Page 42 of Liberating Water

Lailah

It was finallyNew Year’s Eve, and even though the party wasn’t until later, there was much to do. Cami and Maggs arrived in the early evening, and we started the long process of getting ready. Mind you, we were very easily distracted, talking about other things, but we managed to get the important things covered. Cami talked me into wearing my hair straight, which I don’t think I’d ever done except for the few times a year I went to get my hair done at the salon. It was always so much work that I didn’t have the energy to do it on my own. So once I was out of the shower, Maggs blow dried it and started the ordeal of flat ironing it. When she was done a million years later, I was shocked to see what I looked like with my hair done and a full face of makeup.

“Aw, my baby Lala is growing up before my very eyes.” Cami sniffed, wiping fake tears from her eyes.

I glared at her but then turned back to the mirror. “They better not get used to this sort of thing. I’m not cut out to be this high maintenance.”

“I agree. Some things should be kept special or they lose their wow factor,” Maggs said, giving me a wink.

“Okay, so we have an hour before we need to leave for this thing. Can I see your dress now, babe?” Cami begged, pulling out the puppy dog eyes and quivering lower lip.

Maggs just rolled her eyes and shooed us both out of the bathroom so she could get changed. My dress was in the closet, so I decided just to go ahead and put it on since Cami, having no shame, was tossing off her clothes in the middle of my room. I still couldn’t get over how large this dang closet was, and I hardly had clothes to fill one row or more than four drawers out of the eight I had available to me. Do people really need that much stuff?

“Okay, everyone dressed?” Cami called. “On the count of three, we shall reveal ourselves. One… two… three!”

Shaking my head, I walked out of the closet but stopped short as Cami stood there, striking a pose in her outfit for the night. The tux was blinged out to the max, and even the top hat perched on her head sparkled.

I couldn’t hold back my laughter as I took her in. “Girl, you look like a burlesque dancer, or straight from a Broadway show in that getup.”

“Don’t be jealous, Lala. You know this is fabulous and will turn everyone’s heads when we show up,” Cami said, giving me a twirl.

Maggs opened the bathroom door, and Cami gasped. Her retro rockabilly girlfriend was stunning in a black tassel dress that hit mid-thigh, and with her long legs, it made it seem impossibly too short for my taste. She smirked at Cami, and when she did a twirl, all the tassels floated out in a wild dance. “What were you saying, babe, about turning heads?”

“God, I am one fucking lucky woman,” Cami gushed as she pulled Maggs down for a heated kiss.

Feeling like they might need a minute, I slipped out of the bedroom and headed downstairs to find the guys. They were all hanging out in the library, and when I walked in, I thought I was at a photoshoot for GQ magazine or something. Each of them had on a formal tux, and even though I had seen them in one for the Christmas party, it still made my heart flutter.

Parker whistled his appreciation as he walked over. “Damn, Trouble!”

My cheeks heated as I felt my blush bloom across them. He took my hand and spun me around like I was a ballerina or something, embarrassing me even more.

“Damn, I am so glad to be the one who asked you to go and get to have you on my arm all night.” Parker grinned.

“You better let the rest of us have a chance to dance with her, though,” Brayden said as he walked up and gave me a kiss on the forehead. “It would be torture not to be able to hold you in my arms, at least for a little while.”

How could this man make my heart melt so easily?

“Of course I’ll save a dance for all of you. Even if I’m Parker’s date, you’re all still mine,” I answered with a smirk. “I better not catch some other woman getting her hands on you all.”

“There’s other women?” Parker asked, his brows scrunched. He tried to hold the expression as long as he could, but eventually it crumbled into laughter as he slid his arm around my waist. “I don’t think you’ll have to worry about that, Trouble.”

Cami and Maggs finally made it down to join us, and I couldn’t help but notice they both looked a little rumpled after their makeout session. “So I’m driving, right?”

“No,” all the guys said loudly, making me giggle.

“Tough crowd, tough crowd.” Cami frowned, hand on her hips. “Alright, what was your bright idea then, boys?”

There was a knock at the front door, and we all turned to look at it.

“That would be our plan,” Micah drawled. “A limo so none of us have to drive or worry if we drink.”

“Okay, flame boy. That was a good idea, I’ll give you that,” Cami said with an approving nod before clapping her hands together. “Let’s get this show on the road!”

Piling into the limo, we headed off to the event hall where the party was going to take place. Waiting for us was chilled champagne and glasses, which Cami promptly filled and shared with us. Lifting her glass, she shared her toast. “May this night be one to never forget and the year to come be filled with more adventure, love, and overall badassery!”

Laughing, we all clinked glasses and sat back, enjoying the excitement that was filling the space as we geared up to let loose and live a little.

* * *