Page 106 of The Night Shift
Her eyes go wide. “God, no!” She looks around and shifts closer, dropping her voice to a whisper. “I have drugs in my purse.”
I’m pretty sure I spit out my drink. “What?”
“Edibles,” she says, wiggling her eyebrows that are half-hidden by her bangs. “Do you want to take one with me?”
She stands and grabs her purse from behind the chair. She opens the flap, revealing a plastic baggie FULL of colorful gummy bears.
My eyes bug out. “Where the fuck did you manage to get anentire bagfull of gummies?”
But before she can respond, someone grabs her from behind, spinning her around in a sudden hug.
Shrieks and laughter. She smacks her fiancé’s shoulder. “Parker! Let me down, you fool!”
Parker grins as he gently sets her back on her feet and turns her to face him, keeping his hands on her waist the entire time. “I’ve missed you, Chère.”
He kisses her and April’s cheeks turn a deep shade of pink, both of them smiling and giggling like a couple of overly hormonal college kids. When they finally pull apart, Parker repeats, his voice softer this time, “I’ve missed you, Chère. Did you miss me too?”
April’s face is bright red now. “You’re ridiculous.”
“And you love it.” Parker pulls her closer, his grin widening.
I roll my eyes, taking a long sip of my martini. If this is what they’re like at the bachelorette, I dread to think what the actual wedding’s going to look like.
“Wait, where’s —” April starts to ask something, but Parker cuts her off with a swift hand gesture, the kind that saysnot now.
His gaze drops to the Drug Purse. “Uh…sweetheart, why do you have candy in your purse?”
“They’re edibles,” she whispers.
“And you were going to do one without me? What the hell, Chère? I thought our friendship meant something to you.”
April laughs softly and glances at me. “Hol? What color do you want?”
“I think I’m going to pass. I have a mid-day shift tomorrow.”
Parker looks at me. “Nice outfit, Hollister. Though, I’m pretty sure the horns are supposed to be red in color. And where’s the rest of your costume? The long, pointy tail and pitchfork?”
“Funny, I was about to ask you the same thing about your muzzle and leash. Did April leave them at home?”
His jaw clenches, eyes narrowing behind his small, black eye-mask. “Charming.”
I reach into my martini glass, pluck out an olive, and flick it at his face. It bounces off his cheek and I can barely hide my joy.
April quickly hands Parker a green gummy, positioning herself between us like some kind of peacekeeper. She picks a red one for herself.
“I want the red one too,” he whines.
“What difference does it make?”
“The green ones are sour.”
“No, they aren’t. Stop being a child and just eat it.”
They lightly tap the gummies together and pop them in their mouths. Parker winces. “Ugh, Chère, I told you the green ones are sour!”
“Mine’s sweet.” April giggles. “Strawberry.”
Parker turns to me. “You sure you don’t want one, Cruella? Might sweeten that dumpster-fire personality of yours.”
