That’s fine.
“She’s good.Did I tell you that her rental property went viral?”
“The Pussy Palace deserves it all,” Em says loudly.“Brilliant marketing.Very niche.”
“The wall of monster dildos going viral apparently has her sold out for the next six months, though she had to add a few waivers to the rental agreement about their usage.”
I grimace.“Not sure I want to know much more.”
“Don’t be a prude,” Em tells me.
“Not wanting to hear the details about what goes on in Tara’s aunt Tilly’s famous monster dildo pussy palace doesn’t make him a prude, Em,” Jack says, a laugh following that statement.
“Monster dildo pussy palace,” a voice at my elbow repeats slowly, disbelief coloring each syllable.
My heart stutters.With surprise, obviously.
“I didn’t see you there,” I say softly.
Sylvie stares up at me with her wide grey-blue eyes, her blonde hair damp and slicked back into a bun at the nape of her neck.A drop of water sits on her cheekbone, and I brush it off with my thumb before I realize my hand’s moving.
“You made it!”Tara exclaims, and she leaps out of her chair to give Sylvie a hug.
Apparently, the two women really hit it off because I don’t think Tara’s ever given me a hug.
Jamming my hands in my pockets to keep from touching her again, I glance back at everyone else.Jack’s watching me like a hawk, and Em’s expression is thoughtful as she studies Sylvie.
Whatever the redhead’s thinking must not be bad because she’s on her feet a second later.
“I’m Em,” she says, and instead of shaking her hand, she also gives Sylvie a big hug.“I’m so happy to meet you.Tara’s so happy to have another friendly face downtown, and from everything she’s told me, I think you’re going to legit be our new best friend.”
“Oh,” Sylvie says, her mouth staying a round “o” of surprise at Em’s enthusiasm.“You are a witch, too, huh?Prudence said there would be more than just Tara.”
Em and Tara share a look, and I shove a potato skin in my mouth to keep from saying something stupid.
For one, I have no idea who Prudence is, and I should only be feeling happy for the fact that Sylvie’s being accepted whole-heartedly by two of the best women I know.
“You know what?I have to powder my nose,” Em declares awkwardly.“And I need help with it because I, uh, forgot my powder at home.”
“I got you,” Tara tells her.“We’ll powder Sylvie’s nose, too.”
Sylvie touches her nose.“Do I have a zit?”
She’s so wide-eyed and cute that I nearly choke on the potato laughing.
“No, you’re coming with us, though,” Tara tells her firmly, and with that, they steer Sylvie away from the table and to the bathrooms.
“Well, she seems nice,” Jack says noncommittally as the girls practically flee.
“Tara likes her a lot already,” Ward rumbles.
“You know they’re going to go talk about you, right?”Jack asks me.
“No way.”I stretch, uncomfortable.“They’re powdering noses or whatever.”
“You’re an idiot,” Jack tells me.
“They’re probably just going to come up with some spells to keep the ghosts around here out of their hair.”Ward dips a fried pickle into the ranch and I stare at him for a long moment, then burst out laughing.
