I groan a few more times for good measure.
* * *
This womanstill has the power to make me feel as though I’m in high school again and in trouble for ditching class.
Gloria smiles brightly at us sitting at the front of the room after giving our introduction. Her eyes shift to her new group of prisoners that walked in to what they thought was a relaxing week of workshops.
Her hands come together. “I’m so happy that Harlow and Stone could stop by to give a few tips and reflections from last year. I’m sure they have some great advice on how you can make your week ahead productive.”
Stone and I look at each other awkwardly.
“Go on. Stone, you’re first,” she suggests.
A croak escapes his dry throat, and he glances at me for a signal of what to say, but I gawk at him to keep this show rolling.
He claps his hands together. “Last year, Harlow and I were partnered together for most of Gloria’s life-changing and empowering retreat.” I try to keep my chortle in, as I sense the underlying sarcasm, while Gloria just eats this up. “The first day, the walk you are about to embark on will…” Stone’s lips tick up before his eyes sweep in my direction with fondness. “Lead you on the path you are supposed to be on. The destination might not be clear, but you’ll get there in the end. Well, at least the part where you were meant to be. Endings are for the reader or yourself to figure out, a future that everyone leaves for their own interpretation.”
My quip that I had planned for this event doesn’t seem fitting anymore. Apparently, this is a sentimental day, and my lips seal together while my mouth stretches up.
“What advice would you give for the first day?” Gloria asks.
Stone stares directly at her. “Abandon the walk and go into town for coffee at Jolly Joe’s.” He’s dead serious, and Gloria isn’t thrilled, especially when a few of the authors in the group chuckle.
“What about your moments of writing, didn’t you find solace and be productive?”
His face grows tight. “Nope.” His deadpan expression causes me to rub my forehead, as Stone has no plans to appease Gloria. “Probably the least productive days in terms of writing in my life. But hey…” Stone throws on an overdone smile. “You paired me up really well. You matchmaker you.”
“You two are together?” a woman in her thirties from the circle asks.
I pipe up. “Actually… yeah. That was the best part of that week. We met.”
“That is so sweet,” she coos.
“What?” Gloria nearly spits out. “Togethertogether?”
Stone and I face one another with a shrug. “Yeah. Didn’t you figure that out yet?” he outlines the obvious. We interlace our fingers, and Stone sets our hands on his knee. This is more of a statement, yet the pad of thumb rubs a circle on my palm.
“We really are the worst people to ask back to talk to everyone,” I tell her. “I mean, we literally ditched half the workshops, didn’t even show up to a few lunches, and ran away to Main Street a few times too. Not to mention, we had a late-night drink at the bar, which obviously affects your clear head and writing,” I list.
Gloria’s face is blank, and her jaw already dropped about ten seconds ago.
“I mean, I assumed you asked us here since you knew we were both in Lake Spark. Kind of thought you got the memo that Harlow is my girl now.” Stone playfully brings an arm around my shoulders and squeezes me as I smile tightly.
Gloria seems to puff as if she’s a fish and even turns a shade of red. “You two are impossible. From day one, you were trouble, yet out of everyone, you didn’t require saving from forest rangers, so I thought okay, we can ask Harlow and Stone back since they both had books released this year.” Her tangent leads to a lot of hand gestures.
I hold my hand out, indicating for her to calm down. “If it’s any consolation, by bringing Stone and me together, it gave us inspiration in the long run. Yay, you… nailed it on the life-changing experience.” I smile brightly.
“Sounds like he nailed you,” a man from the circle mumbles, and my eyes whip in his direction.
Gloria growls again. “This is a disaster.”
“No, it’s not. I’m sure this little crew here…” Stone throws a thumb over his shoulder. “Will leave with a new outlook on life, just as we did. It’s not always about tasks.”
Gloria’s demeanor seems to brighten. “I mean, I guess I did sense that your personalities would be a great match for the retreat.”
“Exactly,” I assure her.
“And I did give you both a scootch to deviate from the schedule. The walk was all my idea.”
