Page 21 of Stick to the Plan
Brianna
Ilet out a tired but content sigh as I pull into my driveway. We’ve had a very productive week and the successful board meeting today was a huge milestone. The engineers in Dublin are almost done with the final design updates for the prototype. The local team has made significant progress in machining parts and fabricating a cooling system. Legal is still working through the patent filings, but everything is on schedule.
After the solar panels arrive next month, Colin is set to fly to Nevada for a green energy expo to drum up interest and some potential contracts. He’s asked me to go with him, but it seems best to stay behind and keep Stone happy. He’s been a bit too restrained of late, and leaving feels like too much of a risk right now.
No matter how much a part of me wants to go.
As the top finishes closing on my convertible, Colin rounds the car and opens my door for me. I am too high on the successes of the week to maintain polite boundaries today. When he playfully holds out an arm with that sexy grin, I beam up at him and play along.
“M’Lady.” Colin bows his head as I stand, like some knight. Shamelessly, he eyes my stiletto pumps and bare legs with a mischievous glint.
“Good Sir.” Laughing as I withdraw my hand again to dig for my keys and open the door. “I feel like celebrating! How about pizza for dinner?” I look back over my shoulder to Colin as I walk further into the entryway. His eyebrows pinch as his eyes dart around the darkened room. Wait, darkened? Why is it dark? The lights are on a smart timer.
“Sounds great. I’ll set up the order.” His voice sounds flat, distracted. “Where’s Riley?”
My stomach drops. All playfulness is gone as I frantically look around. I wrestle with my work bag as I try to set it down. Colin detangles the strap from my hand with a slight squeeze of my fingers. “He always meets me at the door. Something must be wrong.” As I near the end of the hall, calling for him, I hear a muffled noise. Suddenly, the lights flip on.
“SURPRISE!”
Balloons, streamers, and people fill my living room. At the front of the group stand my two best friends - Nic and Anna - with an irritated looking Riley in their arms wearing a party hat. As soon as they let him down, Riley runs straight to me - shaking off the hat within three steps.
“Oh, shit.” That’s the super elegant response I give as I scoop up my dog and stare at my two favorite people in the world. They rush over and enclose me in a group hug.
“She forgot her own birthday, didn’t she?” Anna, even in flats, is a head taller than me. Her chocolate brown eyes sparkle with humor - at my expense. Long blond hair hangs loose down her back and frames her oval face. Tonight, she is wearing a yellow sundress that hugs her athletic torso before flaring out into a sweet skirt.
Had I forgotten my birthday? Yes. Was it the first time? No. That’s why I have these two. They never fail to pull me back up when I am drowning inthe details and miss what’s really important. I fight back tears as I hug them back and survey the room. A room filled almost exclusively with gorgeous men. What the fuck?
“Oh my god, Nic. What did you do?” I hope the twenty odd guests can’t hear my near frantic whisper shout.
Nic, also towering above me, laughs as she flips her dark hair out of her almond-shaped hazel eyes. Her sleeveless jumpsuit is fantastic. The deep jewel hue perfectly accents the green in her eyes and jet-black hair. The woman is an artist and knows how to perfectly highlight her looks.
“Why, they’re your birthday present, of course! You asked for something pretty. I had a photo shoot with the Olympic rowing team and I couldn’t resist inviting them to your party.”
Replaying our last conversation in my head, I let out an embarrassed groan. Nic knows very well what I had meant. These guys aren’t here to be pretty, but to kick-start my libido so I’ll date again. I really hope she doesn’t expect me to hook up with all eight of them. I shouldn’t have lent her that spicy RH novel last month.
“Remind me to take away your spare key.”
They both laugh and hug me tighter.
“Come on, Bree. Your real present is in the bedroom,” Anna says, as she breaks the hug.
I lean closer to Nic’s ear. “You better not have gotten me a gigolo, too.”
Laughing harder, she pulls me by the hand to my bedroom. Laid out on my bed is a beautiful designer dress in a cobalt blue that almost twinkles in the light. The thick straps and square neckline are bold and will perfectly accentuate my bust while exuding class. The material nips in at the waist and flirts across my hips and ass, framing and accentuating my hourglass figure. I never would have bought this dress for myself, but I instantlylove how I feel wearing it. Like a femme-fatal, a mafioso’s wife, or bond girl - beautiful, mature, sexy, and powerful.
With one more hug, Anna leaves to check on the food. Nic and two stylists swoop in, primed to get Cinderella ready for the ball. It definitely pays to have a professional photographer with an army of stylists for a best friend. Add a professional chef, and every gathering is anevent.
These girls are the best.
Feeling lighter than I have in months, I let the awaiting army primp and pamper me. If this is how 29 starts, 30 is going to be fantastic.
Chapter seventeen
Meet the Besties
Colin
Not wanting to interrupt the reunion, I follow the disgruntled dog into the kitchen. Riley trots over towards the treat jar and sits down with a harrumph. I swear the dog just sighed at me. Hear you loud and clear, little man. I pull two biscuits out of the jar for my friend, then a beer from the nearby fridge for myself.
