Page 120 of The Fast Lane

Laura nodded. “I noticed that yesterday, and it’s been bugging me.”

I shrugged. “No idea.”

Lydia folded her arms across her chest. “It’ll come to me.”

“What are we doing after this?” Penny asked, her expression full of hope.

Melanie glanced around the table, her brow furrowed. “After this? Go back to the hotel and get some sleep. I’m exhausted.”

“Mel,” I said, “we could hit a bar, get a drink, live it up a little. You’re going to be a married woman in less than forty-eight hours.”

Melanie pointed her paintbrush at us. “Why aren’t you all painting?”

“Because, like, I’m done.” Ruth held up a bright-pink bowl with stenciled red hearts around it. “I wonder what the boys are doing?”

“Oh, let’s find out.” Laura brushed her long blonde hair behind her shoulder and set aside the tile she’d been painting a misshapen cat on.

I pulled out my phone and shot a text off.

Me: How’s it going?

Theo: Pretty good. Cal’s having fun.

Me: Where are you?

Lydia nudged me with her shoulder, a hopeful gleam in her eye. “So, um, are any of your brothers available?”

Abe was. Sort of. “Only one but his hands are pretty full right now. Single dad and all.”

“Bummer.” She set aside her teacup.

Theo: A sports bar not too far from the hotel. Where are you?

Me: Strip club.

Theo: Liar.

Me: I brought all these dollar bills for nothing.

Me: We’re painting teacups. Very respectable.

Me: And boring.

“Now we just need to take these up so they can be fired in the kiln. I can get them after the honeymoon, and I’ll mail them all to you.” Melanie placed each painted piece on a tray. “How does that sound?”

A spattering of unenthusiastic agreements followed.

Penny groaned after Melanie left to drop off the ceramics. “I think we need an intervention. I love her but she needs to unwind. She’s strung so tight; I expect her to snap any minute.”

Theo: Come join us.

Me: I don’t want to crash the bachelor party.

Theo: Everyone said to come.

I grinned at the group. “I know where we can take her.”

FIFTY-ONE