"Hey, it has become quite a fun game to come up with creative names for the creatures. Furry little death-evaders."
"House raccoon!" Tilly said in a high-pitched voice. "Oh, prozac dog! That's my favorite."
Ursula and Eloise looked at each other and at the same time shouted, "Apathetic murder puffs!"
"Ohmygosh this pie is amazing. Is this a pretzel crust?"
"Pretzel, graham cracker and butter with sea salt and honey," Kelsea said nodding in an exaggerated movement giving away her slow, softly inebriated state.
"Oh, I love butter. I think I have an attraction to it, actually," Eloise said licking pie off the silver tines of her fork and looking at it lovingly.
"I think I have an attraction to that new police chief," Tilly said and then covered her mouth with a slap of her hand.
"I think he liked looking at you, sugar," Crystal said in a slow, sly way.
"There's something about him. He brings a certain presence," Ursula added smiling at a fully flushed Tilly.
Crystal's face was thoughtful at Ursula's words, her eyes lost in thoughts she kept inside, but no one noticed as they ribbed their friend and talked about the new chief.
"Ahhh Tilly!" Jen said loudly, pointing at the red-faced woman who had her hand over her mouth lest she let more confessions loose.
Laughter and bursts of chatter were heard around the group, which was less of a circle now, and more of a dilapidated oblong.
"Speaking of boyfriends, can we all talk about the aloof lint-licker in the room?" Jen asked and when everyone gave her a confused look she waved an arm. "Elephant in the room but we're more of an aloof lint-licker community and Sulphur and Georgia joined us."
"I should get a cat!" Eloise said suddenly. "Everyone seems to have adopted a cat."
"No one has adopted a cat, darling. They adopt us," Crystal said with a wink and giggle that was absolutely charming on her.
"Wait, what is the cat in the room?" Ursula asked, suddenly fixated on Jen who looked up with a pursed mouth and alcohol-kissed confusion.
Then she held up a red manicured finger and said, "Ah! Yes. Boyfriends. Speaking of boyfriends among us."
"Ohmygosh are you into men now? Because I will need to call the Chief and correct my earlier statement," Tilly said with drunkenly honest, wide-eyed concern. "There really is something about him, isn't there? I can't put my finger on it," Tilly mused.
"Girl, no. Still have both high-heeled feet firmly in the female camp. Men are gross."
Tilly nodded with a serious look on her sweet face. "That they are. How anyone argues that who you're attracted to is up to you is beyond me. I've had so many terrible experiences dating men, I would not be attracted to them by choice."
Kelsea grabbed onto Eloise as silent laughter took over her body and Eloise wrapped her arms around her. "You smell like blackberries and an ocean tide," Eloise said and squeezed her. Kelsea leaned her drooping head on her shoulder with a lazy smile.
"No, the boyfriend thing," Jen said, snapping her fingers to get all of their tipsy, possibly more than tipsy for most, attention. "Detective Taylor White. He is besotted with our Eloise."
"Oooohh," Tilly said, swinging her gaze to where Eloise sat still clutching Kelsea, who was looking at her with a dopey smile and nodding happily.
"He is not," Eloise said, feeling a pang simultaneously with a zing of magic. She hadn't told anyone about their kiss. It was a buried thing, six feet under. She just hoped she would break the habit of visiting that grave.
"He so is," Tilly argued and then looked to Ursula who was dropping a drunken blackberry into her mouth. "Right, Urs?"
She froze and looked over at Eloise who was glaring but her friend smiled slyly and leaned forward. "I swear that man is beyond besotted with our little mermaid."
Whoops went around the group but Eloise quieted them down and said, "He can't. He's cursed and can't fall in love."
"So?" Jen asked.
"So, he doesn't date because he doesn't want to hurt anyone. I think it's honest and noble."
They all stared at her, then looked at each other before bursting out laughing.
