Dance With The Devil (Devil's Riders 4)

“Well, honey, I think it’s time you got your answers once and for all. Then you can move forward, or move on with a clear heart and a clear conscience .”

“You’re right. I know you are right .”

“Why don’t you call your friends and let them know you are coming .”

I nodded, picking up the phone .

“Hey Kaylie. You win. I’ll come tomorrow. I guess I can’t really hide here forever .”

She let out a whoop that rang in my ears .

“I am so excited! Don’t you move, we’ll be over in a few hours .”

“We ?”

“Your beauty squad of course !”

I tried to interrupt but she’d already hung up. I stared at my phone, wondering what on Earth the girls had in store for me. If they made me look silly, or like I was trying to get him back, I would lose it .

I’d just put my foot down and say I wanted to look casual. I mean, I didn’t even know if he would be there. And even if he was, that didn’t mean he’d be looking at me .

Oh God. What if …

What if he brought his own date ???

That would be totally normal, right? A perfectly normal thing to do. It had been a year since we were dating after all .

Did that mean I should bring a date? Who? No, that was a terrible idea. And the girls wouldn’t let me walk into that situation without forewarning anyway .

Would they ?

They might, especially if they didn’t know how I felt about him. Which I had gone out of my way to hide from everyone except Kaylie and Mae .

I started cleaning up while my mind raced. I did the dishes on autopilot. I dusted the cozy dining room and vacuumed the sofa in the living room, far enough away to keep the baby from waking .

I was still pondering the situation as I started a load of Eliza’s laundry. Then I went into my bedroom where I collapsed face down on the bed. I had plenty of things to do, but I felt incapable of doing any of them at the moment .

I was really, really screwed .

* * *

I was nursing Eliza a few hours later when the doorbell rang. A chorus of feminine voices rang out. Janet and Sally were with Kaylie, I suspected. I set the baby down and she gurgled at me dreamily .

Was I ready to introduce her to the girls ?

Would they judge me for having a baby out of wedlock ?

I shook my head. I didn’t think they would. Every one of us had had our trials. Janet had even been abducted by a rival gang to work in a massage parlor .

I squared my shoulders. I was proud of the tiny person I had made. And there was only one way to find out what anyone would say .

I had to take a chance, open myself up a little .

I just hoped I wouldn’t be disappointed .

I walked into the kitchen and stopped short. This was not a friendly visit. It was an invading army !

Sally had brought a rolling rack with at least ten garment bags. Kaylie had a rubber bucket filled with an ancient looking blowdrier. The kind that came with a cap and a tube. Janet was rolling in a gigantic makeup kit that rivaled a handyman’s toolbox in size .

“Um… Hi guys. What is all this ?”

They surrounded me, hugging me all at the same time .

“We missed you !”

“You look beautiful !”

Kaylie grinned at me cheekily .

“We are here to prep you for tomorrow .”

Janet held up a box of waxing strips .

“And remove anything you don’t need .”

“You mean… my body hair ?”

She nodded gleefully .

“You want to be flawless, don’t you ?”

“ What ? Why ?”

“Because I got you a new bikini silly! We’re going to the lake !”

I stared at the tiny aquamarine bikini Sally was holding up .

“ Um … but …”

“No buts! First, the charcoal mask and hot oil treatment .”

Kaylie’s eyes twinkled .

“Janet needs to heat up the wax .”

* * *

B y the end of the night I was buffed to a high shine. Janet had even trimmed my hair and given me something sparkly to spray on the next day .

I stared at myself in the mirror, then at the bottle of dry oil with flecks of gold .

Apparently, it created ‘faux highlights .’

I sighed. Eliza had slept right through the commotion surprisingly. And I’d been too overwhelmed to tell them. Besides, it was probably better I make that introduction to someone else first .

Kaylie and Mae were the only ones who even knew I had a baby, let alone who the daddy was .

I groaned, wondering how I would find the courage to face up to this mess. On the bright side, at least I knew I would look good doing it .