Page 65 of Talk Wicked to Me

The sound of laughter drew her attention, and she tucked the beginning of tonight’s new memory away with the others.

She grabbed her bag with the cookies and her book in it and tried to ignore the mix of excitement at being out with Madigan and the girls, guilt for feeling that way when it meant leaving Brennan, and anxiety over meeting new people that was gathering in her chest. She followed solar lights illuminating a path through the woods. When she reached the beach, she was floored to see elaborate decorations. The girls, dressed in cowgirl boots and Western outfits, were gathered around Madigan, looking at something. They stood beneath lights that were strung between several tall cacti. The lights crisscrossed over an area with hay bales set up around a large round table draped in red cloth and loaded with food and drinks and a few flickering lights.

Madigan looked up, and a wide smile bloomed across her face. “Emerson’s here! Hey, Em!”

All the girls turned to look, and Emerson’s nerves flared as she waved and made her way across the sand. She recognized Evie, Leah, and Starr, and she was pretty sure the tall, thin blonde wearing a dress similar to her own was Chloe, but there were a few others she didn’t recognize.

“Hey, girl!” Evie ran over, holding a cowgirl hat on her head. She looked cute in cutoffs and a plaid shirt tied at the waist. “I’m so glad you made it.” She surprised Emerson by throwing her arms around her in a hug and walking her over to the group.

“You look amazing,” Madigan said, and she hugged her, too. She wore a denim miniskirt and a sexy top that had a picture of a cow’s skull and THIS AIN’T MY FIRST RODEO across the chest.

“So do all of you,” Emerson said. “I didn’t mean to interrupt whatever you were doing.”

“I was just showing everyone my cousin Dixie’s little boy. She’s in the book club, but she lives in Peaceful Harbor, Maryland.” She held up her phone, showing her an adorable, pudgy-cheeked baby with a shock of brownish-red hair. “Meet Maximus Byron Stone. Byron is my uncle Biggs’s real name. Max is somewhere around six months old.”

“That’s a big name for a big boy, and what a cutie,” Emerson exclaimed.

“He’s almost as cute as your little boy,” Leah said, looking sexy in tight jeans and a Western shirt with fringed sleeves.

“And Leo,” Emerson pointed out.

“I hope you brought pictures of Brennan, because the rest of us are dying to see him,” the tall blonde said. “I’m Chloe, by the way, Justin’s wife.”

“Hi. Please tell me that’s Maverick’s real name, because I swear he said his wife was Chloe,” Emerson said.

They all laughed.

“Justin is Maverick’s real name,” Chloe said. “I knew him as Justin first, and it stuck.”

“Whew. He’s so nice. I’d love to see pictures of your little girl, too,” Emerson said.

“You can all share baby pictures after I introduce Emerson to the others,” Madigan promised. “Pay attention, Em. I didn’t bring name tags.” She pointed to each person as she introduced them. “The sexy blonde with enviable blue eyes and that killer dimple in her chin is Blaine’s buttercup, Reese, and the brunette babe next to her with blue streaks in her hair is Steph, Gunner’s other bestie besides Sid.” Reese and Steph were both curvy, like Emerson. “And if you’re wondering why Sid isn’t here, it’s because she’s still scarred from a BDSM book club meeting we had. She refuses to come back.”

“She’d rather watch Tom Hardy movies with Gunner,” Steph said. “Those two were made for each other.”

“If I had a man like Gunner, I’d do the same thing,” Starr chimed in, and everyone laughed.

Madigan took the hand of the gorgeous and petite olive-skinned brunette beside her and said, “And this hottie is Marly. She’s engaged to Dante Dubois.”

“The lead guitarist for Carnal Beat?” Emerson asked.

“The one and only,” Madigan said.

Everyone greeted her. They were so friendly and happy, it took the edge off Emerson’s nerves. “It’s nice to meet you guys.” She held up her bag. “I brought cookies.”

The girls cheered.

They headed over to the table, making small talk and getting to know one another. There was enough food to feed an army, and everything adhered to the Western theme. Steak-and-bacon bites, pulled pork sliders, buffalo wings, Western-style macaroni salad, dry-rub ribs, spicy chili, corn bread, and more. The table was set with real plates and wineglasses, and there were bottles of champagne, water, iced tea, and soda. The girls oohed and aahed over Emerson’s cookies, and she gushed over all the delicious food Evie’s sister had made.

They chatted while they filled their plates for dinner, and Emerson admitted that she still felt guilty about leaving Brennan to be there. “I know he’s fine with Baz, but I’ve never left him before.”

“I totally get it. It’s hard when they’re that young. Leah, Starr, and I have both been there,” Chloe said.

“And in some ways, so has Reese,” Madigan said. “She’s basically been raising Colette forever. Right, Reese?”

Reese nodded. “My mom is a mess, and Lettie’s a lot younger than me. She’s only sixteen. I remember hating to leave her with my mom when she was a baby and I had to go to school.”

Madigan put her arm around Reese. “You’re such a good big sister.”