“Anyways,” Britney addressed Landon, “great job tonight.”
“Thank you,” Landon responded slowly as if unsure how to take Britney’s acceptance.
The soft murmur of conversation blended with the gentle clinking of champagne glasses. Strings of warm Edison bulbs zigzagged across the diner’s ceiling, showcasing the gleaming booths polished to perfection, the mismatched vases of fresh flowers on each table, and the clinking glasses.
Macey pulled out her phone, manicured nails moving deftly across the screen. “Have you guys seen Ariadne recently? I’m about to call her to come join us.”
Everyone shook their heads.
She placed the phone to her ear as we all waited patiently. After a second, her jaw dropped, and she slipped the phone back in her pocket. “She sent me to voicemail!”
“Maybe her phone died?” Noah offered.
“Maybe she’s avoiding you?” Landon grinned.
“No,” I said, finally noticing Ariadne standing by the farthest wall. A couple had just moved, and I could see her more clearly now. “She’s on the phone with someone else.”
“Wait.” Britney pointed to each of us one by one as if counting off suspects. “We’re all here. Who could she be talking to?”
Macey nudged her. “Gee, I don’t know, maybe one of her five million family members?”
I frowned, watching Ariadne’s expression tighten. “She looks stressed.”
Despite Ariadne’s gorgeous short black dress and pinned curls, she looked overwhelmed. Tired, too. She held her phone up to one ear, the other rubbing at her forehead like she had an incoming headache.
When was the last time I really talked with Ariadne? I wouldn’t call myself self-absorbed, but admittedly, I had been focused on art and Landon these last few months. What did I miss?
All of us were staring at her at this point.
And…we weren’t the only ones.
Everyone was too busy trying to figure out who Ariadne was talking to that they completely missed Nathan’s intense, yet concerned gaze.Shit. Maybe Britney was right after all.
Ariadne hung up the phone with a sniffle, and she covered her face with both hands. Suddenly, we all made ourselves look busy with our phones or by staring at the art on the walls.
“Nobody look up,” Britney whispered, “but she’s coming over here.”
Landon and Noah looked up.
“Boys.” Britney rolled her eyes.
The sound of gently clicking heels lifted my own gaze. Ariadne joined our group, having impressively calmed herself in a few short minutes.
“Great job tonight, Landon,” she said as she inserted herself into the conversation.
He smiled at her. “Thanks for coming.”
“Oh, I would never turn down a chance for free food.” Ariadne laughed as she pulled a bobby pin out of her hair, then threw it back and forth between her hands.
“Yeah, the brownies are—” Britney cut herself off when she noticed, like I did, that Ariadne’s focus drifted away. “Okay, what’s wrong?”
Ariadne blinked. “What?”
Macey spoke up, albeit more gently. “We saw you on the phone. You looked freaked out.”
The bobby pin fell to the floor. She probably had a million of them in her purse anyways. “Oh, yeah, that was nothing.”
I crossed my arms. “Ari, you can tell us.”
