Haunted(53)

I called Phoebe, crying over it, because I was afraid that Roman would look at what he used to have (models) and look at me and say, “What the f*ck was I thinking?” I was so pathetic. So Phoebe told me to get my ass to her house at three and asked me what size was I these days. So Roman dropped me off at Phoebe’s.

***

“Love you, baby.” Roman reached over and kissed me.

We were in my CRV, and we’d had it professionally cleaned after Andrew bled on my leather seats. Roman used to lease sport cars in LA when he lived there. He leased everything. So when he moved to Tennessee, he brought his wallet, his clothes, and his guitar. Honestly, it just made it easier on me moving everything into the house. He really liked my CRV and was trying to decide what vehicle he wanted to buy. He wanted to buy me a new one after the incident with Andrew, but I told him no. Not until he bought himself a vehicle. I thought I would buy him a red CRV for Valentine’s Day.

“Love you too! The house is ready and all the food will be prepared, so all you need to do is get dressed and open the door for everyone.”

“Can do! The bodyguards will give you guys a ride back to the house. They will sit out here to make sure your safe.”

I looked back at the two SUVs.

“What’s wrong babe?” he asked.

“Roman, you know this is just going to be a cheesy party. Nothing like what you are used to.”

I could tell he knew where I was heading. I hadn’t really been insecure since we got married, but…

“Baby! If I wanted to go to a ‘real’ party and go snort cocaine and f*ck a couple of whores, I would, but I don’t! I want forever, remember?”

That made me smile because “Forever” was my phone’s ringtone for Roman, and Roman made his ringtone “Beth” for when I called. It was our thing.

He put his hand over my necklace and I grabbed his cuff.

“I know I shouldn’t worry, but it’s just hard to live up to your old life,” I told him, trying to apologize with my eyes.

“I get insecure too. Do you remember the whole anger bang we had over Eric?”

I laughed a little. It was funny now, but it wasn’t funny then.

“Sometimes I feel like it’s hard to live up to Eric, you know.”

“You have nothing to worry about,” I told him.

“And neither do you.” He kissed me again. “You girls go get pretty, and I will expect you to be at the house at six.”

I smiled and got out of the vehicle. I rang the bell and Dennis let me in. Dennis was the coolest husband in history. I have had friends who wouldn’t let their wives do shit, but Dennis was confident. He knew Phoebe loved him and that was that. If she wanted to go out of town to have a girls’ weekend, good for her. How could anyone not love a man like that?

“You better hurry because they went shopping for you.” Dennis looked as though he felt sorry for me.

“Thanks, Dennis.”

I walked into the master bedroom. Phoebe and Eve had the bottle of Jose out, and they were smoking up a storm. I didn’t smoke. The last cigarette I’d had was when I found out I was pregnant with Joey, but hanging around two friends smoking and drinking liquor, well, let’s just say if I couldn’t beat them, then I needed to join them. I opened up a window and took one of Phoebe’s cigarettes.

“So, ladies, what’s a happening, hot stuff?” I said in a horny-guy tone.

“You!”

“Me?”

“Eve and I are here to make you look like the sexiest rock and roll girl ever. We went shopping and bought several outfits for you to try on. We will return what you don’t want.”

Tonight’s party theme was Rock of Ages because we were going to watch the movie Rock of Ages and sing along with the movie since we all knew the music being played. How could anyone not love the 80s? Everybody was to take a shot of his or her favorite liquor every time a song was sung in the movie. We all had to get up and sing at least one of the songs from the movie while it was being performed. If anyone was shy, he or she could sing with a partner. We could always pause to stop and talk. Like I had told Roman, it was cheesy. Also, we had to dress like rock stars because of the theme.

“Thanks guys!” I smiled. Damn, Phoebe and Eve always had a girl’s back.

“Okay, it’s us against them. The models versus the real women. We got to look good, but Beth has to look f*cking fantastic!” Phoebe said.

“I totally agree. I need to look f*cking fantastic. Let’s do this.”

***

After two and a half hours, Dennis asked, “You girls about ready?”

“Yep, you ready?” Phoebe yelled.

Phoebe walked out first. She wore ankle boots, black jeans, and a rocker T-shirt. Her blond hair had cool black, chunky streaks in it. I was actually a little jealous of her hair. It was f*cking cool.

Eve dyed her hair to hot pink and went Goth. She wore her hair in two little buns, kind of like Princess Leia. She wore a black leather mini-skirt with a torn-up mesh top and a kick ass bra underneath.

I came out wearing skin-tight, stretchy black jeans with cool high heel shoes that tied at the ankle. I wore a black corset trimmed in red. Over the corset, Eve had paired a biker shirt. It was black, and the shirt fell past my hips. The front had buckles going across horizontally, which actually made my stomach look smaller with the help of the corset. Of course, with the corset and the shirt my boobs were riding high. The top was designed to be lower than the corset so it gave me a little slutty look as though my shirt was falling off my bra. My favorite part of the shirt was the sleeves. It had these zigzag strings down the top of the arm, and on the bottom it was solid, which I liked.