Lily could picture Stacy fanning her face.
“You’re being dramatic,” Lily said.
“Nope. Not at all.”
“What if he thinks I signed up for all of them just because he’s the guide?”
“Who cares if he does?”
“I don’t want to give him an ego,” Lily said.
“Oh please. Since when do you care what other people think?”
Lily frowned. Stacy was right. Normally Lily didn’t care, so why was Ethan getting under her skin after only a few encounters?
“Does this mean you kind of like him?” Stacy asked.
“Like him? I’ve barely had a conversation with him.” Lily furrowed her eyebrows, thinking of the quick exchanges they did have. “Plus, he’s very… cheerful.”
Stacy giggled. “Oh no. Call the police. The man is cheerful. It’s a crime to be happy.”
Lily sighed. “Seriously. No one is that happy.”
This sobered Stacy up. “Lily, people who are content in lifearethat happy. I’m that happy. And some people just have sunny personalities. No offense, but you’re a very grumpy person. I feel like that isn’t exactly normal.”
The wind whooshed out of Lily’s lungs like she had been socked in the stomach.
“I’m not grumpy.”
Stacy’s voice got softer. “You are, though. You haven’t always been like that, but over the years, you’ve become jaded. I think you were far more unhappy with Scott than you realized.”
Lily picked at a cuticle on her finger. “I see.”
“I’m sorry. I’m not trying to upset you.”
“It’s okay. You’ve just given me a lot to think about.”
“My offer still stands. I can fly out there and come hang out. Girls’ trip.”
Lily let out a breath. “No, I’m doing all right. I think this trip is going to be good for me.” She shifted in her seat. “This is going to sound weird, but on the hike today, Ethan told me to take a deep breath.”
“Ethan is the hot guide?”
“Yes. But I’ve never really taken a deep breath of fresh air. It’s something I had never thought about before, but it felt good. Almost like I could feel some tension leaving my body. The smells were amazing.”
“It sounds amazing.”
“This place was the right choice. I chose it from a picture in a magazine that had struck a chord with me. I don’t know what it is, but being here feels right. It’s something I can’t explain. And it hasn’t even been twenty-four hours.”
“I’m really happy for you, Lily.” A beat of silence passed. “But I still think you need a dicking.”
Lily huffed out a laugh. “Oh my God, Stace. I’m not going to screw anyone while I’m here.”
Stacy shrugged. “Never know. Maybe Ethan can show you a thing or two.”
“Okay. I’m hanging up now. I need to shower.”
Stacy giggled. “All right. But think about it. It might make your trip even better.”
“Okay okay. Bye, friend. Love you.”
“Love you.”
They ended the call and Lily immediately thought of Ethan. She had no doubt he’d be fun in bed, but she was out of practice for that. She shook her head at the thought and stripped off her clothes before heading to the bathroom.
