“I’m just so surprised to see you,” Maya went on. “Though I don’t know why. Clearly you’re going to be here. I mean, Lucille is dead.”

There was another hitch in Eve’s chest, a bigger one that came out like a gasp. She was just so…utterly and completely overwhelmed by the bomb that Lucille’s will had exploded in her life.

By being back here at all. By the Twistee Freeze and the pink room and…everything.

“Aww, crap. That came out wrong. I’m sorry.” Maya slung an arm around Eve’s shoulders, and Eve felt like the Wicked Witch of the West melting, except instead of water being the culprit, it was just a little bit of human kindness. “How long are you staying?”

Wasn’t that the million-dollar question? She wished she could answer it. Not just because she wished she knew the answer, but because she was…about to burst into tears.

Nope. Not about. She was bursting into tears.

“Oh, sweetie.” What had been an arm loosely draped over her shoulder became a full-on hug as Maya hopped off her stool, stood next to Eve’s, and wrapped her arms around her. As much as Eve had resisted the hug from Pearl earlier, she went right in for this one, hiding her face against Maya’s neck. She tried to get a grip on her emotions but failed miserably as another sob shuddered through her. Maya hugged her tighter, and after a few seconds said, “Let’s snag one of the booths in the back.”

Eve nodded. She was down with anything that would make her meltdown less public.

“Benjamin.” Maya spoke over her shoulder as she steered Eve away from the bar. “We’re going to need shots. Lots of shots.” Once they’d settled into one of the wooden booths that lined the back of the bar, she said, “All right. Tell me what’s wrong.”

“I…”

“Spit it out.” She made a hurry-up gesture. “You’ll feel better.”

“I got snot all over your neck.”

There was a pause, and Eve was about to apologize, but Maya threw her head back and let loose a laugh so infectious that Eve couldn’t help but smile through her tears. When she recovered, Maya blotted her neck with a napkin. “That’s okay. That’s the most action I’ve gotten in—” She abruptly stopped speaking when Law arrived with two shot glasses.

“Ladies.” He set down two disgusting-looking bright-green shooters.

“Thanks,” Maya said, “but I’m not sure what part of ‘lots of shots’ you didn’t understand. We’re going to need a second round ASAP.” Law departed, and Maya slid one of the shooters to Eve. “Bottoms up.”

“I am going to regret this.”

“Nah. Look! You’ve already stopped crying!”

“True.” Eve clinked her glass against Maya’s and drank. Wow. “Sour.”