Page 86 of Firecracker

She nodded. She knew what she had to do. “Yes, we are.” She smiled at her brother again. “Don’t worry, it’s all good, Jamie. No big deal. Do you have room for dessert?”

“Hell yeah.”

“Good. I picked up raspberries at the market yesterday; they’re so good. And I made little meringues.” While Jamie cleared away their dishes, she set the meringues onto plates and topped them with berries and whipped cream.

They were just finishing when someone knocked on her door. They both turned as the door opened and Mila’s head poked in. She’d been out with Garth. “Oh hey. You’re both here.”

“Come on in.” Arden waved a hand. “Want some dessert?”

Mila walked in and instantly Arden knew something was wrong. Mila’s usual smile was absent, and she shook her head at the offer of dessert. “No thanks.”

“What’s wrong?” Arden asked.

Jamie frowned, apparently not picking up on Mila’s mood.

“Nothing.” Mila took a seat on another stool. She pointed at the bottle of Chardonnay sitting on the counter. “I’ll have a glass of that, though.”

Arden slid a sideways glance at Jamie, then back to Mila. “Sure.” She slipped off her stool and grabbed a glass from a cupboard. “Here you go.”

Mila emptied the bottle into her glass, nearly overflowing it, then took a big gulp.

Arden bit her lip. “Something’s definitely wrong.”

Mila’s head dropped forward. “Garth and I broke up.”

Arden sucked in a sharp breath. “Oh no.”

“What?” Jamie’s eyebrows flew up. “You broke up?”

“Yeah.” Mila sniffed, then squared her shoulders, lifted her head, and chugged back more wine. “But it’s fine.”

“Are you okay, hon?” Arden reached out to cover Mila’s hand with hers.

“Yeah. I’m good.”

“Why’d you break up with him?” Jamie asked, a perplexed pleat between his eyebrows.

“Hebroke up withme.” Mila shook back her hair. “He’s met someone else.”

“Motherfucker,” Jamie growled. “He was cheating on you?”

“I don’t know. He says he wasn’t, but I’m pretty sure this has been going on for a while.”

“Asshole.”

“I never even got to meet him so I could decide that firsthand,” Arden said. “But yeah, I agree.”

A tear slid out of Mila’s eye and down her smooth cheek. Arden’s heart clenched in sympathy.

Jamie pulled in a breath and his head jerked back. “Hell, Mila…don’t cry.” He looked like he wanted to bolt.

Arden took pity on him. “You can take off, if you want. I’ll take care of her.”

Mila just nodded glumly.

Jamie’s mouth twisted into a conflicted expression. Arden read his concern for Mila, mingled with discomfort. “You sure? I, uh, can stay…”

Mila waved a hand. “S’okay, Jamie. Don’t worry. I’ll be fine. I’ll be at work tomorrow.”

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