When she opened it, the mountain air spilled in, crisp and scented with pine. Capri stood in front, bundled in a shearling coat with her long blonde hair tumbling around her face, talking over her shoulder to Lila, who was hauling a casserole dish and giving Charlie Grace a look that clearly meant don’t you dare drop that bottle of wine.
“Evening, ladies,” Reva said with a slow smile. “You’re just in time. The elk tartare is chilling, and I’m two seconds from pouring the Prosecco.”
“Girl,” Charlie Grace grinned as she stepped inside, the warmth of the house rushing around them. “You always set the bar.”
Lila handed off the dish—sweet potato puffs, by the smell of it—and leaned in to hug her. “It smells amazing in here.”
Capri was last through the door, eyeing the interior with a casual glance that tried too hard to look unimpressed. “Okay, Mayor. Hosting game strong.”
Reva laughed, motioning them in. “Come on. Coats in the hallway, drinks in the kitchen, and I fully expect each of you to gush over my ridiculous overspending.”
The kitchen filled quickly with the kind of ease that came only from years of friendship. Charlie Grace uncorked the wine, Lila grabbed plates, and Capri, despite claiming she wasn’t hungry, immediately reached for a Cowboy Pop and moaned as she bit into it.
“I take it back,” she said, chewing. “This was worth whatever you paid.”
Reva smirked. “That’s what I told Kellen. He didn’t blink—just asked if there’d be leftovers.”
Lila passed out the plates. “So, where is Kellen tonight?”
Reva placed a napkin holder on the counter next to the food. “He took Lucan to story time at Bluebird Books.”
Lila nodded. “Ah, a favorite for all the little kiddos in Thunder Mountain.” She reached for a cracker and dredged it generously through the bowl of smoked steelhead dip. “It’s possible there won’t be leftovers,” she warned.
“I second that,” Charlie Grace said, leaning one hip against the counter as she reached for the elk tartare. “I’ve never tasted anything so good.”
Reva glanced over. “How’s Jewel doing since the wildlife officials came and took the wolf pups?”
Charlie Grace’s smile softened. “Better than I expected, honestly. The first few days were hard—lots of tears. She kept asking if they were scared without her, if they missed her singing at night.”
Capri set down her glass. “Poor kid. That’s tough.”
“It was,” Charlie Grace said. “But Fish and Game has been amazing. They let her visit the pups yesterday, and she got to help bottle-feed one of them. She’s already talking about what she’s going to wear when they let her be there for the release back into the wild.”
Lila smiled. “That’s special. What a memory she’ll have.”
“She calls it ‘graduation day,’” Charlie Grace added with a laugh. “She’s making each of her babies a ‘certificate.’ Hand-drawn and laminated.”
“Oh, I love that,” Reva said warmly. “She’s such a bright light.”
Charlie Grace nodded, her voice quieter. “She really is. And she’s learning something important, too—about letting go, and still loving.”
For a moment, they all sat with that—because they knew the lesson, too. Especially Reva.
Lila grinned, then grew thoughtful. “Speaking of babies...I want to throw Camille a shower.”
Reva smiled at that. “That’s a lovely idea.”
“Nothing fancy,” Lila said quickly. “Just something sweet before the baby comes. I thought we could do it at the community center, maybe serve brunch? Or should we wait until after she delivers?”
“I say before,” Charlie Grace said. “Give her something to look forward to. You know we’ll help.”
“Definitely,” Capri added, sipping from her glass. “And we’ll make her laugh, which she needs.”
“I know I was shocked when I first learned about the baby,” Lila told them. “And goodness knows, it took a little effort for me to recalibrate what I imagined for my daughter’s future. But now that I have…well, I’m looking forward to the arrival of her little one. And to being a grandma. The first amongst us, I might add.” She grinned. “So let the party planning begin!”
The warmth around the island grew as the friends continued passing appetizers and tossing out ideas—decorations, games, whether Capri could be trusted not to spike the punch.
Then Lila’s gaze settled on Reva. “How’s your grandmother?” she asked gently. “Your earlier texts were encouraging. You said she was still hanging on.”
