Page 63 of High Note

“No exploding. I’ll send the rest of it home with y’all so you can have it for breakfast.”

“Oh, that sounds so decadent.”

“It will be. We have ice cream to go on it…” Kirsten waggled her eyebrows, teasing Skyla. She did love leftovers for breakfast. She knew that soon Skyla was going to have to get back to work, to the studio.

But not tomorrow.

“Yes, please.”

“Oh, save us a piece, love,” Evie said. “So we can do that too.”

“I have another one made for us.” Chey winked at Evie. “My wife loves pie for breakfast.”

“I do.” Evie smacked her lips. “I figure I work it off.”

“I love your body.” Cheyenne looked at Evie like she hung the moon. Every time.

Kirsten figured that she stared at Skyla like that. She had to wonder how Skyla wanted to see her. God knew, she wasn’t sure she would ever be Skyla’s one and only, but she was willing to try.

What she felt for Skyla ran so deep already.

“Y’all want to play a hand of cards?” Chey asked.

“What kind?” Skyla asked.

“Spades?”

“Oh, we’re in.” They got to play partners? Bonus!

They settled in to run a game of Spades, and an hour later, she and Skyla got to crow about clearing the table.

“Okay, okay.” Evie was laughing hard. “I’m going to seem like a sore loser, but I’m going to have to go to bed soon. I have an early drop-off. Ladies, it’s been a blast.”

“Are you kicking us out?” Kirsten asked with mock dudgeon.

“Yes. Chey gets up at four, I get up at five, and you two are night owls. Shoo.” Evie waved her hands, playfully. “Out.”

“Let’s go make music, honey,” Skyla said, grabbing her hand as they stood.

That felt so warm, good, and right. Skyla was touching her more and more in all situations.

They wandered outside, and she helped Skyla through the snow. Evie had plowed the drive up to the ranch, so Kirsten didn’t stress the drive. That was a nice damn touch, because man, that ranch road could be fierce.

“That was a hoot,” Skyla said once her teeth stopped chattering, heater vents all turned her way.

“I like them a lot. I thought you would too.”

“What happened to her—Cheyenne, I mean.”

“She was a barrel racer. Her horse died on a turn and threw her into the rail.”

Skyla gasped. “It did what?”

“True story. It was brutal.”

“Jesus Christ, KK! What the fuck?”

Kirsten should never have told Skyla her middle name was Kathleen. “It was a freak accident. Just awful. Her momma’s got all this money, and offered it to her if she’d leave Evie. Chey told her to fuck off.”

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