Page 72 of Fake Dating Adrian Hunter
“How could it not?” Darius says. “The cops are heading this way.”
I peek through my fingers, realizing he’s right. There’s a total of five police—men and women—with stern looks upon their faces.
“Verena Valentine?” the tall one in the middle asks as he arrives at the bar. Is it wrong of me to take notice of how good he looks? How good all of them look? Like, wow, cops in Australia are gorgeous.
“That’s me. Is everything all right?” I ask.
“Unfortunately not. Knowledge of your presence in Australia has broken out and some of your fans are circling the island. We had word from the resort’s security staff that fans have even attempted to trespass tonight.”
“Are you serious?” Tory marches up to join the conversation with Phoebe right on her tail. She’s about to enter a full-on bridezilla meltdown. “Verena, I thought you told me this wouldn’t happen!”
“I took so many precautions to hide my location. Idon’tknow how this happened.”
I look at my friends, about to ask whether the public noticed their arrival, but Darius gets a word in before me. “No one on the mainland saw us.”
The cop nods at Tory and Phoebe. “Who are you two?”
“We’re the brides of this goddamn wedding that has now been ruined,” Tory answers.
“Honey, calm down,” Phoebe reasons, taking hold of Tory’s hand.
“How can I when—”
All the lights in the cocktail lounge black out, leaving us in darkness.
“Oh shit!” Tory screams. She’s all I can hear over the panic of every guest. “What’s going on? It’s the rabid fans. They’re crashing the wedding.”
“Stay calm everyone,” the head cop commands over the top of everyone’s chaos. “Nobody move. You all have the right to remain sexy!”
Strobe lights switch on as he says that last word. A spotlight shines on the group of police officers, all of them ripping their uniforms off to reveal banging hot bodies in underwear. I knew there was something too good to be true about their appearances. How did I forget about Stacy’s strippers tonight?
“Oh shit!” Tory screams again, but this time through laughter.
The waitstaff rush around the lounge, removing all furniture and turning the venue into one massive dance floor. Two female strippers run forward and grab the brides, bringing them to the center of the lounge and placing them on chairs.
“Looks like you’re up next,” Darius says. I turn just in time to see a male stripper lift me into his arms and whisk me away to be with the rest of the bridal party.
“Darius, no!” I howl, reaching for him and failing. “Zac, don’t let them take me!”
They both laugh, enjoying the spectacle of me being the victim of a bunch of strippers. At least Zac is smiling for once. I suppose my humiliation is worth it for that.
The strippers pass a round of shots to each member of the bridal party. Everyone shoots the liquor except Stacy, who I remember is trying to get pregnant. Tory even does two.
I shake my head when a stripper offers me a shot, but Tory pushes the shot glass to my lips. “There are strippers, Verena! You’re getting wasted with me tonight! I want to have fun and create sister memories.”
“I’m staying clear of alcohol,” I yell into her ear so she can hear me over the music. “I don’t want to embarrass myself like earlier in the week. And look, I know this isn’t the best time, but I’ve been meaning to tell you something. I’m sorry I didn’t come to your engagement party.”
“What? I can’t hear you,” she shouts.
“I said I’m sorry I didn’t come to your engagement party.”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s fine.”
“It’s not fine. I should have put more effort in.”
She opens my palm and places the shot glass in it. “You can make it up to me by loosening up tonight.”
“Tory…”
