Evan: Whatever she says sounds good. - E.
* * *
Instead of actually showing up forPilates class in her PJs, Jess went to a boutique she’d seen in town. Most of the clothes weren’t really her style, but she found a pair of leggings and a stretchy bralette that would work under one of her t-shirts.
As she was checking out, the owner introduced herself as Lola Rodriguez. “Are you new to town?”
“Just visiting for the weekend,” Jess said. “I got talked into attending an exercise class, so this was an emergency shopping situation.”
“Evie’s class?” Lola’s smile grew. “I’ll be there. Who talked you into it?”
“Beth Howard. From Go West Winery?”
“She’s good like that.” Lola laughed. “She was one of the first friends I made when we moved here from London.”
“Small world,” Jess said, laughing. “I’m from London, too.”
“Oh yeah? We came here five years ago. My husband’s OPP, so we didn’t get to pick where we ended up, but I’ve come to love it. And it’s a great place to run a business.”
Jess nodded. “Well, it’s nice to meet you. And I’ll see you in a few hours!”
Her next stop was back to Liam’s house to have lunch with their family—now bigger and louder, with the addition of the two boys. Then she retreated to their guest room for a few hours to get some work done, before packing up. She would drive straight home after the workout.
Or so was her plan.
But as she arrived at the studio, she immediately realized that there was more to “pilates at 5” than just a workout with friends.
There was, it turned out, a secret post-exercise ritual.
“Will you be joining us at Bun?” Lola asked as they rolled out mats beside Beth.
The winery director nodded. “Definitely. Come to Bun.”
“Bun?” It took Jess a second. “Oh! Bun in the Oven!”
Lola winked conspiratorially. “Carrie opens it up for anyone who doesn’t have to rush home for dinner with the family.”
“Or some of us tell our husbands to fend for themselves one night a week,” Beth added under her voice. “It’s Mommy’s Muffin Time, that’s what I tell my toddler.”
There was no way Jess was missing muffins, or secret anti-establishment networking meetings. From across the room, she caught Evie’s eye. Wardham had a delightful underbelly her friend had kept from her—and Jess wanted to know all about it.
Evie smiled innocently.
Lola leaned in and whispered, “The after-workout meet-up is the main reason most of us do this class. It’s an informal networking meeting. Without any of the…” She paused, choosing her words carefully. “Small town politics, I guess. We can all be real there. And here.”
And that’s exactly what it turned out to be. Jess had to drive back to London, so she didn’t stick around long, but she made sure that Beth introduced her to everyone, and before she left, she thanked Carrie and Evie for inviting her to their secret little cabal.
“Come back any time,” Carrie said, handing her a latte for the road.
It wasn’t until she was home late that night that she realized Brent hadn’t texted her back.
She waited for the searing pain to hit her in the chest, but it didn’t happen. Dull resignation was all she had to deal with, and that was enough.
Well, she’d move on with her life, then. She had an exciting new challenge ahead of her. Maybe a new group of friends.
Hell, if she could pick up some more business over this project, she could spend a good amount of time in Wardham. Get a cottage in wine country. That would be a way to glow up post-divorce.
That made her think of the divorce proceedings paperwork she’d been meaning to get to her lawyer. They were in a big brown envelope in her office, unopened.
