CHAPTER18
As she watched Aiden undress for bed, Tara felt glad that she’d brought him to meet her friends. Aiden was easy on the eye, funny and, so far, he’d been a hit with everyone. He was certainly far more personable than Christine, a woman she hadn’t warmed to at all.
‘So… verdict?’ she asked, slipping out of her jeans. ‘Everyone’s so great, right?’
‘Totally,’ he replied. ‘Very welcoming. Big fan of the coffee. Ten out of ten.’
She laughed. ‘You were a good sport for coming. Not sure I would have agreed to a weekend away with a group of your mates.’
‘Hmm, well, technically, I didn’t agree to a weekend with your mates. You said it was a family gathering.’
‘These people are my family! But yes, I can see the confusion. Regardless, I really wanted you here.’
While true, part of the reason Tara really wanted him there because she had expected everyone else to show up with husbands and partners, maybe even children or at least an endless camera roll with photos of them doing things only other parents would find adorable. She did not want to be the only singleton there, having to watch them all be annoyingly happy and content. She was far from content, but at least by having Aiden there, she could pretend to be. She’d never met anyone quite like him.
Tara had been upfront with Aiden about her rehab and follow-up therapy, fully expecting him to drive off into the sunset, never to be seen again. However, Aiden took the information in his stride. He was the most accepting man she’d ever met.
‘I am good enough. I am smart enough. People like me, for me.’
Tara thought she’d throw herself under the nearest bus if she had to repeat that mantra one more bloody time, but she had to trust the process, despite feeling utterly foolish. Still, by the look on their faces, she guessed that at least seventy percent of the people here felt the same.
‘Today we’re going to talk about acts of kindness—’
‘I helped save a dog recently!’ she exclaimed.
‘—towards ourselves.’
‘Ah shite. I have nothing then.’
She sat back in her seat and let Jerry, the group director, continue. Her mind wasn’t entirely focused on group anyway, not after the Facebook invite she’d received that morning.
A reunion, if you will. It’s long overdue.
I’ve missed you all.
Erin x
Erin bloody Carmichael, though now she was Erin Flynn, up-and-coming actress who recently did that superhero thing with that actor whose name she was totally blanking on. Good-looking big fella. Played that detective on telly.
She’d replied yes, of course, thrilled at the prospect of getting together with her oldest friends, some who had become incredibly successful. Unlike her.
Hi everyone. I had a nervous breakdown, fled my life in New York and went into rehab. Kicked the powder and now currently taking group therapy on how to deal with processing the shame that is my life. How have you all been? Normal? That’s nice.
She felt her stomach knot. Though they had kept in touch sporadically after university, it had been ten years since they’d all sat down together. Was she really going to show up and tell tales about her crappy life?
She nodded along in group when the others did, pretending to listen.
You could bring Aiden, she thought to herself.Handsome man on your arm, bit of moral support… but would he even want to come? Four days with people he doesn’t know, Christ, he hardly knows you.
‘Tara? Are you with us?’
She snapped back to reality, greeted by a room full of faces all staring in her direction.
‘Yes. Sorry. Totally here.’
‘I was asking if you could tell us a way in which you exhibit self-love?’
She smirked. ‘Self-love? Fella, I’m not sure I want to be telling you all about—’
