Page 44 of The Charmed Friends of Trove Isle
“Okay,” Liz said, looking over.
Melody turned to her and lifted a brow. “Okay?”
“I’m agreeing to a girls’ night. But no guys. We go out together, we come home together.”
Melody’s grin was back in full force. “I’m not much of a dater either, to tell the truth. I’ve got commitment issues.”
Liz laughed. “Some things never change.”
“But sometimes things do,” Melody said.
Liz heard the serious note in Melody’s voice. She was right. Things did change. People changed. One thing that remained true, however, was this bond between them. There was a trauma bond, yes, but they were bonded before the accident. They were soulmates, not in a romantic sense. Soulmates in the sense that friends could click from the first hello and feel like they’d known one another all their lives. “Thanks for going with me today,” Liz said.
“Thanks for making me.”
Liz stepped out of the car and waved as she walked inside her home and headed straight to the fridge. She pulled out the orange juice and poured herself a glass half full. After drinking it all, she lifted the mail off the counter and thumbed through bills, pausing on a postcard from Ecuador. The front showed a picture of a large crater lake with the words LAGUNA QUILOTOA at the bottom. Liz paused to admire the beauty of the picture, wishing that she was there. She couldn’t even drive a car though. Getting on a plane and leaving the country was out of the question. Not that her parents had invited her on this trip.
Liz quickly turned it over and read her mom’s handwriting.
Hello girls!
Mami is doing so much better, and your father and I are having a great time here. It feels so good to be in my family’s homeland. Long overdue. We miss you both, of course, but we’re sure you’re taking care of each other. This summer will be a great bonding time for you both!
Your dad and I can’t wait to hear about all the adventures you’re having. Mami and the rest of the family send their love. They want you to come with us next time—because, yes, there will be more visits. This trip has felt like coming home to me in so many ways. My heart is with my daughters, but a piece of it is also here in Ecuador.
Love,
Mom
Liz sighed, allowing herself to miss her parents for a beat. Then she hurried about to prepare for her girls’ night with Melody. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had one of these. Probably not since before she was old enough to drink.
An hour later, she headed into the kitchen and started to prepare a cup of tea when she was startled by the sound of her front door opening and slamming shut. She was still getting used to the idea that someone else had a key to her house. She’d lived alone for so long that she jumped a little at the sound of her doorknob turning.
Rose walked in and gave Liz a once-over. “What are you wearing?”
Liz looked down at her outfit as well, feeling slightly uncomfortable. She felt good too though. “I’m having a girls’ night with Melody. It’s our last chance before she heads back to Charlotte on Sunday. Will you be okay here on your own?” Liz asked, suddenly worried.
Rose smirked as she tilted her head to one side. “Who says I’m staying here by myself?”
Liz felt that familiar ping of anxiety in her chest. “Where are you going?”
Rose didn’t respond. Instead, she continued to assess Liz’s attire. “I like this look on you. But you need a little . . .” She unfolded her arms and stepped closer to Liz, reaching up to mess with Liz’s hair.
“Hey!” Liz swatted Rose’s hand away too late. “What are you doing?”
“Fixing your hair.” Rose reached up again and pulled out the pins that Liz had neatly tucked on the side of her head. Then she rustled Liz’s hair before nodding with a satisfied look. “Will he be there?” Rose lifted her expertly tweezed brows. Liz had never gotten her eyebrows done. She thought lying on a table while someone ripped hair off her face would be pretty anxiety-inducing.
“Will who be there?” Liz asked.
Rose folded her arms again. “Oh, come on. It’s so obvious. You have a huge thing for Deputy Coffey. And he sometimes plays music at Oliver’s on Friday nights.”
“I do not have a thing for him,” Liz countered although her cheeks felt flushed.
“You do too.”
“Do not.”
“Yeah, you do.”
