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Smiling, he set his phone aside and hauled himself out of bed. It was going to be a long day, but at least he could look forward to seeing Faith.
Faith adjusted her necklace—avintage locket—and fortified herself prior to entering Sailor’s Retreat. This was not her idea of a fun evening, but Shane had sounded desperate, and there wasn’t much she wouldn’t do for him. She’d chosen her classiest dress, certain that Diana would bring her A-game, and spent extra time on makeup, taking care to get it just right. Her outfit would be her only armor against a Hollywood diva with her claws out.
Making her way inside, she spotted the group at a table in the corner. Finding them wasn’t difficult. Not when everyone in the place was sneaking glances at Diana, no doubt trying to figure out whether she was actually who they thought. Diana never publicly discussed her past—no surprise there because it wasn’t exactly flattering—and though the locals knew what had happened, few others did. The paparazzi didn’t bother extending their reach to New Zealand.
As Faith approached, Shane glanced up and caught her eye, smiling warmly. The smile turned her inside out and almost made her forget the hell that was sure to come. “Hi, Faith.”
“Hi, you handsome bunch.”
Diana looked over her shoulder, coolly appraised Faith, and arched a brow. “I don’t recall inviting you.”
“No,” she agreed, “but Shane did.” Rounding the table, she slipped into the empty seat between him and Hunter, who reached over and gripped her hand. The little boy looked enormously uncomfortable. She could relate.
Shane shrugged. “I thought that if this is a family dinner, then all of the family should be here.” He was baiting his ex, and Faith wished she knew why. She adored him, but she had the unpleasant feeling of being wielded as a weapon in the war between them. This table was a battlefield, beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Faith forced a smile. In her experience, it helped to keep a cheerful face through adversity. “Have you already ordered?”
“No.” Beneath the table, Shane’s hand slid onto her knee and squeezed. She melted in her seat. While he didn’t say anything, his eyes screamed of gratitude, and in that moment, she didn’t care whether half the people there wanted her gone. He needed her support, which was all that mattered. “We only arrived a few minutes ago.”
“Great.” To Diana, she said, “I’d recommend the crayfish. It’s delicious.”
“I know,” Diana replied, all sweetness. “If you recall, I used to live here too.”
“Yes,” Faith agreed, “but it was a long time ago, and things tend to change.”
Shots fired. Take that, you scheming bitch.
“They do.” Diana’s lips firmed. “Weren’t you in high school back then?”
Shane stiffened, but she smoothed a hand over his. She could take care of herself.
“Actually, I’d just purchased my business.” She’d had a crystal clear vision of what she wanted from life, so she’d gone to college right out of high school, completed her study in three years, and owned the deed to The Shack by the time she was twenty-three. In contrast, Diana hadn’t encountered any success until she was around the same age Faith was now.
Diana sneered. “Oh, yes. The ice cream parlor. How quaint.”
“It keeps me in food and shoes, so I’m happy.” She loved her job, but she wasn’t about to expound on the glories of ice cream and the joy it brought only to have Diana shoot her down.
“I can see that.” Diana gave her a once-over. The kind that said she saw every bit of extra flesh Faith had. Diana was Hollywood slender, except for those boobs.
“Diana,” Shane warned. “Don’t.”
A waiter approached, and they ordered. Faith got the crayfish. Diana did not.
Faith gave Hunter her attention. “How was kindergarten today, honey?”
“We builded stuff out of boxes. Mine was best, ’cause Daddy teached me how.”
Her heart softened. Aww. Wasn’t he just the cutest? She knew that Shane took Hunter to Sanctuary most weekends to practice their DIY skills, and it seemed like he might have a future in building or carpentry. “Did you bring it home? I’d love to see.”
He nodded. “Yep.”
“We’ll show you later,” Shane said.
Not to be outdone, Diana addressed Hunter. “Did you tell them your mummy has come to stay?”
He shrank into his chair and glanced at Faith with big round eyes, as though seeking her support. Reaching over, she took his hand to reassure him, and he shook his head, staring down, almost as though he were afraid of Diana. But then, he was shy, and Faith supposed his mother was a virtual stranger. She felt a pang of sympathy for the other woman. Whether or not she deserved it, that had to hurt.
“I told my friends you’re here,” Dylan said proudly. “They’ve all seen you on TV, and my teacher asked if you could talk to the class about how to have a career as an actress.”
