Page 130 of The Best Shot

Ava spotted me first and gave a slow nod of approval. “Okay, Diva.”

I waited until Ferdinand had gone. “I think he’s about to ban us from this place.”

“Y’all, maybe.” Annie pulled me into a hug. “Ferdinand loves me.”

“Wonder why.”

“I’m naturally lovable.”

“You flirt with him like you’re trying to get written into his will.”

Tabby stepped into my arms next, warm and soft. “Nice dress.”

“I almost turned around.”

“You wouldn’t,” Ava said.

“Not after fighting my way into this thing.”

The theme was Fancy Winter in honor of my trip to Antarctica.

Ava had gone with pearl gray, cut simple enough to look accidental and expensive enough that it wasn’t. The back dipped low, leaving most of her back bare. Tabby’s white dress draped from one shoulder, soft ruching gathered at her waist. Annie wore ice-blue silk with cutouts down her ribs.

They’d committed. Every single one of them.

We’d barely settled into our seats, drinks just landing, when Ava placed a clean white box tied with ribbon in the center of the table.

No one reached for it.

Annie didn’t even look at it. “No.”

Ava blinked. “No what?”

Tabby nudged the box away with one finger. “Absolutely not.”

“They’re my brownies! Y’all love my brownies.”

“The undosed versions, yes,” I said. “Last time we ate your brownies, we ended up running from a demon dog.”

“And got arrested,” Tabby added.

“Detained,” Ava corrected.

“Jail,” I said. “We went to jail.”

“Respectfully, no one is eating those.” Tabby pushed the box farther away.

Ava sighed. “One bad night and suddenly nobody trusts me.”

Food arrived, pulling us into overlapping conversations and stolen bites.

Annie raised her glass. “Life update.”

Ava groaned. “Here we go.”

“I have a job,” Annie announced.

Tabby set down her fork. “Different from the one you already have?”