Page 6 of Vodka and Chocolate Drops

“I don’t blame her,” Mary Alice said. “He put her in a book. All her private thoughts and dreams. Right there, exposed for the world.”

Amber’s legs lost their strength. “All of them?”

“And it’s okay that you love Sir Studly. I mean Scott. We’ve all known it for some time.” She patted Amber’s hand as though she was distressed--which she was.

“I’m not--we’re not--we’refriends.”

What had Russell said in his book? And why was Mary Alice referring to Scott as Sir Studly?

“Oh, it’s really not a big shocker,” Mary Alice said. “Don’t worry, Amber. And his mother likes you just fine.”

“But I--”

“Now,” Liz said, eyebrows raised hopefully, “with Russell out of the picture and things out in the open about your feelings, are the two of you finally going to start dating?”

“Actually, Liz, I wanted you to be the first to hear that we eloped earlier today,” Amber deadpanned, not quite believing the direction the conversation had gone. Scott was her best friend. Had they all lost their minds?

“You did?” Liz exclaimed, hands clasped over her chest.

“She’s joking,” Mary Alice said, smacking her sister’s shoulder. “Come, dear.” She placed an arm around Amber. “Let’s feed you.”

“I’m okay, really. Russell and I were never meant to be. Our breakup was mutual. We’re both going off in different directions right now. He’s an author and I’m… I’m, um…”

She really should have stuck with her script.

“That’s what everyone says after they’ve run their ex’s mobile office off the side of a cliff. You must feel as light as the mountain breeze right now,” Mary Alice chirped, pushing what looked like one of Benny’s chocolate maven pies into Amber’s hands.

“Is this from Benny’s?” Amber asked, lifting the plastic lid. It was. Her mother had worked at Benny’s Big Burger since before Amber was born, having never used her beauty school training. Whenever Amber was down and out Benny’s chef, Leif, gave her a slice of chocolate pie and a tall glass of milk on the house. It was one of the best things about growing up in a small town.

A “Whoop!”sounded behind them as they headed toward the house. Scott flashed his emergency lights in greeting.

“What’s he up to? He’s going to be late for meat loaf night,” Mary Alice muttered. She raised her voice so Scott could hear. “It’s chocolate therapy time, honey. I’m not sure with that testosterone of yours that you’re equipped for this.”

He grinned, but instead of joining them he called out his window, waving a stack of envelopes held by a rubber band. “Amber’s mail. Thought she might want it.”

Liz snatched it from his hands. “Very thoughtful. Now get going. Your mother is waiting.”

“You sure you don’t want to join us, Amber?” Scott asked, looking pointedly at the two sisters, who were determined to get her inside lickety-split so they could start pumping her for gossip.

Amber waved him away. She had everything under control and the sooner she redirected the gossipers from what could be seen as the explosive disintegration of her life, the better. With a shake of his head, Scott backed down the driveway. He made a phone signal with his thumb and pinky, letting her know he’d bail her out if the sisters got to be too much.

Amber had the best friend ever.

She ushered the women to the house. “Come in or you’ll start feeding the mosquitoes.”

“I heard they bite,” Liz replied, as her sister added, “Not at all tame.”

“Come in already and quit feeding the wildlife,” Amber said from the doorway.

“Have you seen Jen lately?” Liz asked, referring to Amber’s friend Jen Kulak who ran a guiding business out of Wally’s Sporting Goods. Last summer she’d been involved in a forest fire investigation and had fallen in love with the investigator, Rob Raine.

Liz, making herself at home in the kitchen, gathered plates and forks for pie. Amber wanted to tell her to skip the plates, since they’d undoubtedly be finishing the whole thing and might as well eat straight from the dish.

“Rumor is she’s pregnant,” Liz said.

The sisters were going to bait and switch. Warm Amber up with other gossip, disarm her, then get her talking about herself before she noticed.

Nope. No way. Her lips were zipped. Nothing was coming out of her mouth unless it was part of her plan.

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