Page 70 of Resisting You
Not that I could really blame Hazel for not being here. She should be on her own honeymoon right about now… although knowing those two, they were likely back in New York already and she was probably about to go on for Act 2 of her show.
“Darling, move closer to the stripper and smile!”
Startled, I looked up from the vodka soda I was nursing. The vodka soda my mother shoved into my hand because I needed to “fit into my wedding dress” on Sunday. The whole display was painfully similar to the night Noah and I got married and I couldn’t help but smile as I pictured his grimace, sipping the crappy light beer. I blinked against the blinding light coming off my mother’s phone camera as she took several pictures ofme and the stripper. “You seriously want photos of me and this random guy?” I asked and shielded my eyes.
“Yes! Now scoot in and smile with the exotic dancer, Rosa! Honestly.”
Honestly? Like I’m the weird one right now?
I glanced up at the man standing next to me, clad only in a bowtie and black g-string and sighed as he gave me an apologetic shrug.
Bending down, he kneeled beside me as I reluctantly slid my chair closer to the nearly naked stripper, forcing a smile while my mother snapped a few photos.
I couldn’t believe this was happening—a bachelorette party planned entirely around my mother's wishes, without any input from me… you know…the bride.
When I thought the night couldn’t get worse, Morgan appeared in front of me, holding a cocktail that was bright pink and looked so much more delicious than my bitter and bland vodka soda.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, surprised to see her standing in front of me as if she belonged in my friend group.
“Noah’s party is upstairs,” she said simply.
“It’s one of those dual clubs,” my mother chimed in. “You know… where the men perform down here but the women dancers are upstairs.”
Dammit. Even at my own bachelorette party, I couldn’t escape Noah and hisfriends. If we were calling them that.
“Ah,” I said as I brought my drink to my lips and took a slow sip. I definitely didn’t want to end up sloppy drunk around these strangers my mother had invited. Especially not in front of Morgan.
I watched in dismay as another bride across the room shrieked and stuffed dollar bills into a man’s g-string.
This was so far from my idea of a good time, it was almost comical.
What are the chances I could fake an illness and escape?
But before I could even pretend to start the headache, the music changed to a thumping beat and my mother grabbed my hand, pulling me up onto the small stage. "Time for your spotlight!" she squealed.
“I’m sorry, mywhat?”
“You heard me!”
“Oh my God, Mama, no!”
My objections were drowned out by the music and screams and whistles as my mother pushed me into a chair center stage.
I sat, frozen in horror as two nearly naked strippers gyrated around me, their thrusting junk, mere inches from my face.
I buried my face in my hands, wanting nothing more than for this embarrassing bachelorette party to end. But just as I was contemplating making a run for the exit, I heard a familiar voice call out my name.
“Rosa! Don’t pretend you haven’t had more dicks thanthatin your face before tonight!”
I looked up from my hands, only to have my eyes meet with a familiar face. "Hazel!" I exclaimed in disbelief.
My best friend pushed her way through the crowd until she was standing at the front edge of the stage. Hands thrown in the air, she sang, “Surprise! You didn't think I would miss my best friend's bachelorette party, did you?" she said with a grin.
Then, without asking permission, Hazel hopped up onto the stage.
I jumped up from the chair, no longer caring about the strippers or Morgan or my mother's antics and launched myself into Hazel’s arms, hugging her tightly.
"I wanted to surprise you!" Hazel said. "Your mother told me about your bachelorette party and I just had to come.”
