WHEN HE FINALLY KNEW.

a's

city skyline slipped into view through the oval window. Manhattan. Loud. Busy. Unforgi

y, wake up.

awned, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. He looked up

w York?"

shing his curls from his

here was a time when I thought I'd never come back. But here I was, five year

rried my own, smaller than you'd expect for someone who'd been gone so long. But I

aving like she was trying to catch the attention of the entire airport. Her hair was dyed co

, arms already wide

real one. She threw herself into my ar

s Elvis," she said, crouchi

p at her. "Do y

. "Your mom and I go way back. So t

"Okay. But I don't l

y no

r oversized tote, then stood up a

tired,"

a

et's get ou

f cinnamon and coffee. Too many plants and not enough space. It was exactly how I remembe

him in with an extra blanket, then returned to the kitchen

're okay?" sh

hough I wasn't.

d that a

guess it

ter. "So. This business dea

ded a

gh too many nights of wine and heartbreak for that. But I could fe

yet-not really. He was only

e?" Enid asked af

y. I looked down at the s

N

ou tel

N

r beat

I said quietly. "M

anyone

ead. "Just y

ly. "Faye still

ever s

twenty-three. She was with me in New Orleans through all the mess, all the

dded. "She booked the hotel for

led. "So i

investors.

d you're bringing it b

t have a

n't

oked

lcony. The city glowed below, traffic humming like a restless heart. I wr

rs ago. Twenty-four, pregnant, scared out of my mind. The

is. Never him. He was t

, names I hadn't spoken in years-it all lived here

the door cr

a soft vo

. She'd let herself i

her, hugge

sted," she said

," I sa

that lo

numbers. If this goes the way I think it will, you're looking at a new headquarte

et my ho

You've built something strong.

rifted. Not to the pitch. N

d happen if some

ecogniz

e and lowered her voice. "D

n't k

want t

e, heart twisting. "No," I

just hope you get a happ

going to be fine, I'll just do my business