She cackled, delight twinkling in her eyes. I appreciated the lighter mood.
“You weren’t really worried, were you? When Noah and I didn’t come back to the spa?” I asked.
“Not really. You should give me your number, though. That way, if you and the good doctor decide to go on another private excursion, I can smooth things out with Tay. Handling all forty of us can’t be easy.”
I rambled off my phone number and had Babs put through a call so I had hers as well. I did feel a little guilty when I noticed several missed call notifications but ignored them for now and went to work entering Babs’s contact information.
“I wonder what Tay does on her vacation.”
“I imagine she stays at home. Smile, dear.” I glanced up to see Babs holding her phone up, aimed right at me. “I need a picture to put in your profile.”
I guess we’re doing this.
I lifted my own phone and opened the camera. “Be gorgeous,” I said, and Babs immediately struck a dramatic pose.
MISSED CALLS
Once we finished our salads—surprisingly crisp greens, tangy vinaigrette, and grilled chicken that wasn’t overcooked (which was more than I could say for most hotel kitchens)—I allowed Babs to hug me goodnight. After a few wrong turns and one awkward encounter with an ice machine that scared the life out of me, I finally found my room.
Alone, with no ghosts to bother me, I dropped onto my bed and reluctantly opened up my phone.
One of the calls was from Tay, time-stamped right around the time we’d have been on the swing. No wonder I hadn’t heard it.
A call from Ashley, and?—
My heart stuttered.
A voicemail from Leo.
I sat on the edge of the bed, chewing the inside of my cheek before tapping Ashley’s name.
She picked up after the second ring. “Looney! How’s Colorado?”
“Mountainous.” I stretched out on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. “How’s everything back home?”
“Good. Mom’s good.”
I blinked. “You mean she isn’t driving you crazy?”
I could practically hear her rolling her eyes through the phone. “She’s not that bad, Luna.”
I hesitated, feeling that pinch of guilt I’d gotten talking to Babs.
“Whatever… “ I didn’t want to waste our phone call arguing about Mom. “I must admit, though, I’m surprised she signed up for a trip like this. It’s not the kind of vacation I’d expect her to take.” Despite the rigid schedule.
There was a pause. Then Ashley said, “Well, maybe you don’t know Mom as well as you thought you did.”
I frowned. Maybe I didn’t. Maybe this trip wasn’t just about getting away but seeing things—her—from a different perspective.
After a few beats of silence, Ashley pivoted. “Anyway. How are you doing, seriously?”
“I’m…good.” Even as I said the word, I was a little surprised. Because this trip might have been just what I needed, so far anyway, even though I hated admitting to Ashley that she was right.
“Everyone here is basically Mom’s age,” I added.
“Makes sense.”
I hesitated. “Except for one guy.”
