Page 65 of Sterling Fight

Vale groans but having seen me, slides off her stool to hug me.

“Don’t tell me you don’t have sexy Sylver superpowers as well, girl,” Cadence teases Vale.

“Just ignore them. I do when they start discussing the men in their lives, forgetting the sexy superpowers she’s referring to are from my brothers.”

“Cadence,” Enya chides her younger sister.

“I’m just saying, I’m as horny as the day is long with this little one inside me.” She rubs her hand over her baby bump. “And with three little ducks already running around, we need to be creative.”

Vale shakes her head before nodding at a stool next to her to take a seat. The waitress arrives quickly, taking my order for a gin martini.

“Anyway,” Enya groans, cutting off her sister, and turning toward Vale. “How was your last date?”

Vale groans next. “They’re always the same. Same questions. Same answers. I don’t know why I torture myself.”

“I know the feeling,” I chime in.

“But not anymore,” Vale sighs, and I realize my mistake. They all believe Judd and I are engaged, and I glance down at his mother’s ring, remembering our kisses from last night.

“There just isn’t much of a dating pool in this town or the next town over or the next after that.” Her shoulders fall in defeat before she lifts her glass of white wine. “Which is why I need tonight.”

Book club? I’m all in favor of books assisting in the bedroom, especially for a party of one which describes Vale’s relationship status. But a book isn’t the only thing to help stimulate superpowers.

“We aren’t really attending a book club, are we?” I ask the ladies.

Vale looks shocked. Enya only smiles. Cadence laughs, then addresses Vale. “Honey, I keep telling you, the best kept secret in this town is not a kept secret. The best kept secret is what Stone and Emerson Milton are doing with one another.”

“What’s the unkept secret?” I demand playfully. “And Stone and Emerson Milton?” I’m confused and rightfully so as I don’t live here, but I know the Milton family. Everyone knows them. Their family laid claim to this mountain top, and the entire county was named for them. The Miltons have been the ruling government of this town in some form or another for almost a century.

“Emerson is the mayor. Stone’s the town sheriff. It’s a simple equation,” Enya states.

“But are they really just friends with benefits?” Cadence leans in like inquiring minds want to know.

Vale shakes her head. “I live with the man. You’d think I would know but I just don’t. Sure, they are seen together, and seen leaving places together, but I’m not convinced they are more than friends. No benefits.”

Stone Sylver is a good-looking man, and any woman would be a fool not to want benefits with him, but Emerson might have her reasons. Stone might have excuses as well.

“So the secret club?” I want to circle back to my initial question as the waitress returns with something resembling a gin and tonic.

“Meredith Mulligan sells sex toys to supplement her yarn shop,” Enya explains, and I take a hasty sip of my drink. Definitely more gin and tonic than martini, but it will do.

“Oh my.” I sound like a ninny, but I’m eager to learn more. My favorite toy is back in my apartment.

“The book club”—Vale air quotes—“is invite only. Consider yourself invited.” She winks at me.

“Girls Night Out before book club? How quaint.” The blonde bombshell suddenly standing beside our table is none other than Heather.

“Call it like it is, though, ladies. A dildo is a dildo.” Heather’s icy blue eyes latch onto me. “You’ll need one to deal with Judd’s frigidity.”

My mouth falls open, shocked by Heather’s audacity and blatant insult of Judd.

“Tone down your jealousy, darlin’,” Cadence snaps, spinning on her stool. “It’s unbecoming.”

With Heather’s gaze still trained on me, she says, “I have nothing to be jealous of.” She lifts her martini glass like she’s toasting me and takes a sip of a drink I’d like to splash in her face. I hope her martini is actually a gin and tonic as well, and she chokes on the lime.

“You’re OWD is showing, girl,” Cadence adds. “And you were the other woman.”

I chew my lip, both surprised at Cadence’s brazen speech and her lack of fucks.