so many to him? Money could certainly be one reason, but I knew in his case it was more than that. The Brooks brothers were a force to be reckoned with. I suppose I never really paid enough attention before, but now when I heard their names, I perked up and listened. Women were dying to get their hands on them, and others mourned the loss of Camden to the single world as if he had died. It really did make me want to roll my eyes. But it also plagued me with intrigue.
