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“Yup, and I got lost there so many times.”
“Was it weird living in Russia? Don’t they use a different alphabet?”
“I went to the international school, so everyone spoke English, but I learned Cyrillic as well.”
“OMG!” Addy shrieked. “Something just landed on my head. Is it a spider? Tell me it isn’t a spider?”
I squinted at the brown thing. “It’s a leaf. Here, let me get it.”
“Oh, thank goodness.”
That was a good moment to turn back and also to change the subject. Nico’s past was his own business, and Addy and Brooke were lovely but struck me as the type to gossip.
“I think Matty’s starting to get tired.”
“Great, we can avoid the hill up ahead,” Addy said, turning in the other direction immediately. “I think I’m getting a blister.”
“I have Band-Aids in the car,” Brooke told her.
“Have you both always lived in Oregon?”
“Yup. We went to school together. Brooke lived near me in Coos Bay for a while, but then she ended up in Baldwin’s Shore again.”
“You still live in Coos Bay?”
“Yup.” Addy made a face. “Although my rent just went up again, so I might have to move.”
“I need to learn more about the area. Find a preschool for Matty, meet more people, get a job.”
“A job?”
“Nico might have money, but I’d feel better earning my own.”
“An independent woman—I like that. What type of job do you want? Do you have a résumé? If you help with mine, I’ll help with yours.”
“You’re looking for a job too?”
“She just got fired,” Brooke said.
“I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be—it was totally worth it.”
“Her boss was a sleaze,” Brooke explained. “He used to tell her to work late and then when she was alone, he’d make all kinds of inappropriate suggestions. So one evening, she recorded him and sent the conversation to his wife.”
Addy grinned. “She emailed me a thank-you note, and now they’re getting divorced.”
Yes, I liked these two women. Aside from Lyndsey and Lucia, the two backstabbers, the only female company I’d had in New York was the Divas. And I’d never been close to them. Sure, they were always friendly, but Cesare had made sure we never became friends.
My phone rang as I was strapping Matty into his car seat. Nico. Calls were still a novelty after I’d been isolated for so long.
“Is everything okay?” I asked.
“Just checking when you’ll be back. I thought we could have lunch together.”
“We’re climbing into Brooke’s car. Lunch sounds great, but could Brooke and Addy join us?”
“I’ll have the staff set it up. Is frittata okay, or would you prefer something else?”
