Page 71 of Sprite Wedding
Soon, I had a crown on my head. As various performers came out on stage, ranging from Britney Spears to Whitney Houston to Madonna, they paid special attention to me and other bachelorettes. Although I was not one who enjoyed being the center of attention, I had a blast. We drank mimosas and ate a hearty brunch with eggs, pancakes, fruit salad, and more while laughing at the various puns and innuendos.
“This was great.” I thanked Gianna and Nova.
Gianna nodded with a proud smile. “The day has just begun.”
I wasn’t used to being treated so well by friends, and it felt strange but nice.
After our bellies were full, we burned it off with a bridal scavenger hunt through Boston. Now this was definitely my style. We ran around the city, competing against other teams of bachelorettes to win the top prize. Over the next few hours, we dashed down nearby city streets, solving puzzles and finding clues. The search took us around various landmarks from Boston Common to Paul Revere’s house in the North End to Faneuil Hall. My competitive streak flared up and adrenaline pumped.
It was awesome.
And we won.
“Remind me not to get in your way, Zoe,” Pandora teased with a wry grin. “I thought you were going to mow down the other bachelorettes.”
I might have gotten a wee aggressive. “What can I say? I play to win.”
“And win you did,” Cassandra added. “Congratulations.”
“It was a team effort. I couldn’t have done it without you. Thanks for coming.”
“We wouldn’t have missed it,” Cassandra said.
“It’s great to see you having some fun.” Pandora tipped her head and added, “Besides, I like to think that I played a hand in getting you and Lucas together.” Her lips widened into a sly smile.
I exhaled and let out a laugh. “That’s true.” When Lucas had come into the Network and offered his assistance, Pandora had him help me out on an investigation. With Lucas, stakeouts were far from the usual boring waiting game. “If you were playing matchmaker, it worked.”
“That wasn’t the plan,” Pandora denied. “But I did think you two would work well together.” Her eyes twinkled. “It turned out better than I expected.”
After we explored the city some more on foot, we ended the day at an Italian restaurant in the North End. Trays of chicken and pasta and seafood dishes were set on the tables to share family-style as well as bottles of wine. Everything was delicious. I loved Italian food. The sauces were perfected with the right spices, and the wine complemented each dish. Soft Italian music playing in the background, and the faux stone walls with grape leaves added to the ambiance.
Gianna raised her glass. “To Zoe, a badass detective who I’m proud to say will be my sister really soon.”
“Mine too,” Nova added, raising her glass.
I chuckled. “I didn’t know we’d all be related.”
Gianna winked. “We’re family. In all the ways that matter.”
Lucas felt the same way and called Diego and Sebastian his brothers, although they were different species who grew up in different parts of the country. Could these women be part of my new family as well?
“Yes, I agree.” I tapped her glass with mine. “To family.”
The first ofthe month arrived. Moving day. It didn’t take long to move my stuff from my apartment into the purple house that would now be my home. I moved into Sebastian’s old room but knew my bed would likely be abandoned. I already slept in Lucas’s room most nights. Yet, having some space to myself still seemed to be a good idea, especially since we worked together.
Everyone pitched in, but with my few belongings, it wasn’t necessary.
“That was the easiest move ever,” Sebastian said. “Hardly any boxes.”
“I try to live simply,” I replied.
“I guess this means I should officially move over to the other side of the house,” Diego said.
“Not necessarily,” Lucas said. “We have three bedrooms here. Besides, you sleep most of the day and are gone most nights.”
“True.” He turned to Nova. “It’s your house. What do you think?”
“Our house,” she said. “I think we’re doing just fine figuring things out as we go.”
