Me and My Ghoulfriends by Rose Pressey Read Free Book Online Page B

circling our half-eaten bodies. Talk about embarrassing.
     
    Actually, at first we’d helped in the search because we hadn’t known for whom they were searching. We’d thought we were helping. As we stood on the pier watching the chaotic scene, the only details we knew came from a crazy-eyed stranger. He said the search was for two teenagers. Needless to say, the helicopter circling around us hadn’t helped us much with trying to impress the boys, which had been our main goal.
     
    I just prayed our shopping trip didn’t turn into another embarrassing search and rescue moment for me.
     
    Grabbing my purse, I pulled out my lip-gloss and applied a shiny fresh coat. Next, I dabbed on some mascara, and then tried not to bite my nails while waiting for Mindy. I checked my reflection once again. This was more nerve racking then any date I could imagine. Why did I let her get me into these messes ?
     
    I glanced at my wrist, it was 5:55. Just then, the bell chimed and I snapped my head up to see Mindy waltz through the door with a sheepish grin on her face. Damn. I was hoping she’d forget about our meeting. No such luck.
     
    “You put on a fresh coat of lip gloss,” she screeched as she walked through the door.
     
    “I can’t believe you noticed that. I wanted to look my best. Or somewhat best. Brianna’s not the only one who can wear lip gloss,” I snorted.
     
    “Hey, you’re telling me.” Mindy held her hands up in surrender. “I was going to suggest you do the exact thing when I got here. I can’t let you go over there looking like hell.”
     
    “Right, well, let’s get this over with,” I said, grabbing my purse and keys while heading toward the entrance. I grabbed Mindy’s arm and lassoed her to the door. I felt like a kid being ordered to the principal’s office.
     
    I’d had my fill of Brianna’s boutique in the past. The one and only time I’d gone in there, she’d managed to insult me repeatedly. And I thought the customer was always supposed to be right? It was all I could do not to peek over at the coffee shop as we walked down the sidewalk. Fortunately, for the sake of not embarrassing myself, Callahan closed his shop at four. As we looked both ways and crossed the street, I saw Brianna inside her store eye us suspiciously.
     
    “Now, make sure to mention your date with hot coffee shop guy.”
     
    “It’s Callahan.”
     
    “Right,” Mindy said, her eyes wild with excitement. She almost looked possessed.
     
    “I don’t want to gloat.”
     
    “It’s not gloating. It’s just merely sharing facts about your life, that’s all.”
     
    Ugh. She had me there, but I didn’t want to share any facts about my life with Brianna. We walked through the door, and Brianna greeted us with a weak glance. She must have missed the memo that said you’re supposed to be nice to all customers.
     
    After a minute, she looked at us again and said, “Hello” in her generally all-around surly tone.
     
    Brianna’s shop really was nice; too bad she wasn’t. Trendy clothes lined the walls. The feminine pink walls and the raspberry striped rugs were a stark contrast to the historic building. Modern chrome and glass tables added clean lines to the space; it was very much Brianna’s taste.
     
    As I scanned the store, I had no idea what I was even looking for. A dress? A sexy top? It was impossible to decide.
     
    “Brianna,” Mindy said in a clipped tone.
     
    Brianna didn’t look up from her latest issue of Cosmo . I felt like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman , minus the hooker clothes, of course. I expected when I asked how much something cost, Brianna’s response would be ‘very expensive.’ Mindy flashed me a devilish smile and mouthed, “Watch this,” as she walked closer to the counter and tapped her finger loudly on the surface in front of her.
     
    “Excuse me.”
     
    Brianna continued to look down at her magazine. Slowly, she reared her head up as if she had to finish the last