Evans Creek Book 1: Mister Mayor

ONE

Photo Credit: Google search images. Not my own.  Left: AislingFranciosi, Right: KristenKreuk  Arayna and Liz respectively. This represents one of their many meet-ups.  Rayn is shaking her head at Liz while Liz is playfully saying: Hey, Don't judge me!  It's the kind of banter that happens between good friends.

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Three Years Ago, May

"Arayna!"

"Liz!" Arayna returned, as she lifted her coffee mug and smiled her welcome to her slow-moving friend sporting very large, very dark sunglasses. "Good Morning, Sunshine."

"Oh." Liz groused with mock severity. "Can it with the cheer already."

"A wee-bit hung-over, are we?" Arayna teased, her voice a bit softer than normal in deference to her friend.

"A great-lot hung-over, you big sod, so shag off." Liz groaned as she reached for the coffee pot on the table with one hand while flipping over her coffee mug with the other.

"I warned you." Arayna chuckled, ignoring the last remark.

"You did." Liz agreed on a sigh as she lifted the dark brew and gratefully sipped.

"You ignored me."

"I did." Liz took another sip. "But in all fairness to me, I did at least TRY to nurse that one drink along. But then the toasts started..."

Arayna tried not to smile too broadly and offered a shrug. "What?"

"You want to say it." Liz smirked as she lifted the mug for another sip of the dark brew.

"But I love you, so I won't." Arayna sipped her own coffee so she wouldn't laugh.

"You should say it." Liz shrugged. "You should rub it in mercilessly so that maybe my sorry arse will listen to you next time."

"I said it last time when you didn't listen. And lo and behold, you didn't listen this time. Face it, sister, you and I both know that you won't listen next time either." Arayna shrugged with a smirk.

"I might." Liz pulled down her sunglasses to peer at Arayna through blood-shot eyes.

"Fine. If it makes you feel any better. I-Told-You-So. I-Told-You-So. I-Told-You-So." Arayna rattled off the last in a sing-song voice ending with a laugh at the look on Liz's face.

"Yes, my friend, you. did." Liz chuckled but the sound was subdued as she pushed the sunglasses back up.

"At least it's a slow day. Thursday is the best day for nursing a hang-over."

"As. If." Liz shook her head and then groaned, letting her forehead drop to her palm "Like you know what it feels like to nurse a hang-over on a Thursday...Or any other day for that matter."

"Hey now." Arayna frowned and feigned offense. "I've been hung-over plenty. I know this sounds a bit...trite? ...but you will survive this. Just try to keep a positive attitude and work through it."

"Speak for yourself," Liz dripped sarcasm as she finished, "Sunshine."

Arayna's laughter died away as her cell jangled with the sound of an old-fashioned telephone ring.

"My mom." Arayna's smile was heartfelt as she reached in her handbag and pulled out her phone. "I need to take this."

Liz just waved her hand in the general vicinity of the phone and turned most of her attention to her coffee cup.