“I can’t wait to read it, honey,” Maeve said, grabbing a copy of Iris’s book from a nearby table and smiling down at the colorful cover.
“Gross,” Aiden said.
“God, what now?” Iris said, folding her arms, the leaf tucked into her palm.
“Sorry, sorry, just, the idea of our mother reading your sex scenes is...” He shuddered dramatically, making Addison laugh.
“I’m no prude,” Maeve said, a fact she emphasized by slapping Liam on the butt.
“Oh, lovely, nice, thank you for that,” Aiden said.
Maeve just laughed while Liam’s cheeks turned pink.
“Anyway,” Maeve said, glancing around. “Where’s this famous Stevie we’ve heard so much about?”
Iris’s stomach turned over. Her friends all froze, eyes wide like they were teenagers and they’d all just been caught sneaking out of the house in the middle of the night.
In her mother’s defense, Irishadtold her family that they could meet Stevie at her launch. And Iris hadn’t been exactly forthcoming in her recent conversations with her mother about her and Stevie’s breakup. She hadn’t really thought through the consequences of thatdecision, that she’d have to explain the whole splitin person, and at her own book launch no less.
“She’s not here” was the excuse Iris went with, hoping her mother would settle for the paltry non-explanation.
Which, of course, she didn’t.
“Not here?” Maeve said, frowning. “She’s your girlfriend. Shouldn’t she be at your book flight?”
“Booklaunch, Mom,” Aiden said.
“Whatever,” Maeve said, her eyes on Iris. She smelled blood in the water, and Iris could see the second her mother realized Iris was full of shit.
Maeve sighed, pursed her mouth. “I see.”
“Mom, please don’t,” Iris said. “Not tonight.”
“Don’t what?” Maeve said. “Express concern that my beloved daughter keeps running away from her own life?”
Iris gritted her teeth. She heard Delilah whisper a quiet “Oh shit.”
“Mom,” Aiden said, but Maeve could not be stopped.
“I’m just curious,” she said. “What happened, Iris?”
Iris pressed her fingers into her eyes. “Nothing. Just... nothing, okay?”
“Oh, you don’t want to talk about it,” Maeve said, folding her arms. “You never do, do you? I wish you would’ve told me before this, I would’ve invited Shelby.”
“Shelby,” Iris deadpanned.
Maeve smiled. “I went to the dentist last week. She’s a new hygienist. Cute as a button and she had on a rainbow pin, so I asked her if—”
“Stop,” Iris said. “Mom, please, juststop.”
Maeve frowned. “Sweetie, if you don’t care about dying alone, I’ll have to care enough for the both of us.”
“Mom, Jesus, dramatic much?” Aiden said.
Maeve just laughed. Aiden laughed. Addison laughed. Only herfriends didn’t, their eyes on Iris, wide with concern. Iris could tell Astrid was a split second away from saying something, her fists clenched, jaw tight.
Iris shook her head slightly.
