Lizzy Goes Brains Over Braun - Jasinda Wilder Page 0,2
the boss for a reason,” I said. “But good job. Let’s get these offers out, because I’m feeling like it’s wine-thirty.”
“Isn’t it always?” Autumn asked.
“No, not until the work is done.” I pointed at my computer. “I have to send this signed offer over to the sellers, and then we can tackle the rest tomorrow.”
Laurel was already sitting down, filling out the necessary portions of the offer form. There was little talk for a good half an hour, then, as we all wrapped up our day’s work.
I emailed both seller and buyer saying we’d sort out the rest of the process tomorrow, as long as everyone has signed the offer—I received the signed offer from the sellers, which meant we were pending.
A few last odds and ends, and then I put my laptop to sleep, stuffed it into my messenger bag along with a few folders of important documents, and stood up.
“Well, are we all ready?” I looked around at my girls. “I need a glass of wine.”
We almost always met for a drink after work, so it was a foregone conclusion that everyone was in. Except…there was hesitation.
I hadn’t wanted to point it out, because I’d wanted to think my five best friends in the world, my coworkers, employees, sisters from other misters…would remember that today was my birthday. My fortieth birthday, no less.
All I really wanted was a glass of wine with my best bitches.
And here they were trading meaningful glances as if referring to some conversation that hadn’t included me.
“Am I missing something?” I asked.
Kat approached me. “We’re not going for drinks tonight, Liz.”
“We’re not?”
She moved behind me. “Hold still.” Her hands grabbed my shoulders, holding me in place. “Nope. We’re kidnapping you.”
“Why would you do that? You could just tell me what’s going on.”
“Where’s the fun in that?” Before I could protest, she had a blindfold around my eyes and was tying it. “How many fingers am I holding up?”
“How the hell should I know? You put a blindfold on me.” I snorted. “Knowing you, just one, your middle.” I felt a breath of air as someone moved in front of me. “I can’t see a thing, alright? For real.”
“Good.” Kat turned me around. “Now, march. We’re going to the back door.”
I knew where I was in the room and had more than once navigated the room in near pitch dark, so I headed confidently toward where I knew the back door to be—my toes found the steps, and I followed the handrail up, trailed my fingers along the exposed brick wall to the door, and then waited.
“Now what?” I asked.
I felt Kat move past me—I knew it was her by her perfume: Chanel. “Now…” she took my hand and led me outside. “We party.”
I heard a diesel engine clattering. “Is that a party bus?”
“Sure is.” I heard a noise that I thought might a bus door opening. “Hiya, Bill, you ready for this? Because we’re fixing to tear this town apart, baby. Up we go, Lizzy.”
Step, step, step, and the noise of the engine was muted, and I felt leather seats on either side of me, and then Kat guided me to sit on a plush, deep, comfy leather seat.
“Why do I have to be blindfolded for this? I don’t know where we’re going, so what difference does not being able to see make?”
“Oh, no reason. We just thought it would be fun to blindfold you.” Kat was smirking—I could hear it. “Leave it on. It’s more fun.”
“Fine.” I snorted. “But it’s dumb.”
“You’re dumb.” She put a bottle into my hands. “Drink.”
“From the bottle?”
“Hell yes, from the bottle. You’re turning forty, bitch, we’re doing this up right. You didn’t think we forgot, did you?”
“I was starting to wonder.”
The rest of the girls were on the bus by now, filling it with overlapping chatter. I touched the bottle to my nose, sniffed—tequila.
“Oh hell no!” I yelled, shoving it away. “You know what happened the last time I got tequila wasted. I’m not going there again.”
“It was the funniest night of my life, is what happened,” Teddy said. “Drink up, boo. We’re getting you lit.”
“Tequila wasted Lizzy is a walking disaster,” I said, feeling my resolve weakening. “Also, I haven’t eaten lunch or dinner. You better be ready to babysit me.”
“We have the bus, and the driver, Bill, has been promised a hefty tip for being willing to help carry you into your house at the end of the night.”