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“Fabulous. I don’t know what you did, but it’s really good.” Esme beamed and tossed her dark hair over her shoulder.
Stormy started howling, so we knew Em and Natalie had arrived. After the pets had gotten to welcome the humans, they came over to see what was happening in the kitchen.
“Hello friends,” Em said, giving us all hugs. I got hugs from her and Natalie. “Can we take a minute to congratulate Paige and Esme?” She grabbed a glass of sangria.
“To Paige and Esme!” we all cheered.
“Do you guys have any plans for an engagement party?” Natalie asked.
Paige leaned against Esme, who put her arm around her. Esme was in her usual black, and Paige was all in pastels, but they balanced each other out perfectly.
“Yeah, we’re definitely going to have one, probably at the bar. We wanted to wait until Linley was back so we could plan something,” Paige said.
Stormy started howling again and there was a knock at the door.
“Oh, that’s probably Sasha,” Paige said, going to let her new friend in.
“Oh, hello!” A bright voice said, and we all watched as Paige’s friend came in, greeted the friendly dog and cat, and gave Paige a hug.
“I’m so sorry I’m late, I’m still figuring out the geography of this place,” she said, rolling her eyes. It wasn’t until she came closer that I got a good look. Her hair was a gorgeous copper color and fell in loose waves to her shoulders. Freckles covered every inch of visible skin like constellations, and she was even shorter than Paige, which was saying something because Paige was pretty tiny.
There was a wildness about her, an energy that looked like it was ready to burst out.
I liked her instantly.
“Hi, I’m Charli,” I said. “I just moved here about a year ago, so I’m happy to give you any Castleton survival tips.” I shook her freckled hand.
She laughed. “I’m going to need them. I’m not sure if I’ll survive living here.”
Everyone else introduced themselves, and Paige declared that dinner was ready.
“Do you want chicken or salmon?” Paige asked Sasha.
“I’m fine with whatever,” she said, accepting a glass from Esme.
Since the temperature was perfect outside, we carried everything out to the tables that Paige and Esme had set up together to make one long table with room enough for everyone.
“This is seriously so nice, Paige,” Sasha said, piling her plate high with watermelon, cucumber, feta, and mint salad.
“You’re welcome. It’s so weird to have you actually here and not just talk to you online,” Paige said.
“I can’t believe I’m here either,” Sasha said with a sigh. Her fork slipped out of her hand and clattered to her plate and then to the ground.
“Shit, sorry,” Sasha said.
“No worries, that’s why we have extras,” Esme said, handing her a new fork as Stormy went to investigate what had been dropped.
“Thanks,” Sasha said, her ears getting red as she accepted the replacement fork.
“So, you grew up in Maine, but moved out?” Em asked, cutting her chicken.
“Yeah, my goal was to get out and never come back. Look at me now,” Sasha said with a rueful tone. Something told me she wasn’t exactly thrilled to be in Castleton.
“How’s your sister?” Paige asked.
Sasha just groaned. “I told her that he was a loser. I told her that he would fuck her over. Did she listen to me? No. And now my niece’s father has abandoned her and we have to go to court so he’ll pay his damn child support.”
She stabbed her salmon viciously with a fork.
