The Wolven by Deborah LeBlanc Page B

small garden to the front door.
    Inside, the foyer offered two hallways, one to the left, the second to the right. The grand staircase in the middle of those hallways extended to the second floor. From her perspective, the house was basically three large apartments joined together by a common living area. The commons had a huge dining room that also served as a ballroom, and a large kitchen in the center. As for the apartments, Fiona lived in the east wing, Caitlin in the west, and Shauna in the middle. Each had kitchenettes, bathrooms, bedrooms and a sitting area. Sometimes Shauna felt like she had to go through an entire subdivision just to get to her place. There was no sneaking in—ever. Whether she liked it or not, it was time to face the music.
    As she suspected, Fiona and Caitlin were in the mainkitchen. Fiona was at the stove scrambling eggs in one skillet, while flipping ham slices in another. Caitlin stood at the island counter slicing kiwi and fresh strawberries. Both looked up when she walked in.
    “Well, well,” Caitlin said. “Our little night bird is back.” Her silver eyes twinkled with mischief.
    “I thought you were sleeping,” Fiona said. “You’ve been out all night?”
    “Can’t you tell by her eyes?” Caitlin said, grinning. “They’re redder than Dorothy’s ruby slippers.”
    “They are not,” Shauna said, marching past her. “Any coffee left?”
    Fiona hitched a thumb toward a side counter. “I just filled the carafe.”
    As Shauna poured herself a cup of coffee, she felt her sisters’ eyes boring into her back.
    “So,” Fiona finally said, “did you have a fun evening?”
    Caitlin chuckled.
    Shauna took a couple sips of coffee, then turned to them and leaned her back against the counter. “Okay, what’s so funny?” she asked Caitlin.
    Caitlin held up a hand, feigning innocence. “What?” The Cheshire cat grin on her face widened.
    “I heard you snicker. I’m just curious as to what’s so funny.”
    “Hey, I don’t snicker,” Caitlin said, then snickered.
    “Come on, spill it already.”
    “Well, it’s kind of obvious that you did have fun last night,” Caitlin said.
    “Huh?” Shauna quickly checked her shirt and jeans.
    Both were unwrinkled and clean; the same as when she had put them on earlier.
    “Not your clothes, silly.” Caitlin laughed. “Your face.”
    “Cait, stop picking on her,” Fiona said. Her lips twitched as she struggled to hold back a grin.
    “What’s wrong with my face?” Shauna asked. She turned and leaned over to see her reflection in the toaster. Besides the dark rings under her eyes from too little sleep, she looked the same as she always did.
    “Not on your face, in your face.”
    Shauna blew out an exasperated breath. “That makes no sense. What the heck are you talking about?”
    “You’ve got the glow bug.”
    “All right, you two.” Fiona carried a platter of scrambled eggs and pan-seared ham to the kitchen table. “Eat up. We need to get to the shop early today. Jagger and Ryder are already over there unloading the merchandise we picked up at Keeno’s yesterday. Everything needs to be priced and shelved.”
    Still grinning, Caitlin carried the bowl of sliced fruit to the table.
    Shauna followed, coffee cup in hand. “Okay, I know I’m going to be sorry for asking this but…what the heck is a glow bug?”
    Fiona pointed to the table. “Sit—eat—both of you.
    Caitlin, stop teasing her or we’ll never get through breakfast.”
    “But I want to know what she means by ‘glow bug,’”
    Shauna said, taking her place at the table.
    “What it means, little sister,” Caitlin said, while spooning fruit onto her plate, “is that…” She paused, took a bite of strawberry and chewed it—slowly.
    Shauna tsked. “Aw, c’mon!”
    Caitlin took her time swallowing. “Come on, what?”
    “Finish what you were saying.”
    Fiona shook her head. “For heaven’s sake, you two, give it a rest.”
    “Okay, okay.”