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“Hmph,” Eloise groused. “The others are still passed out, but we can go ahead and start whipping up some muffins if you’re hungry.”
“I never turn down muffins,” Sarah agreed. “Especially your muffins. Blueberry?”
“Always.”
The smell of breakfast in the oven and coffee brewing brought everyone to the kitchen, all of them lounging around and leaning on the counters as they waited for breakfast to be ready. Sarah entertained the others with a repeat of her story about encountering Dylan, and Eloise shook her head in amusement as they all cheered her on when they found out that he’d hit on her.
“So, Eloise’s not the only one with a cute bad boy love interest now?” Kim asked, half her face hidden behind the rim of her coffee cup. “I’m glad he’d already left by the time I woke up and went out this morning.”
Eloise frowned and pointed a butter knife at her. “You wouldn’t have had to risk it if you’d quit smoking last month like you promised.”
Kim winced. “I tried but they’re doing some sort of restructuring at work and there are rumors they’re planning to downsize my department so of course everyone is fighting to put in more hours. Have to prove you’re useful and committed to the company, right?” A muscle twitched over her left eye and her laugh was bitter. “I just couldn’t give up the only thing that calms me down. I hate it and God forbid my mom ever finds out about it, but it’s my one little guilty pleasure.”
“If you’d woken up sooner, you could have been the one meeting Mr. Tall, Dark, and Cranky and then maybe you’d have two guilty pleasures.” Sarah laughed when Kim’s cheeks turned a vibrant, horrified shade of pink.
“I can’t believe you’re interested in him,” Eloise said as she popped her head out of the oven with her hands full of muffin tin. Her memory conjured a clear picture of Dylan’s eyes, and a shiver ran through her. “He’s so … cold.”
“I’m not really interested,” Sarah picked at a blueberry on top of a muffin, her eyes suddenly wistful. “Not for anything serious. I just …”
“What’s wrong?” Kim asked when Sarah fell silent and plucked the muffin from the tin, tossing it back and forth in her hands to cool it as she frowned.
“I just need some distraction from work stress,” Sarah admitted. “Working under Dwayne is a fucking nightmare and it’s even worse knowing that should have been my job. I earned it.”
“You’re right,” Eloise said readily. “It would be nothing more than what Sun Valley deserved if you quit and took your considerable talent somewhere else. They don’t deserve you if they can’t appreciate you.”
Sarah sighed, deep and sad. “I know but if I do that, I feel like I’m just giving up. It’s like admitting that I can’t get the respect there and I hate it.”
“You want them to know how good you are before you leave,” Chloe said with a shrug. “Really rub it in.”
Sarah nodded fiercely. “Exactly, I’m tired of people feeling like they can walk all over me.”
“You’ll get your chance,” Eloise said. “I know you and if you can’t find a way then you’ll make one.”
Sarah smiled ruefully, her finger tapping restlessly on the side of her coffee cup. “Thanks, it’s good to know that I’ll always have all of you, even if my job is shitty and my dating life is shittier.”
“If all else fails, you can always move in with me and adopt a dozen cats,” Chloe said with a grin.
“That would be truly living the dream,” Sarah said, shaking her head and rolling her eyes.
“I’ll have you know that my cat lady house will be very desirable real estate.” Chloe sniffed. “At least six cats per old woman and how can you beat that offer?”
“Then let Kim live there,” Sarah said with a smirk.
“Hey,” Kim protested, tossing a piece of muffin at Sarah. “What about Eloise?”
“Eloise has her mystery man from next door,” Sarah said, tossing the muffin back at Kim and missing by a wide enough margin to send it sailing past her head and into the living room.
“He’s not my man,” she muttered, chewing morosely on her own muffin as she made a mental note to sweep up all the muffin crumbs after everyone left.
“After that smile he gave you last night I’d say he wants to be,” Chloe said.
The doorbell rang and Eloise was spared having to think of a response to that as she straightened up and tried to smooth her hair into place.
“It might be Ethan.” Sarah’s voice followed her as she left the kitchen and the others laughed when Eloise frowned over her shoulder at them.
“It’s probably Jackson or David,” Eloise said. “Ethan doesn’t have any reason to come over here.”
“You’re over here,” Chloe called,but Eloise ignored her and scurried for the door. She yanked it open as the bell rang again.
