Page 43 of Sully

“To being just witchy enough to be mysterious, but not enough to get burned at the stake,” Luna said after a moment.

“Hear hear,” Layna agreed. “Though you’re not reallylivingif some old-timey man didn’t want to declare you a witch.”

“To tequila,” Sully said, giving me another moment to come up with my own toast. “The only spirit we’re summoning tonight.”

Then, just like—ha!—magic, it came to me just in time.

“To exes who don’t want to stay buried, and the shovels that make sure they do.”

“Girl, heavy on all of that,” Layna said, draining her glass and turning to work on another batch as Sully’s chuckle vibrated into me. I was never so proud of myself as I was right then. Maybe that was sad, but it felt good to feel part of a group, to fit in, to say the right thing for a change.

Layna stole my glass to refill, and I turned toward Sully as another hot flash moved through me, making me strip out of the duster. “Hold this,” I demanded, shoving it at him.

“Gladly,” he agreed, giving me a sweet smile.

But then I was dragging off my shirt, and panic filled his eyes.

“Uh-oh. Not another stripper,” Gracie groaned.

“I have another—“ I said, struggling against the arms of my sweatshirt. “Shirt. On. Under. Help,” I grumbled, trapped.

There was another chuckle from Sully before his hands grabbed the shirt and carefully extracted me from it, leaving me standing there in the loose tee I had on underneath.

“Thank you,” I said as the cool air washed over me.

“Better?” he asked.

“Much. Give me back my duster.”

“Oh, thank God,” Gracie said, the genuine relief making me wonder just how many times she had to deal with drunk friends who shamelessly stripped out of their clothes in public places. “See, Layna? She’s putting clothes backon.”

“Because she’s not drunk enough yet,” Layna said, passing me my glass back. “Don’t worry. We’ll get you there.”

By the time we made our way to the living room for the movie, I was wobbling on my feet.

“Don’t worry,” Sully said beside me, his hand slipping across my lower back and sinking into my hip. “I’ve got you.”

Way too tipsy to think better of it, I leaned in and took a deep breath. “You smell good,” I said. “Did I tell you that?”

“You haven’t.”

“Peaches and vanilla,” I added with a nod.

“Shampoo and a matching lotion,” he told me.

“I like it,” I told him as we moved into the living room just in time to see Layna grab Luna’s arm and pull her off the couch, leaving it open for the two of us.

“I have to give Fallon credit,” Layna said, rubbing her hands up and down the arms of the matching chairs she and Luna now occupied. “These were a good purchase.”

“There was never enough seating around here,” Gracie agreed, sitting in one of the recliners across from them. “Okay, let’s get this movie going. I have brunch with Willa tomorrow morning.”

“What? How come I wasn’t invited?” Layna asked.

“Because we both know that you never peel yourself out of bed before noon. Later on weekends.”

“Hey, what can I say? I work a nighttime profession.”

“That kind of makes you sound like a sex worker,” Gracie said with a drunken little giggle.

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