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Lottie folded her arms across her chest but didn’t respond. Willa matched her body language.
“Do you want to do this or not?” Mae questioned.
Trying to stay angry but failing, tears filled Lottie’s eyes. She hated that this particular human emotion stayed with her. It wasn’t the same for everyone she knew though. “I’m…it’s just… I can’t explain it. I’ve never felt this way before in my entire existence. There are too many emotions running through me.”
Willa visibly softened while Mae looked guilty. Janie went to stand next to Lottie, patting her back.
“Look Lots, you know we all love you and we want nothing more than for you to be happy, but this has thrown us all for a loop. One minute you’re happy, the next you’re devastated, then you’re furious that we suggested this retreat, then you agree, then you want to drop out…what the hell is going on with you? In all the time we’ve known you you’ve been the alpha here. You’ve been our leader, the life of the party, the one that each of us can go to for life advice. You done and seen more than all of us put together but now…” Mae trailed off.
“You’re being a bitch.”
“Selena!” Janie admonished. Selena shrugged.
Alex cleared her throat. “Lottie, do you want to try to get sober or not?”
“I do,” She paused. “But only because of Nova. I would rather try to get her to my way of thinking than change who I am.”
“Then I think you have your answer.” Alex said.
Lottie looked around at her friends, each of them giving her a nod and a smile. She wiped the stupid tears from her face. “So, tell me what to do next!”
“I think we can all give you ideas on how to proceed but we’re forgetting one thing. Nova is in a relationship and from what I’ve seen, it’s quite serious.”
“She’s right. We’ve seen you parade men and women through your life, which is not a judgment, but you’ve never been a home wrecker.”
“That we know of,” Mae quipped.
Lottie grinned as Selena shook her head and Janie threw her hands in the air.
“No, I know you all are right. I’ll talk to Nova. I agree they have a committed relationship but...”
“But what?” Selena asked.
“I think she may be questioning things.”
“What makes you say that?” Janie asked.
“Well, she almost kissed me in the bathroom tonight.”
There was a chorus of “what’s” around the patio. Before Lottie had a chance to answer, the front door opened and Vance strolled in, smiling, and waving at the women.
“He seems better,” Selena said quietly.
Lottie nodded then waved to Vance, motioning for him to come out on the balcony.
“Hi!” Vance said when he stepped out the door. The women fawned over him.
“What are you ladies doing?” he asked, blushing.
“Well, we’re plotting, and we may need your help.”
“Ooohh, sounds right up my alley.” Vance giggled.
Selena walked the length of the balcony, running her hands through her hair. “I have an idea but let’s move inside.”
Chapter Seven
Cain woke up before his alarm the next morning. He slipped out of bed quietly, hoping not to wake Nova. He wanted to get a run in before the start of the retreat. Being number two for Beau Bryant was a lot of pressure. He pulled on socks then grabbed his running shoes and slipped silently out the door. In the foyer the concierge came forward to push the elevator button for Cain but he waved him away. Sometimes the privilege was nice but more times than not it was obnoxious and annoying. Cain grew up in a middle-class family with two working parents. He hadn’t wanted for anything. Both of his parents worked and played hard. They’d gone on family vacations, traveling through each of the fifty United States when he was a child in the sixties. After he was turned and he lived with his “adopted parents” he traveled to several countries, he learned new languages, ate foods local to every place they visited, and became a watercolor artist.
