“Oh, you came.” Alexis looked around but no one shifted to make room, too busy with their conversations to notice Valerie’s arrival. “You’ll have to find a chair somewhere.”
Luckily, the server came by and soon Valerie was ensconced with her friends, listening to the usual complaints about work, and love lives, and money.
Alexis turned to her. “I can’t believe people are still being so mean about you screwing up the Badgerton event,” she said eagerly. “I’m glad you’re not letting it get to you. I wouldn’t have the guts to leave my house.”
“Thanks.” Good old Alexis, always there to commiserate in a way that seemed more gloating than sympathetic.
“I mean, I don’t blame people for overreacting,” Alexis continued. “I would too.”
Blair squeezed lime into her vodka soda. “I saw it onGood Morning T.O. Poor you, what a mess. It’s going to be impossible for your reputation to recover from that. What are you going to do?”
When Blair put it like that, it seemed that keeping Ad Astra alive would be a Sisyphean task. It was on the tip of Valerie’s tongue to say she was shutting down but she couldn’t. She just couldn’t give up, nomatter what her mother expected. Ad Astra was hers and it was her dream. Maybe Ruth was right, and there was a third option.
“Take a break for the summer.”
God, that felt so much better to say than she was quitting.
Alexis lowered her drink and Valerie waited hopefully for some support in her moment of need. “Let me tell you about my idea,” she said. “I’ve had plenty of time to think, since I’m now unemployed, so it’s perfect.”
“Sorry,” muttered Valerie to her lap. Also, Alexis was technically employed until Friday.
“I talked to my husband and he agrees. I’ll be partners with you. I always thought I’d be an amazing business owner if I bothered. I’ve got so many ideas, you know?”
Unbelievable, but that was Alexis. Valerie supposed she should admire the nerve but that took more energy than she could summon.
“That’s an amazing idea, Alexis. You’ll do so good,” said Blair. The women on both sides nodded approval.
“Right now, I’m taking a break and I’ll see what happens.” Valerie was too emotionally fragile to get into a discussion about why it was ridiculous, and unable to bring herself to say a direct no as usual, especially with a Greek chorus singing Alexis’s praises.
“This way you don’t have to feel bad about firing me,” added Alexis. “I mean, I get why you did but I thought friends looked out for each other.”
Valerie should have known she got off too easy with that text yesterday.
“So true,” agreed Blair as she pulled her dark hair into a claw clip. “Since that’s settled, Valerie, are you going to take some time to hold space for yourself and heal?”
She’d forgotten Blair had started at a new yoga place that was dedicated to centering the self. “I’m going to the Mariposas for the summer.”
“Mariposa!” said Alexis. “How old school. I’m going to Prince Edward County for the holiday weekend. It’s way cooler.”
Blair pursed her lips. “Cute, I totally see you as the glamping type. The last time I was in the County was before it got popular. Tom and I are going for a workcation on a goat farm.”
The conversation moved to wine tours and baby goat yoga, and Valerie was glad she didn’t have to talk to Alexis about Ad Astra or her summer. She already felt possessive over Roger’s secret.
“By the way, I brought a book for you,” she said to Blair. She’d been looking forward to Blair’s excitement, as the story was completely up her alley.
“That’s so sweet.” Blair tossed it on the table without looking and Alexis rolled her eyes.
“Are you still going on about that thing? We get it, you liked it.”
Valerie decided to call it a night. Alexis leaned over as she gathered her bag. “It’s good you’re going away for a reset,” she said. “I’m so excited about this partnership!”
Now was the chance to deploy her no. She’d done it with Nico about the clothes yesterday, and he was a stranger. Surely she could say no to someone who was supposed to be a friend. She clenched the handle of her bag and looked at the faces nodding around the table.
“I’ll think about it,” she said feebly, hating herself.
“Don’t worry,” Alexis assured her. “I can get Ad Astra to its full potential. Everyone gets married, so specialized bachelorette parties are a real growth area, and way more fun. I don’t know what you were thinking with the funeral thing. It’s bizarre.”
She turned away, and no one said goodbye when Valerie left.
