Page 45 of The Charmed Friends of Trove Isle
Liz took a breath, realizing that she and Rose were regressing back to childhood when they’d briefly lived in the same house together and squabbled like toddlers. “And how do you know who plays at the bar? You’re not old enough to go to Oliver’s.”
Rose shrugged, but she didn’t answer. Rose wasn’t old enough to get a piercing on her own either, but she’d found a way.
“Just tell me where you’re going. I’m responsible for you while Mom and Dad are away.” Turning, Liz headed into the kitchen to grab a bite to eat. She was tired of verbally sparring with her sister.
“I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying here. Devin is coming over.” Rose stepped up to the kitchen bar.
“Devin’s still a girl?” Liz clarified.
Rose rolled her eyes. “We’re having a girls’ night, same as you.”
Liz rolled her lips together. “Except my girls’ night is strictly friends. No romance.”
Rose’s brows dived inward. “So is mine. Devin and I aren’t into one another. We’re friends, duh.”
Liz held up her hands. “Sorry. Just clarifying.” She reached for a banana from the basket on the counter and unpeeled it. “A girls’ night sounds like fun.” A night where Liz wouldn’t have to leave the house sounded preferable to one that had her riding shotgun in a car after dark. She had to admit there was some tiny part of her that was excited at the idea that Matt might see her in her new clothes.
“So, this Melody person—she’s an old friend of yours?” Rose asked.
Liz took a bite of her banana. “Yeah. And look.” She held out her arm. “She found the old bracelet we used to share.”
Rose stepped over to take a closer look at the bracelet. “That’s pretty cool.” For once, her tone wasn’t sarcastic.
Liz put her banana down and turned the bracelet on her wrist, showing off the few charms that dangled from the links. “Alyssa gave it to us.”
“Alyssa is the one who died?”
Liz swallowed past a rush of pain. Even after all this time, it was still hard to imagine that one of her best friends was gone. Rose had been a small child when everything went down. Too young to understand the gravity of the situation. “You remind me of her.”
Rose’s brow furrowed as she looked up. “Me?”
“Alyssa was a force to be reckoned with. If anyone told her no, she was more determined to do whatever her mind was set to. When she was a freshman in high school, she tried for the lead in the school play. Everyone told her to go out for a small role because the leads always went to seniors. She didn’t care. She auditioned as if the main part was already hers.”
“Did she get it?” Rose asked.
“Oh, yeah. Alyssa could do anything she set her mind to. She was fearless, unlike me.” Liz let her arm drop back to her side.
“You don’t give yourself enough credit. You’re not so bad,” Rose said.
Liz let out a weak laugh. “I guess that’s supposed to be a compliment.”
“I mean, you were pretty brave to take me on for the summer. ”
“Not that I really had a choice in the matter. Mom and Dad were going and you weren’t.”
The corner of Rose’s mouth quirked. “You could have said no. I’d have had to stay with Grandma Sarah though.”
The thought made Liz cringe. “You would have been the death of Grandma Sarah. But you’re not so bad either.”
“That’s kind of an insult coming from you.” Rose’s tone was teasing and almost warm.
Liz laughed out loud. “Well, it was supposed to be a compliment. You’re not the easiest roommate, but I think we’re finding our groove. Maybe?”
“I don’t know. Your rules kind of suck,” Rose muttered. “And you’re a pain in the butt.”
“You’re a bigger pain in mine. You’ve driven me to drink tonight after all.”
Rose cocked her head. “I’ll come with you if you buy me a Long Island Iced Tea. I’ll use my fake ID to get in.”
