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Seconds later, Adriana was in her doorway holding her iPad, white stylus between her fingers.

“Close the door,” Natalia instructed and pulled on her reading glasses.

Adriana complied and sat across from her, legs crossed and bright blue eyes keen and attentive. Natalia recalled how nervous Adriana used to get when she’d summoned her to her office unexpectedly. Even worse, when she asked her to close the door. But over the years, her confidence had solidified her resolve.

“I’m leaving early today,” Natalia announced. “And I’ll be gone Friday as well.”

Adriana inclined her head, an obvious question etched into her face.

“I have a client meeting out of town,” she said, hearing the defensive edge to her tone and dropping it immediately. “I will be back on Monday.”

“Of course. I hope it goes well,” Adriana said evenly. She didn’t wear any detectable hints of curiosity, even though Natalia knew they were there.

Natalia suppressed her approval. She’d taught Adriana the importance of keeping her expression neutral.

“You know how to reach me if anything comes up.” Natalia handed her the thick folder of notes without explaining that she expected Adriana to act in her place while she was gone.

She’d left Adriana to mind the store before, but she’d always expected her to run any decisions past her. As Adriana flipped through the pages, understanding dawned on her. Her body tensed and then relaxed. When she looked up at Natalia again, her facade was polished, but her eyes gave her away. She was proud. Eager to show Natalia that her confidence was not misplaced.

When Natalia’s chest felt uncomfortably tight, she stood, signaling that the meeting was over. “I don’t want to hear that you let Roxy distract you. My being away does not stop me from knowing everything that’s going on. Don’t disappoint me,” she added for good measure.

“Of course not,” Adriana replied without hesitation. “My focus is here.”

“Good,” she replied flatly, not enough bite in her voice. “If something comes up?—”

“I’ll know if there’s something you need to be informed of,” she replied with confidence, eyes still brimming like she couldn’t wait to sprint to her office on the other side of the space and call her mother.

Not as annoyed by the sentiment in Adriana’s angular features as she expected, Natalia nodded curtly and grabbed her bag. She needed to leave before lunchtime traffic started. Her rush had nothing to do with out-running her own suppressed pride at Adriana’s response.

Two hours later, Natalia was driving to Samantha’s house with two Louis Vuitton suitcases in her trunk. She hadn’t been sure what to pack, and she hadn’t wanted to ask Samantha, so she’d brought a dozen options for a four-night stay.

In April, the weather was usually bright and sunny without being oppressively hot and humid, but a sudden heavy downpour or unexpectedly cool night could show up out of nowhere. She didn’t want to be caught with the wrong clothes.

She wasn’t nervous when she pulled up to Samantha’s narrow driveway, hidden under a massive canopy of trees that hid how closely packed together the houses were in the old section of The Grove. It was kind of nice, she thought, before parking next to Samantha’s Subaru, newly adorned with a hideous black cargo carrier on its roof. Was Samantha trying to make the thing even uglier? Was it like mom jeans for cars?

Natalia was still reaching for her phone to tell Samantha she’d arrived when the front door opened and Samantha appeared. In a muscle t-shirt, joggers, and dark sunglasses, she was too casual to look so good.

As soon as her attention landed on Natalia, her lips eased into a blinding smile. Like they hadn’t just seen each other. Like she’d missed Natalia and had been counting the seconds to be with her again. Clenching her jaw, Natalia refused to smile back and was glad that she was wearing her own dark sunglasses. For a split second, she didn’t trust what her eyes would reveal and decided the damn things would stay on until she arrived home on Monday morning.

Instead of getting into the passenger seat as Natalia expected, Samantha strutted to her driver’s side and waited for Natalia to lower the window.

“I would think you’d be eager to get on the road before rush hour,” Samantha mused, tattoos bright in the sun and smile even brighter.

“And yet you’re the one standing there,” she replied, refusing to let her racing pulse distort her cadence.

Samantha laughed. “We’re not going in your car. It’s way too uncomfortable for a three-hour drive.”

Natalia didn’t have to look around at her luxury car to know it had to be more conducive to sitting for a long time than Samantha’s Birkenstock on wheels.

“Plus, I bet your little ass trunk is already full. Do you want me to scratch up your lovely white leather seats with my bags?” She cocked her head to the side like she was adorable. Some people were loved way too much as children, and it showed.

“You just want to drive,” Natalia decided.

“Maybe I just want you to relax,” she countered.

Natalia’s gaze cut from Samantha to the monstrosity perched on top of her car. “You certainly do not expect me to put my valuables in that.”

Samantha’s smile only widened. “I promise it’s very secure.”