Page 14 of Quiver

She started to laugh, not at all sure she shared the sentiment, but she appreciated the flattery. Before any bit of humor had the chance to bubble up, a more familiar chuckle than even her own caused everyone to turn toward the doorway.

They all shifted in unison, but Kye didn’t have to. She could picture the expression settling across tanned skin, the set of proud shoulders, the crook of those full lips.

She wished she could manage to appear as calm as she’d tried to project in the barn, but despite all her training, her voice still carried the hint of a tremor as she said, “Merry Christmas, Fletcher.”

Fletcher laughed outright this time. The idea of Kylie wishing her merry Christmas while standing in Ava’s living room chatting about movies with Bex was all entirely too absurd to process with anything approaching seriousness.

“You two know each other?” Bex glanced between them with a bright smile, as if she found the idea nearly as amusing as Fletcher, though likely for entirely different reasons.

“We used to,” Kylie said with one of those practiced smiles that always struck Fletcher as a weird cross between predatory and placating, “but apparently not anymore.”

Ava and Howie shifted uncomfortably, because while much of the town probably knew a good bit of their business, they were polite enough not to talk about it openly, at least not in front of her, anyway. Fletcher and Ava had certainly never spoken Kylie’s name aloud, though her shadow had hung over them always.

“I don’t know,” Fletcher said. “Seems like when we spoke the other day, not much had changed.”

“I suppose we all remember things in the ways that have the most meaning for us.”

Fletcher lifted her glass. “Finally, something we can agree on.”

Kylie started to lift her hand as if intending to return the salute, then seemed to realize it was empty. It was her first real lapse in the role she’d cast herself to play, and, for some reason, Fletcher managed to find it mildly endearing, but before she had a chance to fully register the emotion, Howie stepped in.

“You don’t have a drink,” he said. “My uncle must be slipping. What can I get for you?”

Kylie shook her head. “I’m fine. I didn’t intend to stay long, and I think my time here has all but expired.”

Everyone looked to Fletcher, clearly expecting her to break the tension, but she had no inclination to do so. She would very much prefer for Kylie to go. Watching her walk away served as a reminder of those most meaningful parts she’d alluded to earlier.

Sadly, the others didn’t seem to share her sentiment, or at least Bex didn’t, because she said, “We haven’t even traded the names of our favorite theaters and restaurants yet. Howie, get the woman a Manhattan.”

“She’d rather have an amaretto stone sour,” Fletcher said without meaning to.

Ava and Kylie both turned to her. She could feel their attention, but she didn’t want to see their expressions, the pity and the pride in equal measures from opposite directions, so she didn’t meet either of their gazes while Howie about tripped over himself getting out of the room.

“He seems sweet,” Kylie finally said.

“You made his whole holiday by remembering your shared study hall,” Bex said. “He’s going to tell everyone at work for weeks. Can you imagine your plastic surgeon relaying how he spent his Christmas with the movie star he knew from high school?”

Kylie’s lips curled up. “They won’t believe the high school part. They’ll think it’s a cover. By the time the news gets out, the whole city will be certain I left my last play to get a nose job.”

Bex laughed. “I mean, it shouldn’t be funny, but at least now everyone will buy tickets to your next movie, if only to see whether Howie did a good job or not.”

“I like the way you think,” Kylie said, though a hint of weariness crept into her voice as she added, “Now if only I could get cast in another movie, we’d have something to work with.”

Bex shrugged. “I’m sure someone will snatch you up soon, maybe those people from the audition you mentioned.”

“Oh they’ll definitely get in touch,”—Kylie glanced over her shoulder at Fletcher—“but unless you happen to know a second mounted archer in the area, I’m afraid I’m about to embarrass myself rather thoroughly.”

This time Bex and Ava turned to Fletcher. Bex looked almost excited for her, but Ava’s brow creased with concern, and she tried to bring both back to a more neutral space by saying, “I already turned her down.”

Bex gasped. “Turned her down for what? Mounted archery? That’s your thing. I thought you loved to teach other people.”

Kylie pursed her lips as if trying to hold in a smile. “Yeah, Fletcher, what happened to those dreams of trying to raise the profile of the sport?”

“Wait, is the movie like some big blockbuster about mounted archery?” Bex asked.

“It’s historical fiction, a fantastic script, a strong female character arc at the center of it all, and yes, epic battles with horseback archery at the forefront.”

“And you want the role? The strong female mounted archer?” Bex’s interest grew, but Fletcher didn’t miss the way Ava slipped her hand into her partner’s and squeezed it as if trying to dial her back. She didn’t know if she should feel grateful or ashamed one of her exes was trying to protect her from another.