Chapter 23

"Thanks, India!" Skyla waved off their house sitter, who'd been watching the cats off and on for about a month. They'd gotten back into town on the bus about an hour ago, and Lloyd had unhooked their SUV so they could drive back to the house.

The cats were losing their minds, but not over her and Kirsten.

It was Reba they'd missed.

As soon as India was gone, Venmo gone through, she grinned at Kirsten. "Home again, home again. How was your first mini tour?" They'd played a show in Denver, Country Jam, the Greely Stampede, and Cheyenne. And it had gone over a treat.

"I feel like a princess." Kirsten flopped on the sofa and put Reba's special collar on, the one that worked the electronic doggie door downstairs. "But it's good to be in our house."

"It is." Reba went tearing off, and they grinned, knowing she would explore her yard in depth, sniffing every blade of grass. "I love the whole damn place. And after the bus and hotels? Yeah." She kicked off her shoes and wiggled her toes.

"Mmhmm." Kirsten held her arms open. "C'mere. We have time for a nap before we pretend that we're not just going to order Cherry's."

"Mmmm. Why pretend? The best pizza is the one ten minutes from your house." She slid onto the couch and into Kirsten's embrace. "Thank you."

"What for, honey?"

The cool wind blew through the house, the wind chimes outside the open kitchen door making a glorious noise.

"For giving me a home whether we're on the road or coming back here to stay a while." Kirsten was it for her, and Skyla was more in love every damn day. Hell, she wrote tons of songs about it.

"It's all I ever asked for, love, in my nighttime prayers."

Skyla stared at her.

"What?"

"I hate you."

Kirsten chuckled. "Liar. You want me to get the guitars?"

"I do. I'll grab the paper."

"And supper?"

They spoke together. "We'll order in."

End