Page 7 of Sweet Poison

“Yes really. I’m calling this night a win,” Kelly sang blissfully. “Now, do you guys want more drinks?”

“Do you even need us here?” Natalie asked with a laugh.

“Of course,” Kelly replied. “At least, until he closes the bar. Come on, you promised we would be staying late for once.”

“Don’t sulk,” Natalie scolded. “We’ve made new plans. We’re going to the trendiest bar in Stormy City tomorrow.”

“Oh,” Kelly exclaimed, intrigued. “What brought this about?”

“We’re going to find a gorgeous hunk to pop Montana’s cherry,” Pearl said.

I smacked Pearl’s arm, and Kelly hooted with uncontrollable laughter.

“Whoa! This I can’t miss,” she spluttered.

Chapter 3

Montana

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJL4UGSbeFg

The loud impatient rapping on my door was quite unnecessary because I was ready and waiting to be picked up. I flung open the door expecting to see Pearl but found Kelly standing next to her as well.

“I brought wine,” she announced, holding up a bottle.

I cocked my head at her. “I thought we were heading out …”

“We are, but we’re going to need an extra hour fixing you up - ugh. What the hell are you wearing?”

I looked down at my perfectly good outfit, then folded my arms. “I look cute and I dressed up, what's the problem?”

“Wasn’t that your prom dress?” Pearl asked unhelpfully.

I glared at her. I was hoping she wouldn’t notice, but no such luck.“Couldn’t find anything else suitable, and it was too late to buy one,” I muttered.

“God!” Kelly exclaimed dramatically. “They warned me it was going to be bad, but I had no idea it would be this dire. Thankfully, I brought reinforcements.”

“Reinforcements?” I asked warily.

“Where’s your dad?” Pearl asked.

“Gone fishing.”

“That’s good,” Kelly said with a wicked laugh. “He won’t approve of what we’ve got planned.” She pulled out a scrap of red fabric from her overnight bag.

I looked at it like the threat it was. It didn’t take me long to realize what it was: her very famous, highly provocative dress, the one that Natalie had dubbed ‘the sex dress’.

“No, I’m not wearing that,” I immediately refused, shaking my head vehemently, but they flat-out ignored me.

“Natalie is waiting for us at the club by 8 pm,” Pearl said, pulling out a pair of five-inch high-heel sandals from Kelly’s bag of tricks.

I started to back away from them. “No way, I’m definitely not wearing those. The last time I wore high heels was prom night and I almost died.”

“Stop being a drama queen. You’re not in high school anymore and you are wearing these. They suit the outfit perfectly. Now, please take that Bridgerton dress off. It makes you look like a nun’s idea of a slut.”

“My dress is not that bad,” I objected, trying one last time to convince them.

“Actually, it’s completely unacceptable,” Pearl stated.

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