Page 58 of The Weekend Crashers
“So tell me more about the retreat. What’s been the highlight?”
She thinks about the cute town, and meeting Hannah Elise, and the great food, and being in nature. And she realizes her favorite experience so far was the surprise trip to the animal shelter.
“I found a baby sparrow in the woods and brought it to an incredible wildlife refuge out here.”
“Were you guys knitting outside?”
“No. It’s a long story.” She hesitates to tell him another story that includes Cole, but she has nothing to feel guilty about. “My mom and Cole’s dad made some sort of bet last night at the bar, and so I ended up going with her to build a fort.”
“With the bachelor party?”
“No—not the whole bachelor party. Just with Aidan and Cole.”
Ethan is quiet for a few seconds.
Then he says, “Maggie’s not trying to set you up, is she?”
Wow, he really has a thing about her mother these days. Now she remembers why she was annoyed during their last conversation. “Why would you even say that?”
“I’m joking.”
He’s not, but she’s going to let it go. They’re simply a little off this weekend, and she doesn’t want to make a big deal out of it. Like he said: They can talk when she gets back. “Anyway, I’m staying in tonight. Alone. Just me and my knitting needles. I think I’m going to make little blankets to donate to the animal shelter.”
She hears her mother’s key in the door. Piper doesn’t want to continue the awkward conversation in front of her. She tells Ethan her mother is walking in and that she’ll call him a little later.
Maggie’s cheeks are flushed and she’s carrying a paper takeout cup.
“Hey there! In case you missed the hot chocolate cart.” She puts the cup down on the dresser and tells her all about the knitting class for the bachelors. “I’d forgotten how challenging knitting can be to start—how what’s second nature to us can totally trip up beginners. And it was kinda special to see people connect to knitting for the first time. Especially a group of skeptics.” She goes on and on about how a few of theguys seemed genuinely pleased with themselves by the end of the class.
“Sorry I missed it,” Piper says.
Maggie smiles. “Me too. I wish you were there. Who knows—maybe this won’t be the last workshop I ever teach.” She turns to the wooden dresser and pulls out socks and sweaters. “Are you packed for tonight? We’re meeting Aidan in the lobby after dinner.”
Here it goes.
“Yeah, about that: I think you’re going to have to go without me.”
Maggie stands up. “Why? I know Cole dropped out. But I told Aidan you and I are still up for it.”
Piper presses her fingers to her temples. “I have a headache.”
Maggie stops her flurry of movement around the room. “Oh no. You haven’t been having them since the fall, have you?”
“What? No. No—nothing like that. Maybe it’s the change in climate.”
“We’re two hours from Manhattan.”
Piper shrugs. “The fresh air is a shock to the system. It doesn’t matter; I’m going to sleep it off. But you should go have fun.”
Maggie opens the dresser drawers again, putting the clothes back in.
“What are you doing?” Piper says.
“I’m not leaving you here all alone.”
“Oh, yes you are.” Piper sits up. “You can’t just sit here with me in a dark room for hours.” Or maybe she could—but Piper doesn’t want her to. “Please just go without me.”
Maggie shakes her head. “Absolutely not. I’ll keep you company. You’ll need dinner, won’t you?”
