“You’d better give Chloe back her hat before she casts a spell on your husband, too.”
She bubbles with a laugh. “Believe me, there’s no spell she could cast on Wes to take him away from me.” She catches herself and gasps. “I’m so sorry.”
“No, it’s okay. I’ve long suspected that Wesley’s obsession with you is impervious to sound logic, reasoning, and incantations. There’s not a restraining order on the planet, material or spiritual, that could keep that boy away from you. You’ve got a grade A bona fide stalker on your hands. But don’t worry. When you do decide to finally toss him to the curb, I’ve got a special place in Tenebrous reserved just for him. I’ve been wondering how to cork that volcano.”
“Ha-ha, I’m not laughing.”
“I’m not either. Where’s baby Wesley Cooper? You do realize I will forever reference his middle name when I speak of him.”
“That’s what it’s there for.” She shrugs as if she were indifferent, but I know she’s not. “He’s with your mother. And before you ask, no, I’m not giving him away.”
“That’s because you’re not Chloe.”
And just like that, the Wicked Witch of West pops up before us.
“Calling my name, Skyla?” Chloe, too, looks ridiculously thin—but then, when you morph out to the size of a small condo, even heavyweight boxers begin to look unnaturally thin. “It’s times like these I think you have a sick obsession with me.” She gives a sly wink. Her hair is just as glossy and wavy as the birthday girl’s, her skin is flawless, and she has that wicked gleam in her eyes that assures me all is well in the hell that is Chloe Bishop Oliver.
Kresley pops up holding Mally and I try my hardest not to look the baby in the face. But I can feel her there to the right, like a hot poker just waiting to puncture my heart at a single glance.
Kresley looks stunning dressed as a vampire. Her face looks as if it were ripped right out of a magazine, partially because I’m convinced it was. Ezrina had to have followed a pattern to get those features just so, and who could blame her?
“She’s wet.” Kres tries handing the baby to Chloe and the wicked witch recoils.
A laugh strums through me. “Kres, you do realize Chloe will melt if you toss a bucket of baby urine at her. I’d try Emma. She’s Mally’s only hope of avoiding diaper rash.”
“No.” Chloe tips her head back abruptly. “Try her father.” Her lips flirt with a devious smile. “I’ve never seen a man dote more over a child. No offense, Laken and Kres, but Wes has nothing on Gage in the father department. I’m sorry, Skyla, but the boys have all but taken a back seat. That little ball of pink glory has her daddy wrapped around her little finger.”
My blood boils in an instant. “I’ve got a finger for you, Chloe.”
Kresley groans, “Skyla, I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but you’re going to have to grow up. That’s exactly how I got over my obsession with Wesley.”
Chloe rolls her eyes. “Please, if Wes wanted it, you’d bed him right here at this party. If he made the offer, you couldn’t wrap your legs around him fast enough.”
“Okay, you got me.” Kresley flashes a short-lived smile. “Don’t worry, Laken. Wes has drawn a hard line in the sexual sand. He’s made it crystal clear that my legs won’t be wrapped around his head again anytime soon.”
The three of us groan at the visual.
Kres leans in. “But as soon as you vacate the premises here at Chez Edinger, that boy and his delicious body are mine for the taking.” She stalks off just as baby Mally begins to fuss.
Chloe laughs. “Keeping it classy with a K—and that K stands for Kresley.” She shrugs over at Laken. “What are you gonna do? I had to put up with that witch, too. But you’ve got Wesley’s heart forever. I guess you could say you’re lucky I didn’t have my sights set on the other Edinger brother.” She bats her lashes my way. “Because what Chloe wants, Chloe gets.” She trots off to Gage, who looks as if he’s in the process of passing on the idea of spending some quality diaper time with his daughter. The old Gage would have done it for me.
Em and Bree head this way. Both Em and Bree are dressed like a couple of Goth girls, and I do a double take because just beyond them I spot Giselle and Emerson Kragger heading this way dressed the very same way.
“What’s with the Goth army?” I ask just as G and Emerson join our circle.
“Right?” Laken adds. “It looks like we didn’t get the memo.”
Emerson grunts, “With those dark circles under Skyla’s eyes, she could be the leader of the pack.” She gives a sly wink. “Guess what I’ve been up to, Skyla?”
“Avoiding my mother and the lightning bolts she wields that are powerful enough to take you back to paradise?”
Bree ticks her head. “I kind of liked her as a bird. When you turn her back into an owl, can I keep her?”
“No,” Emerson and I say in unison.
Emerson growls my way, “I’ve been instructed to follow your sister. You do realize she spends her time stalking this island.”
I grip my belly as the baby indulges in a lumbering movement. “Who instructed you to do that?”
