“Call 911, Tinsley! Please!” I shouted while kneeling down beside Georgia on the floor. I’d taken a first aid course as a teenager, but I had no idea what to do, everything I’d learned was now a hazy memory after the alcohol I’d consumed.

Tinsley was out of her seat, struggling to find her phone in her pocket. I stared at Georgia, wide-eyed, as she struggled for air, a strange mixture of emotions running through me.

“What’s the address here again?” Tinsley shouted. One of the waiters moved to her side and took the phone, shouting clear instructions to the operator on the other end of the line.

Elizabeth and Bri were now on the floor beside us. Elizabeth was on her knees with her face close to Georgia’s, cooing like a small child and rubbing soothing circles on her back. “It’s going to be okay, just breathe very slowly. Help is on the way, I promise.”

The only person not standing over Georgia with a look of concern was Mara. When I looked up at her, I saw that she was smirking, a look of unmistakable glee in her eyes.

Chapter Nine

Mara

The best friend

They blamed me. Of course, they did, and truth be told, they had every right to be angry. Because I blamed myself too…

I knew she was allergic to coconut, okay? But I didn’t ask for THIS.

I assumed Georgia would get splotchy, maybe a little itchy and uncomfortable, the way I did when I took antibiotics. I didn’t realize she was that allergic. If she was, why didn’t she carry some sort of EpiPen on her?!

We stood on the front lawn of the mansion, sirens loud and lights flashing, and watched as they loaded Georgia into the back of an ambulance.

“Do you think she’ll be okay?” I said, turning to Tinsley.

“How the hell would I know?” she hissed. And then, “How could you overlook this, Mara? We asked everyone about their allergies months before you planned that ridiculous menu. We both knew Georgia was allergic to coconut!”

Rosalee was watching us, face blank. There was nothing behind the eyes; I couldn’t tell if she was angry with me, worried for Georgia, or secretly pleased that her fiancé’s female ‘best friend’ was being carted off to the ER.

“Well, maybe if I’d had more help with the planning, I would have made fewer mistakes!” I cried.

“Oh, okay! That’s why it happened,” Tinsley said, with wild laughter. “Blame the one person who’s footing the bill for this whole thing. Doing the planning was the least you could do, Mara.”

I gasped. How dare she? I’d told her I would pay her back, and I will. I just need to sort out a few things and figure out my bank account…