Page 12 of Thiago

“Call me any time if you have questions or… need anything else.” Light color tinged his cheekbones. At least he knew he had no business hitting on her in the ER.

“Thank you,” India said, taking the card. His first name was Simon. Simon Stone.

He cleared his throat. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Ms. Monroe. Lay off the spicy tacos, okay?”

She laughed in spite of herself. “I’ll do my best.”

Chapter Six

“Oh my goodness, are you okay?” Kiara swept into India’s apartment, pulling her into a sisterly hug.

After India’s mother died, she moved in with her grandmother, who lived a couple of doors down from Kiara and her family. The two became best friends almost immediately and had been close ever since.

A bundle of energy, Kiara was a few inches shorter than India, with almond-gold skin and sparkling hazel eyes.

India laughed, squeezing her friend tight. “I’m fine. I told you, it was heartburn. Not a real heart attack.”

Kiara stepped back. “I know, but still, it was scary, I bet.”

“Very.”

Kiara held up a paper sack. “Mom sent you some oatmeal raisin cookies. Want me to put them in the cookie jar?”

They had known each other so long, Kiara knew her way around India’s apartment, and when she was at Kiara’s house, she moved through the rooms as if she lived there.

“Yes, please. Then meet me in the living room. I have the snacks laid out for us.”

India had set out a tray of nuts, cheeses, and crackers. She sat on the sofa and poured Arnold Palmer from a pitcher intotwo glasses. It was their favorite drink as kids, and they both still enjoyed it together.

Kiara joined her on the sofa and immediately picked up her drink. She took a sip while eying the spread. “Is that brie?”

“Yes, and this one is Comté. It’s French.”

“Of course.”

“Of course,” India said with a laugh. “The flavor is kind of nutty, like Fontina or Gruyère. They served it at a conference I attended a while back. I remembered it when I was at the store and thought it would be a nice addition to our tray.”

Kiara grinned. “It’s nice having a wealthy friend to introduce me to the finer things in life.”

“It’s just cheese, and I’m not wealthy,” India said.

Kiara blew a raspberry with her lips. “Stop being modest. You live in this great apartment, you make a ton of money, and you only have to take care of yourself. You’re rolling in dough, and I appreciate the benefits of knowing you.”

They laughed as her friend set down her glass and then looked directly at her.

“So, what’s going on? Based on our conversation, you sound like you’re going through a midlife crisis.”

“Maybe not that bad, but I have to do something.” India placed a couple of almonds on her tongue.

“Do something like what?” Kiara asked.

India shrugged, at a loss because she hadn’t completely figured out what she wanted to do yet but knew a change was needed. “Expand my options.”

“Your health scare was a false alarm. You said so yourself.”

“I know, but it might not have been. I could have ended up like my mother.”

“Your mother had an undiagnosed heart condition.”