“Oh, for Christ’s sake, Iris,” Astrid said. “He was trying to fill up his water bottle.”
“Good way to get cholera, that,” Iris said.
Astrid shoved the bottle back into Claire’s hands and stomped off toward her tent without another word.
“Jesus,” Delilah said, fighting a smile. Nothing was more entertaining than an Astrid Parker off her poised game. But when she turned back around to see Iris glaring at Claire and Claire wringing her hands, her joy evaporated.
“You,” Iris said, teeth gritted. “Left. Me.”
“I’m sorry,” Claire said. “I thought—”
“You left me alone with them, and you know I can’t keep my mouth shut around that shit loafer.”
“What did you say to him?” Claire asked.
“Which time? When he wouldn’t shut up about his precious Italian leather shoes that he wore into the fucking woods or when he kept telling Astrid that there was no shame in using a walking stick since she was pretty out of shape? Or, no, wait, how about the time he started grilling me about why Grant and I aren’t married and don’t have any kids, even though Astrid asked him to drop it, and then he started waxing poetic about how my eggs were drying up?”
“Holy shit, he said that?” Claire asked.
“He said that. I’m just glad Grant had to work today and wasn’t around to hear it.” Iris’s shoulders slumped, all her breath leaving her lungs as she rubbed her forehead.
Delilah felt as though she was missing something here, something important and best-friend-shaped, but she didn’t know how to ask.
“Honey, I’m so sorry,” Claire said, stepping close to Iris and rubbing her arms. “Josh and I fought and I just—”
“I get it,” Iris said, her voice soft now. “But our plan, I fear, has gone to shit.”
“I don’t know,” Delilah said. “Astrid didn’t look happy.”
“Yeah,” Iris said. “With me.”
Delilah tilted her head. “Maybe a little. But it sounds like Spencer was a real jackass. Maybe she’s partly frustrated with him too.”
Iris looped her arm through Claire’s and rested her head on her friend’s shoulder, her anger clearly forgotten. “Maybe. I did find out that she didn’t ask him to come on the trip.”
“She didn’t?” Claire asked.
“Nope. When we got lost, they started arguing because Astrid wanted to turn back and he thought we should keep going. He snapped at her that the trip was her idea, and she snapped back that she hadn’t asked him to come in the first place. That he justhadto tag along because he didn’t think she could brave the woods by herself.”
“Oh my god,” Claire said. “He actually said that to her?”
“Well, Astrid isn’t exactly a wilderness girl,” Delilah said.
Iris glare at her. “Not the point. The point is he thinks she’s totally incompetent, and she knows it.”
“Poor Astrid,” Claire said. “What do we do?”
“We just need to talk to her, Claire,” Iris said. “Enough is enough. You and me. Tonight.”
Claire nodded, grabbing onto Iris’s hand. Neither woman looked at Delilah or tried to include her in their BFF plan. And that was just fine with Delilah. Totally and absolutely fine.
She turned away and left them alone to plan out what they’d say to Astrid, and she sat back down next to Ruby to see what beauty the girl had created.
EVERYONE HAD CALMEDdown by the time they all sat around the fire to eat. Delilah sat with Ruby, who had taken a few more pictures with Delilah’s phone and wanted to show her what she did withthem. Delilah was more than happy to disappear into the world of color and angles and tone for a little while. These last few days had been a lot with Claire, and honestly, she could use a break from all the thinking and feeling. Josh sat on Ruby’s other side, listening to his daughter tell Delilah all about her vision for an image of the evergreens against the sky. Delilah kept shooting glances at him, watching him for signs of boredom or disdain—or for signs that he couldn’t keep his eyes off his ex—but he didn’t rise to the occasion. Instead he oohed and aahed over his daughter’s photographs, asking her questions here and there. Mostly, though, he shut up and let Ruby talk, let her have her moment. Delilah would say she was impressed, but she didn’t feel like being so charitable toward him quite yet.
Claire was busy with Iris. They sat close together on a log, talking and laughing, but constantly looking over at Astrid, who was pressed against Spencer’s side at the picnic table while he rambled on and on about all the bug bites he’d incurred on the hike.
Astrid barely responded, her eyes glazed over while she ate.
