Page 13 of Coco and the Misfits

“Coco! You ready?” June calls out from outside my apartment door. “We’re gonna be late!”

“One sec!” I dab some more red on my lips and smack them together. Leaning back, I give my image a critical once-over and a wink. I look good, if I say so myself. My midi dress is very twenties, deep red with tassels on the hem and fabric roses on the shoulder straps. My long necklace is made of fake pearls and more flowers, and my pink hair is perfect for the style. “Coming!”

Grabbing my little black bag, every girl’s faithful companion, I toddle across the apartment on my heels and throw the door open. I strike a pose. “Ta-da!”

“Gorgeous!” June grins and strikes a mirroring pose. “Look at us!”

She looks absolutely stunning in her long, flowery dress and the low chignon she’s pulled her fair hair into. A miniature goddess of nature, her style matching mine and yet entirely her own.

“Let’s go get them, tiger.” I step outside, closing the door behind me, and link my arm with hers. “My feet will be weeping before we reach the bar in these heels.”

“Take them off?”

“Are you kidding? These babies aren’t coming off my feet, not even during sex. Trademark heels. Men know me by these heels.”

She giggles. “Suffer, baby.”

Suffer indeed. Suffer for beauty, suffer for attraction and lust. Suffer to reach your goal and get the good stuff. It’s all about work and play, effort and negotiation, and the girl who winked at me in the mirror is ready to give it her all.

Look at us go. Tonight will be epic. I just know it.

Wait, didn’t these just sound like some damn prophetic words?

“Evening, girls,” the huge alpha bouncer folds his arms over his chest and grins down at us. “Haven’t seen you in a while.”

“Been busy.” I grin back at him. He always sorta flirts with me but never goes further than that. His name is Erik and true to his name, he has great Viking vibes going for him. Blond hair and beard and clear blue eyes. “Will you let us in?”

“Depends.” He winks.

“Oh. On what?” I’m mildly but not wildly interested, if you get my drift.

“On going out with me.” He seems to read my face right because he grimaces. “Just a drink someday. If you like.”

“That I can do.”

“Then please step inside, fair ladies.” He gives a funny little bow and sweeps a muscular arm to the side. “Have fun!”

I do like him. As a friend. I think he’s cool. But despite the punch-you-in-the-face alpha maleness of his... I don’t feel attracted to him.

Huh. Interesting. Not all alphas do it for me, then. Filing this info away for further examination, I drag June into the bar.

“I can’t see anyone we know,” June yells in my ear. “Where are the girls?”

“At the bar getting shitfaced, probably,” I mutter. “That was the stipulation for tonight.”

“True.” June giggles as I drag her further in, sliding through the usual throng of customers who are drinking, talking and swaying to the music. “We’ll have to catch up.”

“We can do it!”

Both of us giggling now—imagine, we haven’t had a drop of liquor yet—we make our wobbly way to the bar. The place is packed, jumping, throbbing to a strong beat. It’s the best place in town to spot singles, and they also have the best cocktails.

What’s not to like, right?

I spot Gigi and Ruby further down the bar with cocktails in their hands. They seem to be deep in conversation. I miss Bee, who is a hoot, charmingly naive and sweet, but all my girls are amazing.

“Ladies!” I wave a hand in the air. “Here we are!”

They don’t hear us over the din of the music and voices until we’re almost on top of them. They are talking about relationships and packs; no surprise there after what Ruby told me the other day.

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