Page 4 of Third Chances (Men of Manhattan 2)

I glanced over at Layla. She shrugged. I couldn't tell if it was because she agreed with everything Kristen had just said or because she was surprised by how drunk Kristen was too. "Okay," I said and grabbed the champagne bottle out of Kristen's hand. I didn't bother telling her she had enough to drink. I'd just hoard the bottle and she'd think I was being fun instead of acting like a momma bear. "So, where in New York is she?"

"We put her up in this hotel in Manhattan," Layla said. "She thinks we're just having a fun week in NYC. She's going to be so surprised."

"I bet. Where exactly is it that we're going again?"

"I don't know. Kristen wouldn't tell me either."

I turned back to Kristen. She shook her head and just smiled. "Don't even try. I'm not telling you. You'll find out at the airport soon enough."

"I tried to look up the Blue Parrot Resort and couldn't find anything."

"I specifically told you not to do that," Kristen said.

"Which is why you didn't tell me the real name of the resort?"

"Oh, no, it's real. You guys, it's the most crazy, secretive, exclusive resort in like, the world. We're so lucky that we got a room."

I laughed. "I'm sure if that was true, they wouldn't have let us in."

"Um...have you met Layla Torrez, sensational weather girl and former spokesperson for Sword Body Wash? And everyone who watched the ITAs knows Alina after that uh...performance. They're both famous."

True. "Fine. So they wouldn't have let you and me in then."

Kristen laughed. "Tim has connections."

"No. Kristen, please tell me you didn't let Tim plan Alina's bachelorette party. She's going to kill you!" Tim was Kristen's boyfriend. He and Alina didn't exactly see eye to eye on a lot of things.

"Of course not. He just recommended the location. And honestly, it sounds a lot cooler than what I had been thinking of doing."

"Which was?"

"A fun week in NYC."

"Isn't that what she wanted?"

"Psh." Kristen waved her hand through the air. "She didn't know what she wanted. Trust me, this is going to be so much fun."

I fidgeted with the bracelet on my wrist. Kristen and I didn't exactly have the same idea of what constituted fun. But maybe this week was just what I needed.

The limo stopped outside of Trump International Hotel. Alina was standing by the doors.

"Crap, she wasn't supposed to be out here," Layla said.

"We can just go tell her to grab her luggage." I reached for the door handle.

Kristen slapped my hand.

"Ow." I wasn't sure why, but ever since she had started dating Tim, she had started slapping people. Apparently Tim was into that or something.

"She can't see us coming. It's supposed to be a kidnapping."

"But I guess even if she sees us coming, she won't have any idea what we're going to do," Layla said. "It'll probably be fine. And at least this way she won't be scared that she's actually being kidnapped by strangers."

Kristen nodded. "Okay, I guess this can work. I kind of wanted her to think it was real, but you're right. This is probably safer."

Before I could ask them what the plan was, they were already climbing out of the limo. Shit. I quickly followed them toward the front of the building.

When Alina saw us, a huge smile spread across her face. Her wedding wasn't for a few more weeks, but this was the only time the four of us could all get together. I couldn't help but feel a little bad. She had wanted a fun girls week in the city. And we were giving her...well, I had no idea what we were giving her. Kristen better not have planned anything too crazy.

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