Chapter 19
Erin
Friday finally came, which meant girls' night with Aurelia and Skye. I was excited and overwhelmed all at once. This meant real friends, bonding. Something I hadn't had since I left Chicago a little over three years ago.
I was halfway out the door when something caught my eye.
A huge bouquet of roses splayed across the coffee table.
These weren't your run-of-the-mill red; they were a deep, almost maroon shade that seemed to swallow the light around them.
Curiosity piqued, I edged closer and plucked the card from its perch among the thorns.
"For Erin," it read, with no hint of who might have sent them.
Ashton? My mind ticked over the possibilities, which were pretty much Ashton, but the buzz of my phone snapped me to the present.
I glanced at my phone and scanned the text message. A group chat with Skye and Aurelia. Aurelia sent her and Skye's address. Then another message popped up.
Aurelia: Come whenever you're ready.
Another message came through. This one from Skye.
Skye: Like now! Let's get this party started.
I laughed.
Leaving now.
With one last glance at the mysterious flowers, I stepped into the warm evening air and made my way to my car as I plugged the address into the GPS on my phone.
The drive seemed to stretch on forever, winding through streets that grew increasingly opulent with each passing mile, then turned into a few miles of country road.
When I arrived at Aurelia and Skye's place, my breath hitched as I stopped in front of the closed gates.
It wasn't just a house; it was an estate, a sprawling manor that looked like it had been plucked from an English countryside and dropped here, on the outskirts of our little town.
"Whoa." The gate opened seemingly automatically. I eased forward, pulled around the circular driveway, and parked.
I approached the grandiose entrance, heart pounding with nerves and excitement. The doorbell echoed through the cavernous entryway, a deep, resounding chime that felt like it shook the foundation.
Seconds later, the heavy wooden door swung open, and Aurelia stood there, beaming like she'd won the lottery. "Erin, you're here." Her enthusiasm was infectious, and any remnants of my awe-induced stupor vanished.
"Hey," I said before she reached out, her grasp warm and welcoming as she pulled me into the foyer.
"Come in, come in." The interior was just as impressive as the exterior, an expanse of marble floors and sweeping staircases.
Aurelia led me upstairs to a room filled with clothes so varied and colorful it felt like stepping into the wardrobe of a pop star.
Skye was already sifting through an array of shimmering fabrics, her eyes alight with mischief.
"We're going to look killer tonight." She tossed a sleek black dress my way.
"Whoa, is this even my size?" I asked, holding the garment against me. It was daring, something I'd never choose for myself, but tonight was about shedding old fears.
"Like it was made for you," Aurelia said, already prepping her arsenal of beauty tools.
An hour later, after a whirlwind of blush brushes and curling wands, we were transformed—Aurelia's deft hands had worked magic on us. My reflection revealed someone new: bold, vivacious, ready to embrace the night.
"Ready, ladies?" Aurelia asked, her own appearance stunning and confident in a red dress that popped against her porcelain skin and black hair.
"Let's do this," Skye said with a wink as she adjusted the strapless top of her lemon-yellow dress. It looked so good with her tan.
As a redhead, I was nearly translucent, but the black made me rather glowey, so I was a pretty happy ginger tonight.
The drive to The Creekside Tap was short, the streets quiet as we pulled into the parking lot. As we entered, the familiar clink of glasses and low hum of conversation greeted us. Aurelia waved at the man behind the bar with familiarity.
"Owned by a friend of the family," she said as we found a table.
"Hey, isn't that Nathan's cousin?" I said quietly, recognizing the bartender's broad shoulders and affable grin from neighborhood gatherings. "I can't think of his name, but I've seen him over at Nathan's a few times."
Skye's eyebrow arched slightly. "That’s Gordon. Small world, isn’t it?"
"Very." A strange sense of comfort washed over me. It felt safe here with Nathan's family.
I'd always been cautious, keeping my guard up as if expecting trouble around every corner. Here, among friends in a friendly place, the urge to finally let go took hold. One drink turned into two and then three, each sip melting away years of built-up tension.
"Erin's really going for it tonight." Skye cheered two hours later, clinking her glass against mine.
"Feels good to... to just live, you know?" I slurred slightly, the room beginning to spin just a touch too delightfully.
"Girl, we've got you," Aurelia said, her smile warm and protective. "Tonight's about fun. No worries."
As the music swirled around us and laughter bubbled from our table, I leaned back, the weight of my past troubles slipping off my shoulders. I was safe here, with them, and tonight, that was all that mattered.
"Hey there, pretty lady. Want to dance?" a voice called out from behind me.
I turned, slightly off balance, and smiled at the guy. He wasn't my type, not that I was looking. "No, thanks." I wobbled back to my seat. I caught Skye's eye across the room, and she swooped in like a guardian angel, taking his hand and leading him to the dance floor.
"Can I get you a drink?" another voice asked, this time softer, almost hesitant.
"Got one, thanks." I raised my glass with a smile before turning away. I wasn't sure how many smiles I'd given out tonight, but each one felt easier than the last.
Aurelia glared at the guy until he grew uncomfortable and left. Now that was a superpower I would love to have.
A commotion near the bar caught my attention. A man gripped a woman's arm, his fingers digging into her flesh. "Bea, come on. We're leaving."
"Stop it, you're hurting me," she protested, trying to pull away. Her voice was sharp with fear, cutting through the haze of alcohol in my brain.
"Who is that?" I asked, leaning forward to see better.
"Bea, the town lawyer," Skye said darkly, returning to our table with a frown. "That's her boyfriend. Bad news."
"Should we do something?" I wondered, sensing trouble despite the merriment around us.
"We tried once." Aurelia shook her head sadly. "She told us to mind our business."
"Doesn't seem right, though." Bea reluctantly let the man lead her out of the bar.
"Sometimes people need to find their own way out," Skye whispered. "We're monitoring the situation."
"Let's hope she does." The joy of the evening dimmed just a little as I took another sip from my glass.
"Another round, please," I said to the bartender, my voice almost getting lost in the music.
Almost, but not quite. He'd heard me. The glass he set down was cold against my hand, the liquid inside promising another layer of carefree to the night.
"Cheers!" Aurelia shouted over the noise, and we clinked our glasses together, Skye joining in with a wide grin.
"Let's dance." Skye pulled us both toward the small dance floor.
We danced, moving to the rhythm, just us girls, laughing and spinning each other around. The beats pulsed through me, and I forgot about everything else.
"Hey there," a voice cut in, and I turned to see a guy standing too close. "Mind if I join you?" It was one of the guys from earlier, the one Aurelia had stared away.
I was pretty sure, anyway. There were two of him.
"Actually, yes," Skye said sharply before I could speak. She stepped between us, her face suddenly serious. "She's not interested."
"Come on, don't be like that." He reached out toward me.
"Leave. Now," Skye growled, and something in her eyes flashed an intense blue, slitted like a cat's—or no, fiercer, like a…lizard?
Damn, I really was too drunk.
"Fine, fine, I'm going." He backed away quickly, his hands raised in surrender as he disappeared into the crowd.
"Thanks," I said to Skye, still shaken by the look in her eyes.
"Anytime," she said, a hint of the wild still lingering in her gaze. "Let's keep dancing."