Page 32

Her heart skipping a beat, Evelyn did not hesitate. “I’ll be there right after I run by my house and grab some clothes,” she said. “Will that work?”

“Yeah,” Jo said, a little more hopefulness in her voice. “Maybe we can eat something delivered?”

“Whatever you want,” Evelyn said, but before Evelyn could say more, the sound of footsteps coming down the hallway made her sit up straighter. A moment later, Dr. Wong appeared at the door to her office, dressed more casually than usual in dark jeans and a tailored blouse, a laptop bag slung over one shoulder. She raised her eyebrows when she spotted Evelyn on the phone. Evelyn lowered her voice. “Sorry, Jo. Dr. Wong just walked in. I’ll see you later.”

“Can’t wait,” Jo said, and Evelyn ended the call.

“Dr. Wong. I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“I could say the same,” Dr. Wong replied, stepping into the room. “But I’m glad you are. I was hoping to catch you.”

Evelyn gestured to the screen. “I finished the presentation,” she said with pride in her voice. “I was going to send it over in a few minutes.”

Dr. Wong nodded. “Perfect,” she said. “But that’s not why I need to speak to you.”

“Oh?” Evelyn said, her brow furrowing in confusion.

Setting her bag on the table, Dr. Wong leaned against it. “You’ve been doing excellent work, Evelyn,” she said. “Your data on the renewable energy impact models is some of the cleanest analysis I’ve seen in years. I’ve already had two board members ask to talk with you directly after your last draft.”

Evelyn blinked. “Oh. Wow,” she said. “That’s wonderful to hear.”

“It is,” Dr. Wong said with a nod. “Which is why I wanted to discuss something with you before the full team hears about it next week.” She paused, giving Evelyn a measured look. “There’s a position opening up. One I think you’d be perfect for. Something of a promotion.”

“A promotion?” Evelyn repeated after a beat, not quite processing the woman’s words.

“Yes,” Dr. Wong said. “It’s a collaborative research lead position for our coastal sustainability initiative. You would be heading up a pilot program with the Department of Environmental Management and a few partner universities. It’s high profile. Great funding. You’d be leading your own team.”

Barely containing her excitement, but also a little disbelieving, Evelyn shook her head. “That sounds incredible,” she said, and Dr. Wong gave her a rare smile.

“It is,” she agreed. “Although it does come with a few logistical challenges.”

“Challenges?”

“You’d be traveling extensively,” Dr. Wong said. “The position requires on-site evaluations, stakeholder meetings, and fieldwork across the greater Pacific Northwest. You would still be based out of Portland, but you’d be moving between Oregon, Washington, Northern California, and even some time in British Columbia. At least four to five months of travel, possibly more.” Evelyn felt the air leave her lungs as Dr. Wong continued, clearly unaware of the sudden swirl of emotion in Evelyn’s chest. “I know it’s a lot. But you’ve proven yourself capable. And I think you’d thrive in this role.”

Nodding slowly, Evelyn’s mind spun. It was everything she had worked for. Everything she had told herself she wanted. A chance to lead, to make a real impact, to be taken seriously in herfield. Yet, all she could think about was Jo. Her warm hands and the way she kissed her like she was something precious.But four to five months travel,she thought.Maybe more. “I… I need to think about it,” Evelyn said, her voice quieter now.

Dr. Wong picked up her bag, looking unsurprised. “Of course,” she said. “Take a few days. But I’ll need your answer by Wednesday.”

A knock at the garage’s side door made Jo frown. She was still in the middle of inventorying everything that was stolen before heading home, and didn’t expect any visitors. Setting the clipboard on the workbench, she moved to see who it was when the door swung open. Mr. Diaz stepped in, a paper bag in one hand. He paused, his eyes scanning the room.

“Well,” he said, his voice warm, familiar, and a little gruff. “Place looks like hell.”

Appreciating the man’s candor, Jo let out a breath of a laugh. “Yeah,” she said. “You should’ve seen it last night.”

“I could have,” he said, walking farther in. “Officer Reynolds called me. Figured I’d let you handle it though, but I wanted to stop by today. See it for myself.” Nodding, Jo watched as Mr. Diaz surveyed the damage. His gaze lingered on the missing front windows, the empty spaces where tools used to hang, the scuff marks on the floor near the register. “Did they get much money?”

“No,” Jo said, thankful for that fact at least. “I don’t keep much cash here. It’s all credit cards and Venmo payments nowadays.”

“That’s good,” Mr. Diaz said with a nod.

Jo sighed. “I’m sorry you had to see it like this,” she said quietly, and Mr. Diaz turned, his sharp eyes softening.

“Don’t be,” he said. “This place is still standing. That’s what matters.” Jo nodded, but the weight of it all still pressed heavily on her shoulders. Her mentor stepped closer, setting the paper bag down on the workbench. “I brought you some of Rosa’s empanadas. Figured you hadn’t eaten.”

Touched despite herself, Jo smiled. “Thanks.” She reached for the bag and peeked inside. The smell of warm pastry and seasoned meat immediately made her stomach growl. There was plenty, and for a moment, she thought of Evelyn. The empanadas would make a perfect dinner.

“Well, now, would you look at that,” she heard Mr. Diaz say. Jo followed his line of sight to the Mustang. The tarp still lay on the floor beside it, the car exposed in all its half-finished glory. “You finally pulled her out again.” He stepped toward it with a slow, appreciative nod. “You planning to put some work into her?”