The conversation around the table gradually became awkward.
Isabella and her friends had not expected to find Loretta so comfortable ignoring them. Every topic they brought up, she pretended not to hear. Loretta deliberately chose to distance herself from them. She could not stop them from sitting at the group table; that did not mean she had to entertain them.
Julian, however, seemed completely unaffected by the tension.
He picked up another pastry and looked between the women. Since Loretta was willing to sit there, then he could only pretend not to notice.
"So tell me, what do you enjoy doing?" he asked.
Loretta lowered her gaze. All her life, she had done what she thought needed to be done. She was not sure what she liked doing, but she had enjoyed her last vacation, so she said, "Traveling."
