“All right, girls, enough of hearing about my damn woes. What’ll be? Cosmos like usual?” Kayla asked.
“For me, definitely.” I turned to look at Zoe. “You usually drink cider. Are you up for trying something different?”
Zoe had her phone out and was looking at something. “That’s what you guys were drinking? I thought it was martinis.” I figured out she was looking up the recipe.
“Eww, no. Not a gin and olives fan,” I told her. “Interested?” Zoe was rapidly nodding her head and I looked over at my sister to confirm if that was okay and she agreed. “Great, three Cosmos and a table order of loaded potato skins, please.”
Kayla tapped the order into her tablet. “There’s a couple tables ahead of you, but I’ll bring everything out as quick as I can. I just labeled you VIPs, so that might speed up the kitchen.” With a wave, she left to go to another table.
“I can’t believe a scam like that would happen here in Poplar Springs. It’s wild to think someone would do that,” Zoe said.
“Right? Like Kayla said, she had no reason to think he wasn’t legit. She actually met anddatedthis guy,” Fiona added. I couldn’t believe it and hearing about it made me glad that I hadn’t tried dating anyone new. “I have to admit that I’m glad I’m with Eli. If I were to start over dating, I’d probably have to run background checks on every guy who might look my way.”
“No kidding. I’m glad I have Josh.” Zoe froze and the two of them turned to look at me.
“What?”
Zoe lowered her voice. “Well, Fi and I both have partners and?—”
“Before you even think of dating anyone new, you better tell us about him first, so we can make sure he’s not a scam artist,” Fiona finished. Zoe nodded.
I grinned at their earnestness and loyalty. “And how exactly would you do that?” I asked my sister.
Fi appeared to ponder her answer. “Well, we could bring him out on the advanced trail and leave him staked out in the sun until he admits to any wrongdoing he has planned.”
“What?” I stared at my sister in shock. “Fiona!”
Zoe was shaking her finger back and forth. “Nope. I think you have that backward. We save that for when hedoesdo something wrong.”
My sister opened her mouth to say something and then blew out a small breath. “Okay, yeah. That makes more sense.” She rubbed her hands together. “Either way, we’ve got your back.”
I was saved from saying anything more when Kayla returned with our drinks. “Food will be up in a jiffy,” she said before leaving.
We each grabbed the glass in front of us and took a sip. I watched Zoe’s eye light up and she took a second sip. “Like it?”
She nodded her head. “This is delicious. I can’t believe I thought you were drinking martinis. This is way better.”
“I want to make a toast,” Fiona informed us, holding up her glass. When we did the same, she looked first at me, then at Zoe. “Caffertys for life,” she declared.
“Caffertys for life,” Zoe and I repeated. It was something Josh, Fi, and I always said and it touched my heart that she was including Zoe. I turned to Zoe.
“I am so happy that you’re going to become our sister,” I told her blinking away the wetness starting to form in my eyes.
“Me too,” Fiona said, lifting her glass again.
Zoe blushed. “Thank you. Both of you. It’s going to be great having sisters and I couldn’t imagine anyone better than you two.”
“Awww, look at us being all emotional and shit,” Fiona said breaking the moment and making us laugh.
Kayla returned with our food and there was silence at the table as we dug in to the cheesy carbs. I had to admit that I was having a good time. I’d been so wrapped up in my head with everything going on that I needed this break. And who better to spend it with than my sister and best friend? My thoughts immediately shifted over to a certain vet who I was pretending not to crush on. Josh was right. I needed to talk to Declan about options for changes in my breeding program, which meant pulling up my big girl pants and asking him.
The band finished their break. After tuning up their instruments, they began playing the “Watermelon Crawl” and the entire bar erupted in cheers. Fiona leaped up, almost toppling her chair over.
“I haven’t heard this song in ages. Come on, let’s join the line.”
“I don’t know, Fi, I’m a terrible dancer,” Zoe said.
“That’s just because you let your head rule your feet,” Fiona told her. “Come on.” She grabbed our hands and pulled us out to the dance floor.
