Chapter 15: Ellie

I pushed through the door of "The Twisted Tail," the latest spot in Willowbrook where hip met quaint, a perfectly odd blend of exposed brick walls and vintage chandeliers casting a warm glow over the artisanal cocktails being shaken, not stirred. Lila was already there, perched like royalty on one of the high bar stools, her eyes twinkling above the rim of her glass in a way that said she'd got gossip or she was ready to hear it.

I slid into the seat beside her, and the bartender nodded, already pouring a gin and tonic—the kind with the fancy tonic water that actually tasted like something. I took the first sip, the bitterness grounding me.

"I don't want to just sit here and vent," I started, twisting the cocktail napkin in my fingers.

Lila waved a dismissive hand, her bangles clinking like a wind chime. "Please, spill. I live for drama that's not my own."