I want to speak, but the words won’t come. What could I possibly know or understand about Slade and his past? She isn’t wrong. I can hardly imagine what Slade must have gone through. Does he agree with her? Out of my high school class of one hundred and fifty students, zero went into the armed forces. It’s embarrassing, how little I know. If not for a few random documentaries over the years and movies, my knowledge would be zero.

Feeling satisfied by my dumbstruck expression, she turns to leave. I’m staring at the door when Eve steps in.

“You okay?” She puts a hand on my shoulder.

I smile. “Yeah, I’m cool.” Lifting my back, I shake myself out of my daze.

“I saw some sparks between you and Slade.” She smiles wide. “I’ve always liked you two together.”

“He’s cool.” I smile.

There is so much she doesn’t know. I have to fill her in but not here in the restroom and, surely, not now. She opens her mouth to ask more, but before she can, I enter a stall. Luckily, she gets the message. It’s not like me to avoid discussing a man, but Slade isn’t a normal guy. At least, not to me. What we went through in the nightclub was … intense. In some fucked up way, it bonded us. We were there together. Survived together. My feelings are conflicted, but he was literally my personal hero.

After I wash my hands, we walk back to the table. Slade and Vincent immediately stand with our arrival, letting us back inside the booth.

“No camping,” Vincent says, sitting back down. “Sorry, man. I tried to convince her, but she’s still scared of snakes after that small one we saw—”

“It wasn’t small, Vincent. It was an actual rattlesnake. And this guy,” Eve continues, pointing to Vincent, “jumps over it like it was nothing while I clung to our guide. I mean, who jumps over a rattlesnake? We’re from New York, not the Amazon!”

He laughs, pulling her head under his chin. “Lauren’s coming, too, yeah?”

I questioningly look at Eve.

“I forgot to tell you, but we’re leaving tomorrow to Anam, this gorgeous resort in Canyon Point, Utah. We’ll stay there for two nights and spend the day out on Lake Powell. No camping.” Eve’s eyes sparkle in excitement.

“Wait.” I pause, looking around the table. “We?”

I’m supposed to stay here, in Nevada, and unwind. While I love traveling, it’s something I need to mentally prepare for. I’m not the type who likes spur-of-the-moment anything. Even flash sales on websites give me anxiety. Like, what do they mean, only twenty-four hours to shop these items, or they’re gone? A girl needs time to weigh her options!

“It’ll be so relaxing,” Eve promises.

Slade shifts in his seat.

“Are you sure? If you guys had plans, I don’t want to impose.”

“No!” Eve exclaims. “I want you with us. We all do. Right, guys?” She looks around, silently asking them to chime in.