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Beautiful Sinners:

Secrets, Lies and Vegas

Pamela L. Todd

Excerpt

Excitement fizzed in my stomach as I followed the girls, who talked a million miles a minute and barely paused to take a breath. We walked into the restaurant…or was it a circus tent? Soft, floaty material of all colors was our ceiling and the wall panels displayed vintage art from the big tops of days gone by. In fact, the only clue that we hadn’t stepped into a 1940s circus was the window that overlooked the world-famous fountain display. It took my breath away even in daylight, but now, lit up against the backdrop of darkness, I could barely tear my eyes away.

Hayley introduced us to the hostess, who led us to our table, the most central in the restaurant. Eve scanned the room, her hunter instincts on full alert as she surveyed her prey. Beth looped arms with hers, giggling in her ear.

The moment our waiter appeared, Hayley ordered a bottle of champagne.

“Well, I think we should make a toast,” Hayley announced once our glasses had been filled.

“Here, here,” Eve said, raising her glass. “To Marley! For without her, I would never have met that cute investment banker from Chicago.”

Hayley rolled her eyes. “Yes, Eve, that was exactly what I was thinking.”

Beth giggled, flipping her long, shiny black hair over one shoulder. “Yeah, because it should be about Ken from Kentucky.”

I snorted a laugh. “You do remember that his name wasn’t actually Ken? And the fact that he only put up with the nickname was because you left your bra pinned to the wall in Coyote Ugly and he could see your nipples through your dress?”

Beth waggled her eyebrows. “Well, I do have very nice nipples.”

“You should send that to Hallmark,” Hayley said. “Okay, in all seriousness guys, I really do want to make a toast to Marley.”

Beth and Eve raised their glasses, eyes on Hayley as they waited for her toast.

“Marley, you know we love you,” Hayley said with a smile, “and I think it goes without saying that this trip has been ridiculously overdue. So here’s to our last night, and going as hard as we can.”

“To Marley!” Beth and Eve chorused, chinking their glasses at mine.

I forced a smile and took a gulp of champagne, which tasted sour on my tongue. That toast, whilst heartfelt, felt like a needle in my heart. It was just another reminder of how different I was from my friends.

Eve tossed back the remainder of her drink. As she placed the empty glass on the table, her eyes darted between us all when she noticed us staring. “What are you all looking at? You said go hard.”