Page 87 of Mountain Dreams

“Are your sisters coming?” Avery asked as she put some cheese and crackers on a plate.

“Yes, but they’re running late.”

“That’s okay. We can catch up before they get here,” Dakota said as she loaded her plate.

“I have beer and wine, or I can make you a mixed drink,” Maddie said, happily playing hostess.

“Beer is good enough for me,” Avery said.

“Me too,” said Dakota.

They took their food and drinks into the living room, where Cody had rearranged the furniture to make it more conducive to talking and eating.

No sooner had they sat down than Dakota began questioning her. “Wow. You and Cody. I still can’t believe it.”

“Me either,” Maddie said with a light laugh.

“Wait until you see them together. They make the sweetest couple,” Avery gushed.

“I can imagine. Cody always had a sweet spot for Maddie.”

Maddie smiled around her bite of celery with cream cheese.

“At the risk of getting too personal, how did Wyatt react to this?”

Hearing his name no longer made Maddie flinch. “We’ve both moved on, and he even apologized to Cody and me.”

“Are he and Cody still friends?”

“Sort of. Wyatt asked him out for a beer recently, but Cody and I had plans, so he turned him down.”

“Hmm. Well, as long as everybody’s happy…”

“Speaking of happy, I have some news,” Avery said.

Dakota perked up. “Do I get to be a bridesmaid?”

Avery laughed. “No.”

“An aunt?”

“No!”

“What, then?”

“I’m moving in with Jax.”

“That’s great!” Maddie said. She’d known it was coming, so it wasn’t a big surprise.

“I’ll still get to be a bridesmaid and an aunt someday, though, right?” asked Dakota.

“Yes,” Avery said confidently.

“Yay!” Dakota clapped her hands like a seal.

Maddie appreciated her exuberance, though she was much more reserved than Cody’s sister.

“When will you move in?” Maddie asked.