“Thank you.” I take them from him and drop a twenty-dollar bill into the tip jar. “Well, it was good seeing you, Talia. I’m going to?—”
“Oh, I’ll come with you,” she says, cutting me off. “Let me say hello to the girls.”
“I’m sure you don’t have to do that.”
“I’d love to,” she says. “I’d love to see what little dinky dress Miapicked up from the local boutique. Probably something that the girls inLittle House on the Prairiewould wear.” She laughs loudly, but the sound is like a cackle to my ears.
“Okay, well, let’s go,” I say, walking back across the room to Mia and her friends.
Mia looks up, and I can see the way her expression hardens when she sees Talia.
“Hey, here’s your drink. Talia wanted to come and say hello.”
“I’m sure she did,” Mia says. “Hi, Talia.”
“Oh, well, look at that dress. It’s so cute, Mia. Let me guess—you got it at Walmart?” She cackles again.
I see Juniper’s expression change, and she looks like she wants to slap her. I watch Mia grab her friend’s arm and squeeze, and Juniper looks at her. Mia shakes her head, and Juniper releases a small sigh.
“No, I didn’t get it at Walmart, but thank you for admiring the dress.”
“Let me guess—Target?” Talia says.
Mia just shakes her head. “Nope.”
“Ooh, one more guess, one more guess. Did you get it at Marshalls?”
“No.”
“You got it at Ross or Kohl’s, or?—”
“You know what, Talia? You’re trying to insult me, but I really like those stores and shopping there.”
“Oh, I can tell, darling,” Talia says, shaking her head. “I can very much tell that you shop at those stores, and that’s where ninety-nine-point-nine percent of your clothes are from. The other percentage is probably from thrift shops, right?”
“I don’t see anything wrong with thrift shops,” Mia says, and her tone escalates.
“I thought I heard your voice,” Rafe says.
Both Mia and I turn to the side. Rafe takes a step toward us and then notices Talia.
“Oh, hey, Talia.”
“Hello, Rafe. Fancy seeing you here.” There’s something in her expression that tells me that she and Rafe have had it out.
“Well, you know, the local vet does get invited to these things.” He walks over to Mia and gives her a big hug. “Looking beautiful,sis.”
“Thank you.” He looks over at Juniper and offers her a small nod.
She smiles at him in return.
Interesting, I think to myself.
There seems to be some sort of coldness between them, and I don’t understand what it is.
Finally, he turns to me and offers me his hand. “Good to see you, Luke.”
“You too, Rafe.”
