Free Candy Apple by Tielle St. Clare

embarrassing
but Heather of all people would understand. Besides, Heather was always telling
Tasha she needed to live a little.
    And see what happens when I do?
    Desperately needing her best friend, Tasha ran downstairs.
Heather stood in the living room, holding the wedding dress up, peering at it
intently.
    Drat. The dress.
    Heather looked at the dress one more time then dropped it.
    “Jason was seriously Mr. Right?”
    “What?” Tasha shook her head, dismissing the idea with a
wave of her hand. “Oh no.”
    “Good or I would have been severely disappointed in this
dress. I’m right in assuming you were wearing this dress last night and it
didn’t just appear in the living room all on its own.”
    “Yes, I wore it last night but wait—” She cocked her head to
the side and crossed her arms over her chest. “I thought you liked Jason. You
always said you liked Jason.”
    “Well, you liked Jason.” Heather winced. “He was
fine. A decent enough guy, but he’s boring and would just compound your natural
tendencies.”
    Tasha’s eyes clamped down into a glare.
    “See? That’s why I didn’t say anything. You always get mad
when I tell you to live a little. To find a guy who brings out the wild child.”
She kicked the wedding gown. Heather might sing the praises of the polyester
monstrosity, but she still harbored some resentment that she’d had to wear it
for two weeks before finding her men.
    “So, did he?”
    “Did who, what?”
    “Did whoever make this dress fall off you bring out your
wild child?”
    “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”
    “Because that bike in the driveway definitely looks like
wild child potential.”
    “Yes. I—”
    “How did you hook up with a biker?’
    “I didn’t. I hooked up with a banker!” Tasha blurted out.
    “And your banker drives a bright-red Harley?”
    “Candy apple,” she corrected.
    “What?”
    “The color is candy-apple red and no, the bike doesn’t
belong to the banker.”
    Tipping her head to the side and pursing her lips like she
was observing some strange phenomenon, Heather stared at Tasha for a long
moment.
    “Then who does the bike belong to?”
    She winced and pleaded silently for Heather not to make her
answer. Heather stared for a moment then her eyes grew wide.
    “Are you saying you don’t know—”
    The kitchen door swung open and in walked Tasha’s mother.
    “Hush—Mom! What are you doing here? Why didn’t you tell me
my mother was here?” Tasha muttered through her wide smile.
    “I didn’t know it was going to be a problem. Who knew you
were taking perfect strangers to bed?”
    “I can explain that.”
    “Oh don’t. Please. Because I’m so proud of you.”
    Tasha’s mother stood beside them. “Proud of her for what?”
    “Nothing,” Tasha snapped.
    “For finally taking a chance,” Heather said. She turned and
smiled sweetly at her aunt. “Great news, Aunt K, your daughter is finally
coming out of her shell.”
    “Hush up.” Tasha smacked Heather on the arm. She ran her
fingers through her hair, trying to put some order to the crazy curls. “Mom,
what are you doing up so bright and early on a Saturday?”
    “It’s almost noon.”
    “What?”
    Heather threw her arm around Tasha’s shoulders and squeezed.
“Time just gets away from you when you’re f—”
    Tasha pinched Heather’s thigh.
    “Ugh…when you’re having fun. That’s what I was going to
say.”
    Tasha watched the expression on her mother’s face. Her
mother was a smart lady. She had to know something was up. As long as she didn’t
know what, Tasha would survive. The thought of her mother knowing about her sex
life—which had recently gotten a whole lot more exciting—made her want to throw
up.
    Her mom nodded slowly but she didn’t say anything, didn’t
ask. Good.
    Katherine bent down and picked up the wedding dress.
“Goodness, I haven’t seen this in years. Still ugly.”
    Heather and Tasha nodded.
    “What’s it doing