Page 1 of We Own Tonight
Chapter One
Heather
“Damn it,Heather. We’re always late because of you!” Nicole yells from outside the bathroom. She’s been my best friend since the sixth grade. You’d think by now she’d know to pad things by twenty minutes if she wants a snowball’s chance in hell of getting anywhere ontime.
“The peril,” I taunt her as I finish putting my hairup.
“You drive menuts.”
“Such islife.”
I hear her mutter something under her breath as she walks away. I don’t know why she gets so upset. We have plenty of time. With the way Nicole drives, her lead foot will have us at the concert fifteen minutes before the openingact.
Of course, I’m taking my sweet ass time getting ready. I have zero desire to be forced to put on makeup or any version ofpants.
Nicole’s idea of girls’ night out and mine are totally different. I could stay home, drink a martini, and be happy. My best friend wants to paint the town red. I’m too old for that shit. I end up smelling like a garbage can and feeling like I ate a jar of cotton balls. I’d rather be comfy in pajamas than wear these jeans that I had to lie on the bed to shimmy into. I can only imagine what I looked like while I was sucking it in and bending backward to get the damn button closed. Then I did about fifteen lunges to “stretch” the pants, all the while praying I didn’t bust a seam. Nothing like a workout just to getdressed.
I make a mental note to call my trainer friend at the boxingring.
She knocks again. “I’m leavingyou.”
No, you’renot.
I open the door a smidge. “I have the tickets in here. So, you know what? Go ahead.” I stick my tongue out and then quickly close the door and lock it. If they hadn’t already left me twice before, I wouldn’t have to go to such lengths. I learned quickly that I always had to have the upper hand with my three best friends. Then again, if I had let her leave me, I could be watching Netflix and shoveling popcorn into mymouth.
Nicole may not have figured out to pad time, but she has learned I have a spiteful side, so she lets me finish without another interruption. I could stay in here longer just to piss her off, but that would mean more time staring at the pink tiles on the wall that Iloathe.
My house isn’t bad, but it isn’t great, either. When my parents passed away, it was passed down to me. It’s old and probably falling apart more than I’d like to admit. Yet, I can’t get rid of it. It’s the only thing of them I have, and the only place I canafford.
The mortgage is paid off, which allows me to put what little money I have left over after my monthly bills to go toward my sister’s medicalcare.
Once I’m happy with my appearance, I head out with a shit-eatinggrin.
She looks at her watch as I emerge and shakes her head. “Iswear.”
The best way to keep Nicole from blowing up is with diversion. “You shouldn’t swear, it’s unbecoming of you. Are we picking up Danni andKristin?”
“No, and I’m grateful we aren’t, because we would miss the openingband.”
She and I are the two most sarcastic and the biggest assholes out of the group. When we start to bicker, it gets bad—quick. Without our two mediators, it’s best not toengage.
“Are you sure?” I ask ignoring thejab.
“Yes, I’m sure. They’re meeting usthere.”
Nicole and I walk out and get in her car. I wish she’d buy a normal size vehicle. I’m five-foot-five, and my knees mash my boobs because of how squished I am. Between my already tight jeans and this sardine can, I’m going to bust agut.
“Please,” I say dramatically, “tell me they’re not bringing theirhusbands.”
She laughs. “Dickhead One and Jackhole Two aren’t coming. They’re going for a boys’ night.” She sticks her finger in her mouth and makes a gaggingsound.
Thank God for small miracles. Their husbands are the worst, especiallyDanielle’s.
“Maybe the two loser husbands will fall madly in love with each other,” I muse while I shift to getcomfortable.
Nicole smirks as she watches me. “And figure out they were never meant to be married to such amazing women likethem.”
“And then we’ll finally build that compound where the four of us canlive.”
