“Same,” Becca said, pointing to Ava. Then she turned to Hadley. “I think our ride’s here.”
They said their goodbyes and hurried to the front door where the van could be seen out front.
In the dining room to their left, a couple of the attendees were sitting around the table. Snacks had been left out, as well as sodas, bottled water, beer and wine. Madison and Paige were picking at cheese and crackers. Maia was peeling a banana. She had dark circles under her eyes, and Regan knew her missing lucky bandanna was weighing on her. Vienna was sitting at the table with a beer, which surprised Regan. She looked tired, and Regan wondered if all the stress and snark from Liza was taking a toll.
Vienna raised her bottle, not even bothering to use the pilsner glasses provided, and took a long pull. Regan sat down next to her.
“You okay?” she asked.
Vienna gave one nod, then took another slug. “Just ready to get the hell out of here and go home.”
“Eight weeks is a long time,” she agreed. “I feel you.”
Ava sat down across from them, popped open a can of Diet Coke, and poured it into a glass of ice. “She was rough on you,” she commented.
“They say not to meet your heroes, don’t they?” Vienna said with a bitter laugh.
“We have less than two weeks left,” Regan reminded her. “That’s it.”
Vienna nodded. She didn’t look like she felt much better, but she nodded. “Yeah.” She sighed and took another swig of her beer before adding, “I miss my kid.”
“You have a kid?” Regan asked. “I had no idea.”
“I do.” A tender smile.
“Boy? Girl? How old?” Regan could see that talking about her child seemed to ease Vienna’s stress at least a little bit.
Vienna turned her bottle in her fingers as she said, “James. He’s seven. FaceTime has been great. I talk to him every day. But man…it’s not the same, you know?”
Regan nodded. “I do know.”
“He misses me, but he was all about my coming here. He knows that I watchWhisk Me Awayconstantly. He knows what an opportunity this is for me.” Vienna looked up at Regan, then across at Ava. “He’s really wise for his age.”
Ava smiled at her, the soft smile that Regan loved. “He sounds like a super-cool kid.”
“Are you guys talking about James?” Maia asked, joining them. “I see them FaceTime all the time. He’s fucking adorable.”
Vienna’s smile grew, and Regan could tell they were slowly cheering her up, pulling her back from the dark corner in which she’d tried to isolate herself.
“I can’t believe we didn’t know you have a son,” Ava said.
Vienna lifted one shoulder. “I guess I’ve been trying to keep my private life separate from”—she waved a hand around—“all this. You know?”
“Privacy is important,” Ava said with a nod of agreement.
Maia obviously took the cue. “Speaking of privacy, what’s going on here?” She waved a finger between Ava and Regan. “How are things?” Regan immediately blushed. She felt it shoot up her neck and settle into her cheeks, confirmed when Maia laughed and said, “Oh, okay. I see. That good, huh?”
Risking a glance at Ava only made her blush more. Ava sat with her elbows on the table, her glass of soda held in both hands, and she grinned over the rim as she took a sip.
“Uh-huh. Uh-huh. And is this just a retreat thing? Back to reality in thirteen days?” Maia’s gaze went back and forth between the two of them, and Regan watched as Ava’s grin tempered and then was gone. Maia was clearly looking for gossip, and being the subject of it didn’t sit well with Ava. That was painfully obvious.
“Um…we haven’t really gotten that far,” Regan said, shocked by her honesty in this room of four other people she really didn’t know—and one she wanted to know every single thing about.
“And it’s nobody’s business,” Madison said, stepping in. She kepta smile on her face as she touched Maia’s arm, as if wanting to rein her in. It seemed to work, if the quick flash of realization and embarrassment that zipped across Maia’s face was any indication.
“Right. Right. Sorry.” She sort of bowed her head quickly at the two of them. “I just think you guys make the cutest couple, and I’m invested is all.” She waved a dismissive hand. “Anyway. Apologies. Never mind. You do you.” She felt bad, Regan could see that, but she was also grateful to Madison for putting a stop to the direction of the conversation, given how uncomfortable it was making Ava. “But just know that I ship you guys.”
That made Regan grin. She couldn’t help it.
