Page 37 of Bridesmaid Undercover
“Yes,” I reply. “That’s her.”
“Oh shit, let me see.” She moves closer to the edge of the bush and leans over to get a better look.
“Don’t let her see you.”
“I won’t.”
I tug on her hand. “I’m serious, Everly, Maple can be very perceptive.”
“Shhh, just sit there and hold your fake nose. I’m getting a good look.” Everly’s quiet for a moment as she scans the scene. “She’s very pretty,” she whispers. “It looks like she oils her hair, it’s so sleek. Oh, look, she just made a whole group of people laugh. Maybe she told a flamingo joke. Oh Jesus, JP just slapped his knee he was laughing so hard. Not sure anyone has ever slapped their knee when I told a joke. Do you think it was funny?”
“I have no idea. I can’t hear anything, as my ears are still ringing from the anxiety attack I nearly had.”
She glances over her shoulder at me. “Dramatic much?”
“Everly, JP Cane almost figured me out.”
“Yes, and if he had, you would have been taken away in handcuffs.” She rolls her eyes and looks out at Maple again. “Okay, so she seems cool, relaxed, in her element. I think I can win her over with flamingos.” She moves away from the bush and then nods her head toward the exit. “Ready to go?”
“Wait, that’s it?” I ask.
“What else did you want to do?” she asks. “Go talk to her? Explore more of the zoo? Ride the carousel with your nose in your ketchup-soaked hand?”
“I don’t know.” I shrug. “I guess I just expected you’d to want to observe her more.”
“I’ve seen what I need to see—plus I think I just saw a parent tell security about you, so, you know, the sooner we can leave, the better. Also, if you thought you were sweating being near JP and Maple, wait until they see you get carted out of here with a police escort.”
And that gets me moving.
“Yup, maybe we should go.”
“I think we should.”
Together, with my hand over my nose, we head toward the exit, people looking after us, questions in their eyes.
When we near the exit, Everly chuckles.
“What’s so funny?” I ask.
“Your skewered nose. I can’t get the image of it dangling off the branch out of my head. Looked like ashrimp on the barbie,” she finishes in her horrible accent.
I look over at her. “You’re truly terrible.”
She grips my arms and laughs wholeheartedly, which, of course, makes me laugh just as hard.
To:Hardy Hopper
From: JP Cane
Subject: There is still time…
Dear friend,
The flamingos still need your help. With every day that goes by, the habitat of the Chilean Flamingo is destroyed. With your simple donation of $5 or more, you can help save the flamingos and their natural environment. Help us save these majestic birds and the fragile ecosystem they live in.
Donate Here.
Thank you for being a friend of the flamingos.
