What Happens in Italy

Chapter 1

Penny had heard that noise before on Animal Planet-the shriek of hyenas as they tore apart their prey. She didn't remember Michael having cable in his office.

"Yes. Yes."

What the hell? Last she'd checked, hyenas hadn't mastered the English language.

She wrenched open her fiancé's office door, her own shriek silent as she stared in horror. The blonde currently gyrating on her fiancé's lap looked vaguely familiar.

Penny's gaze locked with Michael's, her shock mirrored in his eyes.

"Shit. Penny, this isn't what it looks like."

"You're seriously going to go with that line?" she bit out once her vocal chords were working again.

"Ahh."

"Some bimbo fell into your lap, and it's not you screwing a bleach-blonde tramp in your office a week before you are supposed to marry me? Fuck, I'm a cliché. Awesome." Her hand curled into a fist, tempted to punch something-like Michael's face.

"Who are you calling a tramp?" the hyena said, looking over her shoulder at Penny.

"You're screwing your boss?" Penny screeched.

Veronica Wills, partner of Connor, Wills, and Platt, rose from Michael's lap, straightened her perfectly tailored suit, flipped her expertly tousled curls over her shoulder, and walked toward Penny.

"Let's forget this ever happened, shall we? And I'll see you both next weekend."

Penny stared in shock as Veronica exited the office.

Was she dreaming? She had to be. She pinched herself and winced. Nope, this nightmare was real.

"Now Penny-" Michael started.

"No. I'm done. Really Michael, trying to screw your way to the top? You probably would've made partner if you'd just kept it in your pants and married me."

"Are you going to tell your father?" And now she finally saw fear in his eyes.

"You bet your ass I'm telling him," she shot back. Her father was the Connor in Connor, Wills, and Platt.

"But-"

"No. I don't want your excuses. The wedding is off," she yelled as she stormed from the room, slamming the door on his pleas.

She collapsed against the nearest wall and tried to fight back the hysterical tears that threatened to release. She couldn't even begin to process what had just happened. She wanted to curl up in a ball and hide, but she couldn't go home to their condo. To the lies. She needed her friends and a huge drink-or four.

Luckily, tonight was her bachelorette party.

* * *

The entire lollipop guild was currently tap dancing on her skull. Penny groaned and tried to shove away the curls matted to the side of her face.

"Good morning, sunshine," Amanda said.

Penny cracked her eyes open, instantly wincing at the offending sunlight streaming in through her bedroom window. No, not her bedroom. Why was she in Amanda's bed? She lifted her head, taking in her surroundings as yesterday's events filtered through her pounding skull.

Michael. Screeching hyenas. Shots. A long line of shots. There'd been a veil, and she vaguely remembered falling. Yep, definitely falling since her throbbing knee was in direct competition with the jig those munchkins from hell were doing on her head.