Lilac sighs. “I told you using a model rocket was a bad idea.”
I giggle. “Because your idea of using a real rocket was better?”
“I’ve always wanted to build a rocket.”
I cock an eyebrow. “Rocket doesn’t exactly spell environmental engineer.”
Lilac is an environmental engineer who works for the town. Since Winter Falls’ claim to fame is being the first carbon neutral town in the world, she has a lot of work to do. She’s currently tackling some biomass energy project. Don’t ask me any questions, though. I never met a science class I liked.
“Which is why I didn’t build one.”
“Juniper!” Ellery screeches. “Your cat is doing the creepy stare thing. I swear he’s plotting how to tear my face off with as much pain as possible.”
Juniper grunts before standing and picking up the cat. She cuddles the animal to her chest before kissing its nose. “Meowise wouldn’t hurt a fly,” she proclaims before switching to baby talking her cat. “Would you, girl?”
I snort. “Sure she wouldn’t because she’s not the one who leaves little presents of dead mice and vole at the back door for me to find in the morning.”
Juniper kisses the cat’s nose. “It’s her way of showing her affection.”
Another reason I need my business to earn more money. I need to find my own place to live before I become the victim of the cat. I swear I’ve woken up with her staring down at my face, plotting my murder, on more than one occasion.
“Can we get on with this meeting? I’m meeting Lyric at Electric Vibes as soon as we’re finished here,” Aspen says.
Ellery rolls her eyes. “As if you didn’t spend most of the day with your fiancé already.”
“Watch it. Your jealousy is showing.”
“I could do with a margarita,” Juniper adds.
Aspen frowns. “You weren’t invited.”
“You’re not the owner of Electric Vibes. If I want to go to the bar and drink a margarita, you can’t stop me. Everyone knows I’m Lennon’s favorite West sister.”
Lennon is the owner of the bar. His favorite West sister is whichever West sister is picking up the bar tab.
“I could use a drink,” Lilac adds, and everyone gapes at her. “What? I can have a bad day, too.”
“What’s wrong? Did one of your sexual partners stand you up?” Lilac announced last month at book club that she has several sexual partners with whom she has ‘arrangements’. I’m still shocked, to be honest.
She purses her lips. “As a matter of fact, I had to cancel a meeting, because my boss asked me to work during lunchtime.”
Aspen rubs her hands together. “Can you describe your grumpy boss to us? I need imagery.”
Ellery smacks Aspen’s shoulder. “What are you talking about? Why would you need imagery? You’re the one having all the fiancé sex you can manage.”
Aspen smirks. “It’s true. I am.”
The green monster in me roars to be let out to unleash its anger about how unfair the world is on Aspen. I shove the monster back down. It’s wrong. Aspen spent a decade in misery because of a misunderstanding with Lyric. She doesn’t deserve my anger.
“Now the dog’s eyeballing me as if he’s planning to rip my throat out,” Ellery says.
Juniper sighs before grabbing the dog by its collar and pulling him away from her. “Bark Twain would never rip your throat out. Lick you to death? Yes. Hurt you? Never.”
Bark Twain proceeds to prove her point by licking her face.
“Do you know how many bacteria and parasites are on a dog’s tongue?” Lilac asks. When no one answers her, she lists them. “Salmonella, pasteurella, campylobacter, cryptosporidium, leptospira, giardia, ringworm, and hookworm.”
“You don’t have any silly bacteria or parasites. Do you Bark Twain?” Great. The baby talking to dogs portion of the evening has commenced. This could last a while.