“I know. It’s like the media invented this whole person. And because she never defends herself or says anything, people think she’s weak, but she’s the strongest person I’ve met. Quiet can be strong, that’s something I’ve learned. And she’s been kind to me.”

“Is it weird? Knowing your mom—”

“Slept with her husband? Yes. At the beginning I kept wanting to apologize, but now...” Ashley shrugged. “It wasn’t my fault. It wasn’t Joanna’s fault. That’s why I left. I didn’t want her to have more to deal with because of me. And I’m glad we’re not leaving. She likes it here, I know she does. I just hope your parents, Nate and Joanna can fix things.”

Eden tilted her head. “I guess it was complicated, with mom and Nate being twins. They’re different, of course, but they’re very close. Mom adores Nate, and Joanna just dumping him like that must have been hard.”

Dumping him? Ashley frowned. “What?”

“Think about it—one minute they’ve been together their whole lives and then Joanna just leaves with a guy she only just met. Mom was pretty destroyed by it and you can see why. Her best friend ditches her brother in a pretty crappy way and doesn’t even talk to her about it. Who do you support? How do you support both?” Eden shrugged. “Nightmare situation. I don’t know what I would have done, do you?”

“But...that’s not what happened. It was Nate who dumped Joanna. One minute they’ve been together forever and they’re an item, and the next he’s kissing some blonde in front of her.” Ashley blurted out her defense of Joanna and then realized that this was Eden, and that Eden was Mel’s daughter and she probably shouldn’t have said anything.

Eden was staring at her. “He what?”

“Nothing. Forget it.” Ashley felt her face burn. “I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“Yeah, you should. Kissing a blonde? That’s the truth? He broke up with her?” Eden let out a puff of breath. “My mom thinks the fault was all Joanna’s.”

“Don’t say anything.”

“Maybe Joanna will tell her.”

“Maybe.”

Ashley watched as Joanna smiled at something Mel said. Whatever they were talking about, it didn’t seem to be confrontational. It seemed Mel wasn’t the only one who had decided to put the past behind them for tonight at least. “Do you think they’ll get back together?”

“Joanna and Nate?” Eden frowned. “I doubt it. I mean, if it was going to work they would never have broken up, would they?”

“I don’t know. People can change. I know Joanna is only here because Mel and I pushed her.”