Chapter 25 Kira #2
“No,” I said, finally noticing Ariadne standing by the farthest wall. A couple had just moved, and I could see her more clearly now. “She’s on the phone with someone else.”
“Wait.” Britney pointed to each of us one by one as if counting off suspects. “We’re all here. Who could she be talking to?”
Macey nudged her. “Gee, I don’t know, maybe one of her five million family members?”
I frowned, watching Ariadne’s expression tighten. “She looks stressed.”
Despite Ariadne’s gorgeous short black dress and pinned curls, she looked overwhelmed. Tired, too. She held her phone up to one ear, the other rubbing at her forehead like she had an incoming headache.
When was the last time I really talked with Ariadne? I wouldn’t call myself self-absorbed, but admittedly, I had been focused on art and Landon these last few months. What did I miss?
All of us were staring at her at this point.
And…we weren’t the only ones.
Everyone was too busy trying to figure out who Ariadne was talking to that they completely missed Nathan’s intense, yet concerned gaze. Shit. Maybe Britney was right after all.
Ariadne hung up the phone with a sniffle, and she covered her face with both hands. Suddenly, we all made ourselves look busy with our phones or by staring at the art on the walls.
“Nobody look up,” Britney whispered, “but she’s coming over here.”
Landon and Noah looked up.
“Boys.” Britney rolled her eyes.
The sound of gently clicking heels lifted my own gaze. Ariadne joined our group, having impressively calmed herself in a few short minutes.
“Great job tonight, Landon,” she said as she inserted herself into the conversation.
He smiled at her. “Thanks for coming.”
“Oh, I would never turn down a chance for free food.” Ariadne laughed as she pulled a bobby pin out of her hair, then threw it back and forth between her hands.
“Yeah, the brownies are—” Britney cut herself off when she noticed, like I did, that Ariadne’s focus drifted away. “Okay, what’s wrong?”
Ariadne blinked. “What?”
Macey spoke up, albeit more gently. “We saw you on the phone. You looked freaked out.”
The bobby pin fell to the floor. She probably had a million of them in her purse anyways. “Oh, yeah, that was nothing.”
I crossed my arms. “Ari, you can tell us.”
She hesitated. “It’s just, this is such an important night, I didn’t want to ruin it.”
“That’s not possible,” Landon assured her. “All of you guys made it better just by being here.”
Sap. I wrapped his pinky around mine. He might be a sap, but he was my sap.
Ariadne looked at everyone’s faces, trying to confirm he spoke for all of us, which in this instance he did.
She inhaled, then spoke so fast on the exhale I barely understood her.
“I’m just stressed because my ailing grandmother is moving in with the family, but there’s no room for her.
There’s not enough room for everyone as is.
We’re constantly bumping into each other, and I love cousin Amelia and her newborn.
But God, she screams so loud every hour and I can never get enough sleep.
I thought I had more time, but my mom just called and said they’re moving her in soon, so I need to magically find a place to move to or else I’m going to be homeless. ”
Noah and Landon stared deadpan at her. They clearly didn’t understand a word she just said.
“Come again?” Landon asked, raising an eyebrow.
I elbowed him in the gut. “You’re not going to be homeless, Ari. You can stay on Macey’s and my couch however long you need.”
“Or mine,” Britney offered. “Perk: It’s a no-boyfriend zone.”
Ariadne shot us grateful looks but shook her head. “Thanks, but I couldn’t ask you guys for that.”
We all protested, but she shook us off. “I’ll figure something out.”
“Or you could stay with a friend who has a spare bedroom,” Noah piped up. Macey eyed him carefully. Even I knew he didn’t have a spare bedroom. “Nathan has one.”
My eye twitched. “That sounds like a bad idea. I’ll help you find something, Ari.”
“He’s not my friend,” said Ariadne, though she glanced toward where he was standing by the auction table, as if pulled to Nathan by the thought of his presence.
“It was just a suggestion.” Noah shrugged. “I’m sure he’d be happy to help.”
Macey laughed, shaking her head. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him happy, except for that time he watched you trip over the couch.”
Britney threw her arms around Ariadne. “Don’t worry about it, girl. We’ll help you.”
Macey and I grinned before throwing ourselves into the hug, too.
“Yeah,” I said, “Everything will work out.”
I didn’t know how long we stayed in the hug until Landon and Noah cleared their throats, and we broke apart reluctantly. Sometimes you just need your girls.
“If you all don’t mind,” said Landon, wrapping an arm around me, “I’m going to drag Kira around for one more lap.”
I waved goodbye to them, and Landon and I paced the edges of the walls. “Why are you taking us in the direction of the exit?” I whispered in his ear.
He only grinned. Moments later, we were outside, and the cold of the night only gave me a good excuse to wrap myself closer to his chest. His cologne was stronger than usual tonight. Coffee, bourbon, and something uniquely Landon.
Head buried in the crook of his neck, I asked a similar question. “Why are we outside?”
Landon rubbed his hands up and down my back. Shivers coursed my body, but they weren’t due to the cold. “I just wanted a few minutes alone with my girlfriend. I hope that’s not too much to ask.”
“Of course it isn’t.” I lifted my head. “Is everything okay?”
Landon kissed my forehead. “Everything’s perfect. I suspect the next year will be very busy for both of us, so I’m trying to get every quiet moment together that we can.”
I returned to my rightful place: buried in and surrounded by Landon. “I will happily enter every quiet moment with you. They’re my favorites.”
“Mine too.”
The wind whipped away, tearing at my bare arms and Landon’s cheeks, but we never noticed, too caught up in the gravity of ourselves like nothing else existed.