“The couples retreat?” He looks over my shoulder, his eyes narrowing before they come back to me. “Where’s your partner?”
“I’m alone.” I shrug while making an eek! face. “I guess I should have booked this retreat for a few months ago.”
“Shit,” the blond guy at his side mutters.
“You’re Cybil?” the other man asks, and I nod. “I’m Maverick. We spoke a couple of times. Sorry about your breakup.”
“It happens,” I say awkwardly as the blond mutters another curse.
“You can leave your bag in your trunk for now and go on inside the lodge, where everyone else is. Tanner, Blake, and I will be there in just a couple of minutes to go over the plans for the next week.”
“Everyone else?” I frown.
“The other couples,” Tanner states, and I blink.
“Other couples?”
“It’s a couples retreat.”
“Yeah, I know, but I thought . . .” I shake my head. “I didn’t know there would be other couples. I thought my ex and I were the couple.”
Maverick’s lips twitch. “There are three couples on this retreat with you.”
“Oh.” I fiddle with the knot of the checkered red flannel I tied around my waist.
“Tanner’s leading the retreat, so you’ll be partnering up with him for all planned activities,” he says, and my stomach drops to my toes. “You’ll be in good hands.”
“Sure.” I quickly glance at Tanner, my chest beating oddly when I find him smiling. “I guess I’ll just go inside.”
“There’s coffee and doughnuts. Help yourself.”
“Okay, thanks.” I walk past them and start up the wide steps that lead to the porch, stumbling over my stupid chunky hiking boots. Thankfully, I catch myself before I fall on my face, but I’m seriously wondering if I’m going to survive the next week between my pack, books, and now Tanner.
“You okay?”
Knowing it’s Tanner who’s asked, I don’t even bother looking behind me. I raise my chin and wave a hand out as I clear the last step and walk toward the door. “Yep, never been better.”
“You know the rules,” I hear one of the guys say as I enter the lodge, but I don’t hear more, because the sound of people chatting and laughing rings in my ears as I walk down a short hall. When I enter the great room, I realize the photos online didn’t do it justice. It’s beautiful, with high ceilings, exposed wood, and large picture windows that look out over the forest of tall ponderosa pines and gorgeous Douglas firs. The chatting of the couples seated on the two couches comes to a standstill as everyone turns to look at me, and I feel more awkward than I did before.
“Hi.” I wave, glancing through everyone. “I’m Cybil.”
“Nice to meet you, Cybil.” A slim older gentleman with thinning hair and a kind smile stands, and the much younger, very pretty blonde woman he was sitting next to follows close behind. “I’m Dr. Oliver Price.”
“And I’m his girlfriend.” The blonde now plastered to his side flops out her hand toward me. “Lauren.”
“Nice to meet you both.” I smile at the two of them, then turn my attention to an attractive man with dark hair and thick black-rimmed glasses, and he grins at me.
“I’m Jacob,” he greets, then nods to the equally attractive man at his side, who is smiling.
“I’m his husband, Parker. Come sit down.” Parker motions to a chair that’s kitty-corner to the couches that are facing each other. I step deeper into the room as everyone takes their seats, and I notice a third couple on the couch, holding up a phone and talking to a kid, judging by the way they’re speaking.
“That’s Grant and Avery. They’re talking to their son,” Parker tells me as I sit, and the man who must be Grant waves, then nudges his wife’s shoulder and motions in my direction when she looks at him.
As she looks around the phone she’s still holding up, her eyes meet mine. “Sorry, I’m Avery.”
“Cybil,” I greet, and she smiles.
“It’s nice to meet you.”
“You too,” I reply as the child on the phone shouts “Mom!” making her sigh and focus on the phone once more.
“Where’s your partner?” Lauren asks while she does that annoying thing some women do, where you know they are judging and dissecting each and every little detail about you.
“She’s with me,” Tanner says, walking into the room carrying a handful of papers, which he begins to pass out, while Maverick flips on the TV hanging on the wall, and Blake takes a seat in the chair next to mine. Taking one when he holds it out to me, I startle slightly when he sits on the arm of my chair. “The sheet of paper you’re now holding has a breakdown of our daily itinerary. As you can see, every day, you’ll be required to complete one task with your partner’s help and—”