Hauling her suitcase up onto the bed, she said, “I’m gonna take a shower, if that’s okay.” Why? Why was she asking anybody—Regan Callahan, of all people—for permission to shower?
As if privy to her thoughts, Regan lifted one shoulder in a shrug and didn’t look up from her phone.
Yeah.Taking her toiletries and pajamas into the bathroom with her, Ava shut the door tightly, locked it, and blew out a long, steady breath, one she felt like she’d been holding all day long.
What a fucking disaster today had been. She was spent. Exhausted. Frustrated. She had nothing left. If Goldie showed up in front of her right now, Ava would punch her in her stupid fucking face. As it stood in that moment, she was reasonably sure she wouldn’t have a job when she returned, and she honestly didn’t know how she felt about that.
A sure sign of her exhaustion.
She took the hottest shower she could stand, wanting nothing more than to wash the entire day off her skin, out of her hair. She soaped and scrubbed and shaved until her skin was red from the heat and she’d grown sleepy. Once out, she brushed her teeth, slathered lotion on what would end up being very dry skin after such hot water, and dried her hair. Then she put on her pajama pants and T-shirt and finally exited the bathroom, the wet heat following her out.
Regan, now in boxer shorts and a tank that Ava assumed were her pajamas, pushed off her bed with a muttered “About time” and went into the bathroom, clicking the lock behind her.
Oh, yeah, this is gonna be awesome.
Ava shook her head and took the moment of solitude to unpack and put her things into the dresser drawers. A glance across the room told her that Regan had not done the same. Her suitcase lay open on the floor, a mess of fabrics and colors spilling out of it like paint. Instantly, she had a flash of flour on the floor and trails and drips of chocolate ganache along the counters. Apparently, some things never changed.
By the time the bathroom door opened and Regan came out, Avawas tucked into bed, sitting up and reading. She watched over the rim of her glasses as Regan crawled across her own bed, pushed under the covers, and picked her phone back up. Then she grabbed a small white case from the nightstand, pushed AirPods into her ears, and lay down.
Okay. Good talk.
Which was fine. Ava didn’t really know what to say to this woman, so she was perfectly fine letting it all go. For now. Because there was no way they could live like this for eight weeks. No way. It crossed her mind to ask Liza tomorrow if she could switch rooms with somebody, but she’d already shown up late for the retreatandbeen late for dinner on top of that. She’d pretty much used up any good graces Liza might’ve had for her. She’d have to earn some back.
And so she would. Simple as that.
Switching out her Kindle for her phone, she sent a quick text to Courtney.
You’re never gonna believe this. Guess who my roommate is.
The gray dots bounced, telling her Courtney was typing back.Cate Blanchett.
Ava gave a quiet snort. “I wish.”No.
I give. Who?
Ava looked over her glasses again, but Regan was all hunkered down, so all she could see was her golden brown hair.Remember Regan Callahan, the one who worked with me a few years ago?
Courtney typed back,Aww, that cute one? The one you fired?
Ava sighed.Hey, *I* did not fire her.
Except you did, tho…
Ava gave her head a shake, not wanting to debate semantics.Whatever. But, HER. She’s my roommate.
Courtney sent a string of emoji, most with some kind of surprised face.
I know, right?
The dots bounced.You can’t really ask to switch. You’re already on the shit list for being late.
Ava nodded, even though Courtney couldn’t see her, appreciating that she got it.It’ll be fine. I’ll figure it out. But what a small world, huh?
The tiniest. Just don’t kill her in her sleep.
Ava grinned, typed,No promises, and sent a knife emoji, then saidgood night. Setting her phone back on the nightstand, she gazed across the room at Regan.
It would be fine. They were adults. This wasn’t high school. She wasn’t there to play games. She wasn’t there to make friends. She was there to learn and become even better at her craft, so that was what she was going to do.
