Courting Erin

(1) I Found a Naked Lady!

Peaches. She was breathing in the scent of peaches. Sweet, succulent, intoxicating peaches. With a deep inhale, she obtained another whiff. Peaches. These peaches were beginning to make her nauseous. In fact, the very idea of these fruits or food in general made her sick to her stomach. Ooh. Bad peaches.

Since not breathing wasn't an option, she began to open her eyes with the intent of getting away from the scent. Instead of peaches, she was greeted with disorderly rich red hair, which her nose was partially buried in. Ah, peach shampoo.

Question.

Who was this peach shampoo user and why was she in her bed? Erin's hands quickly discovered something upon their investigation underneath the covers. And why was the peach shampoo user naked? For that matter, why was she naked too?

"I would truly appreciate an explanation as to what in the hell is going on here," stated an irritated voice.

Her heart getting a jumpstart, Erin catapulted into a sitting position. Automatically pulling the sheet over her exposed chest, she looked at the woman seated in a chair a few feet away from the bed. If looks could kill, Erin would have been walking through the tunnel of light at that moment to meet up with relatives who had passed on before her. Because she didn't give an explanation, the fully clothed woman repeated her statement. Her voice louder now, she effectively roused the peach shampoo user. When she moved, Erin looked down at her while trying to ignore the sharp pain in her head.

Sleepy hazel eyes met her gaze, swiveled toward the seated woman, and then came back to her. As though waking next to a thoroughly confused person with an irate one a mere few steps away was something she did on a regular basis, the peach shampoo user displayed a dazzingly smile. "Good morning, baby," she softly uttered in such an angelic voice. Despite her perplexed state, Erin wouldn't have terribly minded hearing that voice again.

She didn't get a chance to respond to the greeting since her girlfriend spoke. "It's bad enough that you cheated on me, but to marry that trollop? Have you lost your mind, Erin? I get to show up at my sister's wedding today alone because you did something so very idiotic. I'm going to be the laughingstock!"

Trollop? Who says that in the twenty-first century? "What? I didn't..." Trailing off, Erin slowly shook her aching head. She must have consumed an awful lot of alcohol last night. Having left the bachelorette party the moment it switched into a sleepover (an event she didn't care to participate in), she remembered going to a nightclub. That was why peach shampoo user looked so familiar. They met at the nightclub. Of course, Erin had no recollection of marrying her. They shared a couple of beers while chatting. How did they end up in her Bellagio hotel guest room?

"Yes you did!" Uncrossing her legs, Michelle stood and stormed over to the bed. Erin had two seconds to guess whether she intended to strike her before she laid a sheet of paper in her lap instead. "I think that belongs to you and Mrs. Tucker. I found it on the dresser--your marriage license," she angrily finished.

Picking up the license, Erin glanced over it. Courtney Calloway. Yes, she remembered now. That was peach shampoo user's real name.

"We've been talking for nearly half an hour and I don't know your name," Erin said after swallowing another mini pretzel.

"Courtney Calloway at your service, little lady. You can call me Court though."

"Nice to meet you Court. I'm Erin Tucker." Lifting their beers, they clinked the bottles together, each smiling at the other. "Who're you calling little, hmm?" Erin teased, her eyes moving over the other woman's petite form. "I bet I'm about three or four inches taller than you."