“Okay, are we ready for this engagement party thing or what?” Alexa asked and grabbed her purse.
“As ready as we can be. This better not suck.” Eve stated.
“If there’s an open bar then it won’t suck.” Louisa replied and they chuckled.
“Pomegranate martinis here we come.” Alexa said as they all headed out of the house. Annabella was the designated driver and she didn’t mind at all. She wasn’t one to take unnecessary chances. She was the most quiet and shy of the group, and also the one labeled most likely to succeed. Perhaps because she felt that things needed to be in order. That everything had a place,
a meaning, and life should be enjoyed and looked at as a blessing and not as a sentence of negativity and debt.
Easier said than done considering she was about to start working at the café in town just to make sure her bank account didn’t dwindle down to nothing before the next management job came along. She hoped to hear from Rogan Thomas within the next few weeks, or maybe the owner of that club in Manhattan. That would be cool. Working in the city, doing the whole upscale nightclub thing. Her chances were slim, but a girl could hope. Maybe commuting to the city wouldn’t be as amazing and sexy as she was told. Maybe staying in the small town everyone referred to as The Point, would be good enough for a small town girl like Annabella Asiago? Maybe.
****
It was spring, the band was playing right outside at the water’s edge near Tiki’s bar. A restaurant and club on the Hudson River, the hot spot in The Point, as soon as the winter broke.
“When will it not be considered rude for me to go outside and join the real action?” Alexa asked.
Louisa looked at her watch. “I’m thinking we passed that about thirty minutes ago. This is pretty damn lame and I wore a sexy red dress and not for nothing. I mean I was starving my ass the last two weeks to look good.” Louisa said giving a sassy look, and they chuckled.
“You look incredible.” Annabella assured her.
“Thank you.” She replied.
“In fact, I’ve caught Donovan looking at you multiple times, and what exactly did he say to you earlier by the bar?” Eve asked her.
“Oh, he complimented me and told me how good I looked and then proceeded to tell me that someday I would make a man very happy and complete.” Louisa told them, and her annoyance could be heard in her tone.
“What did you say?” Annabella asked.
“I told him that my sexual appetite is pretty intense and not for the faint of heart, and more than likely it would take a very special, capable man with a salacious appetite to satisfy me. Perhaps even more than one man.” She said to them.
“Holy shit. You said that?” Eve asked.
Annabella felt her heart racing and her cheeks blushed. Louisa was the wild one of the bunch, along with Alexa who could be pretty extreme at times. They often joked about Louisa becoming a pole dancer, or at minimum giving lessons.
“He didn’t say anything. He licked his lips, stared at my breasts and I gave him a wink, and told him to enjoy married life. Then I took my drink and walked away.”
“Jesus, you have guts.” Eve said.
Louisa exhaled and placed her hands on her hips all sassy.
“Listen, where is there a rule that says women can’t be assertive and tell a man what they want, or express that they like sex and it doesn’t mean that if a woman likes sex that she’s a whore? Where? All I’m saying is that a man doesn’t have to be the dominant one all the time. Donovan shared with me a fantasy he had about sharing a woman in bed. I was just reminding him that I probably would have been up for that if our relationship had lasted, and well, Miss uptight, Princess Gloria would shutter and gasp if he suggested a ménage to her. I was messing with him.” Louisa said to them.
“Oh God, he told you that was his fantasy?” Annabella asked, blushing. Louisa nodded.
She then blew on her nails. “Poor guy could have had it. Let him think about that as he says his wedding vows and now lives a vanilla marriage.”
“You’re terrible Louisa. I don’t think you’ll ever settle down with a man.” Eve said to her and then took a sip from her martini.
“Settle down? I’ve only just begun to live. In fact, we all have some serious planning to do for this upcoming summer. Joint vacation, all inclusive, got a bunch of information on some hot places in the Caribbean.” Louisa said and pulled out her cell phone.
“I need to focus on finding a secure job, and not one working at the café.” Annabella spoke up and played with the rim of her martini glass.
“You’ll be fine, and it’s temporary. Sam and Bernice love you and they’re thrilled that you’ll be working there. Just keep going on interviews, and someone with a brain will jump at the opportunity to hire you.” Louisa said to her.
“Hopefully one of those hot clubs in the city will and you can get us all in for free. Hook us up with drinks and stuff. Oh yeah, that would be awesome.” Eve said to Annabella.
Annabella sighed. “Don’t jump the gun or jinx me. I haven’t even gotten a call for an interview. I’ve heard nothing.” Annabella said to them.