“Why on God’s green and blue planet would you be invited? She’s doing a repeat wedding but just replaced the groom.”
“My guess is for head games. I’m not going, obviously. She tried to get back together with me after the initial first few months of me falling apart, and I couldn’t do it. There was a lotof trying on her part, and my head’s been messed up, and I’m just ready to move forward. I’ll be relieved when this week is done and she’s married and over me. I can get over it too. Here. With drinks like Single and Unready to Mingle.”
“Yeah, well there’s excursions too, you know. There’s horseback riding at eight in the morning. A shuttle bus is leaving from here and everything. You could go take lots of pictures of your happy and thriving new life and post them.”
“Like you’re doing?”
“Yep!”
“Mmm, I’ll think about it.”
“Okay, well I’m going.”
“Is this you trying to invite me to go with you?”
“No, I’m just saying we share custody of our penis rock now and we need to schedule a drop-off time. So…if you wanted to do it on horseback in the snowy mountains…” She shrugged. “I could take pictures of you for your social media pages. I’m pretty good at an iPhone. The best revenge on our enemies is being happy despite them.”
“How are you still single?” he asked.
At first, she thought she sensed sarcasm in his voice, but on second thought, his bright green eyes were full of earnestness.
“If you saw the size of my rock collection, you would understand.”
His chuckle filled her head and settled her nervousness. “Is collecting things part of your animal side?”
“Maybe. I don’t know. I haven’t figured it out yet.”
“Hmm.” Lance lowered his voice and said, “Well just so you know, I’m probably going to look up your registration tonight after we finish dinner.”
“Shocker. Well, it was nice to know you. Forget the horseback ride. You’re just going to make fun of me.”
“Why would I make fun of you? You’re freakishly strong.”
She giggled. Okay, she liked being able to banter with him. He was easy to talk to, and already it felt like she had known him a lot longer than she had.
“Why did you sit over here away from the others she asked, turning to look at the full table behind them. They were all engaged in the hum of conversation. Except for Debbie Downer.
“Because your eyes are gold. I faced you this way so you could just enjoy the meal. Plus, that view isn’t half bad.” He gestured to the huge windows on the wall. Outside the snow was falling gently down through the pine trees.
“Oh.” She frowned. That was actually really thoughtful. “Thanks, I think.” She lifted her glass for a quiet toast with him. “To thriving despite them.”
His smile was so handsome in the flickering flames of the stone hearth as he lifted his glass and tinked it gently against hers. “To whatever this is.”
Chapter Three
Birdie had looked all over this place, but still, there was no Ava. She checked the sign-up sheet for horseback riding, but she didn’t see Ava, or Brock, or Lance’s name on there. Rats.
Oh, well, it wasn’t the right time was all. She would meet Ava when the time was perfect. She just felt it.
Oddly, she felt more disappointment about Lance’s name being absent from the sign-up sheet. He would’ve been fun on this adventure. So far, it was just her and Debbie Downer sitting on the porch of the lodge waiting for the shuttle to pick them up.
Her dang zipper was messing up again, and she couldn’t get it fastened up all the way. She tried again to no success. Lance was annoyingly right. She really had packed a lot of purple and did sort of look like a grape soda threw up on her. Even her eye shadow was shimmery purple.
Why had she let her ex affect her so much? Packing based on his least favorite color? Really? She was going to go into town later and get some stuff she liked. Maybe treat herself to a little shopping spree.
This place really did feel like it was good for her. Just getting out of her small town and seeing a new place was fun and not nearly as anxiety riddled as she’d thought it would be.
The familiar roar of an engine sounded, and she looked up to find Lance’s truck pulling into the parking lot. She waved as he got out. A big wave. She waved and waved and waved until Debbie Downer told her, “That’s more than enough, you are making my eyes hurt.”
