Page 54 of September

“Shut up,” Elisa said. “Let Juliet talk more. She’s nicer than you.”

“I’m nice,” Gwen argued.

“It’s true: she is,” Juliet said as Myra walked back over to the grill. “She brought cameras over to my place for Carly so that I could see her when I’m gone, and she took her for the night while I was on my trip.”

“She did, huh?” Elisa asked.

“Yeah. I’m going to go check on the dogs,” Gwen said, standing up.

She then carried her beer out to the yard with her and picked up a tennis ball. When she tossed it into Elisa’s yard, both dogs took off through the gate that connected the yards in an attempt to be the first to get it.

“Quite an arm there, Benedetti!” Juliet yelled.

“I’m a pro at this,” Gwen replied, flexing her right arm.

Juliet’s eyebrows lifted at the sight of the muscles there, and she cleared her throat as she glanced back at Elisa, who was smiling at her knowingly.

“So…” Juliet said. “Chicken for dinner?”

When Myra announced that dinner was ready, Gwen went inside to wash her hands after playing with the dogs, and Juliet helped with the plates. She also got Gwen a fresh beer, along with another for Myra, and made her way back outside in time to find Carly lying down right next to Buster under the table.

“They’re here for the scraps,” Gwen said as she joined her and stood next to her.

“Are you messy eaters?”

“No, but they’re desperate dogs,” Gwen replied with a laugh. Then, her hand went to Juliet’s lower back over her shirt, and she asked, “Hungry?”

“Starving, actually,” Juliet admitted.

The food was delicious, and the conversation continued to flow. Juliet hadn’t wanted another beer because she was driving, but when Gwen refilled her glass of iced tea for her from the pitcher on the table, Juliet smiled over at her and, without even thinking, rubbed Gwen’s knee as a thank-you before she pulled her hand back and returned her attention to Myra, who was talking about her construction business.

Eventually, the dogs realized that the humans wouldn’t be dropping anything under the table for them, so they went back to playing in the yard, though not with as much energy. As the sun got almost all the way down, the bugs were starting to come out, so Myra lit some torches that were set up in place to give them some relative safety, and Elisa got the dessert that she’d made earlier that day.

“Coffee?” Elisa offered Juliet after setting down a plate in front of her.

“Don’t get her started on coffee. She’ll only tell you that you’re making it wrong,” Gwen teased.

“I will not.” Juliet laughed and then added, “She has a pod machine. Doyou?”

“No, but I’m sure I don’t know how to make it like you do,” Elisa replied.

“I have a few sample bags in my car. I was going to give them to her.” Juliet nodded toward Gwen. “But you’ve made me dinner and pie, so I think you get dibs.”

“Hey!” Gwen laughed. “Are they the medium roast?”

“Yes, because that’s what you said you wanted,” Juliet replied.

“Then, I want them,” Gwen said and continued to laugh. “I mean, you can give one to Elisa, but she won’t appreciate them how I will.”

Juliet smiled at her and replied to Elisa, “I think I’ll just finish this pie and my iced tea, but thank you for the coffee offer.”

“WillIget my coffee later?” Gwen asked her.

“Only if you behave,” Juliet teased.

CHAPTER 16

“Thanks for inviting us,” Juliet said.