Pretend To Sleep

The cropped shirt that rested high above her belly button and hip-huggers that gathered around her feet.

She grabbed a black leather belt off a rack, hurried back out of the closet, and nearly laughed to see the girls and Laney, their mouths gaping. Then the three smiled.

"Well, if she lives through this, we know he's got a mate," Sarah said and giggled.

"Absolutely," Alice said.

Laney shook her head. "Why didn't I think of that?"

Then the problem was that Laney's floral pants had no belt loops. Trying to make do, Cassie fastened the too-big belt around the pants. "No one happens to have anything I can use to make another hole in the belt, does anyone?"

"Uhm," Alice said. "That might be going a little too far."

Cassie looked around at the dresser and desk, but she didn't see a sharp instrument she could use. Just as she reached for a desk drawer, Elgin poked his head into the bedroom. "Food's on the table. Is everyone ready to eat?"