Girls' Night Out Murder (Ryli Sinclair 2) Read Online Free Page B

stuff, and I’d get the important things like
meat. Steak, chicken, fish…that I could handle.
    I picked up enough meat to get us through the next four days,
then made my way over to the liquor department where I figured Aunt Shirley was
still browsing. I should have known browsing was too soft a word. Her cart was
filled with bottles of vanilla, orange, cranberry, and peppermint vodka. There
was even a bottle of Fireball Whiskey thrown in.
    “I’m going to do all holiday jello shots. A cranberry, a peppermint,
and Fireball for the cinnamon!” my aunt exclaimed with glee.
    “That seems like a lot of bottles.”
    “I’m doing this for two nights,” Aunt Shirley said. “I’ll
make some up tonight and we can have them tomorrow night. Then we can decide
what we like, and I can make them up for the bachelorette party on Friday night.”
    She was so excited about the prospect of contributing that I
didn’t want to hurt her feelings. I also had a feeling this could be very
dangerous for a group of ladies that didn’t typically shoot jello shots.
    “There y’all are,” Paige said. “Mindy is still getting some
items, but I thought I’d try and find you guys and see if we are about ready to
check out.” Paige peered into Aunt Shirley’s cart and shuddered.
    “Get ready to party, girl!” Aunt Shirley cackled.
    Paige looked at me with fear.       
    “Oh, my gosh! Ryli? Paige? Is it really you?”
    Paige and I turned around. My eyes widened when I recognized
the face behind the voice. “Julie Crider?”
    Julie laughed and nodded as she reached over and hugged us
both. She looked good after all these years. She was still a little on the
plump side, just like she’d been all throughout middle and high school. But
somehow the extra weight worked on her. She had thick, dark hair cut into
layers that fell down her back and curled at the ends. Her pouty lips were
painted a deep red, and her eye shadow was subtle enough you hardly noticed she
had any on. The black slacks and red angora sweater hugged her in all the right
places. She looked stunning, even though it was only ten-thirty on a Tuesday
morning.
    Feeling self-conscious, I smoothed my hands over my hair.
I’d hurriedly pulled it into a ponytail before leaving the house. The fact I’d
just thrown on sweats didn’t help matters, either. I felt dowdy next to her.
    “Yep, it’s me,” she said as she backed away from hugging Paige.
“I can’t believe this. What are you guys doing here?”
    “Paige and Matt are getting married this weekend at the lake
house,” I said.
    Julie squealed. About four heads turned around to stare at
us. Oblivious to the scene she was causing, Julie continued, “I always thought
you two would end up together. I remember chasing him around the lake when we
were kids. This is just so amazing!”
    “It was a long time coming, that’s for sure,” Paige agreed.
    I noticed my Aunt Shirley tapping her toe and giving me a questioning
look. “Julie, this is my aunt, Shirley. Aunt Shirley, Julie was just one of the
many girls Paige and I hung out with during the summers we came down here.”
    Aunt Shirley stuck her hand out. “Nice to meet you, dear.”
    Julie shook Aunt Shirley’s hand then peered down into her
cart. “Looks like you guys are going to be doing some celebrating.”
    I closed my eyes. Not only had I gotten caught looking like
I’d just rolled out of bed, but now she was going to think we were a bunch of boozehounds.
    “Having a bachelorette party for Paige here on Friday
night,” Aunt Shirley said. “Why don’t you stop by? You girls can catch up.”
    Why hadn’t I thought
of that?
    “Oh, yes. Please say you’ll come!” Paige gushed.
    “That sounds like fun, thanks! You know a couple of the
other girls are still in town, right?”
    I knew Susie Shoeman was back in town, because she was going
to help Paige with her wedding cake. But I didn’t realize some of the other
girls might still be around. I’d