Victoria’s hand slid to the back of her neck, warm and sure. “We’ll figure it out,” she murmured. “However long it takes.”
Isabel let out a shaky breath. “You always say that like it’s easy.”
“It’s not,” Victoria said. “But it’s worth it.”
Something inside Isabel finally gave in. She nodded against Victoria’s chest, then pulled back enough to meet her eyes. Her lips quirked faintly. “Tell me that’s fromLotus Garden,” she said, nodding toward the takeout bag on the counter.
Victoria’s mouth twitched. “Uh…not exactly.”
Isabel arched a brow. “Not exactly?”
“It’s fromWok House,” Victoria admitted, a little sheepishly. “They were still open.”
A soft laugh escaped Isabel before she could stop it. “You realize their dumplings taste like regret, right?”
Victoria’s smile widened just slightly. “Then I guess it’s a good thing I brought extra soy sauce.”
That earned a real laugh—small, but genuine. The kind that cracked something open between them.
Isabel shook her head, still smiling. “We should eat before it gets cold.”
Victoria nodded, the corners of her eyes soft. “Yeah,” she said quietly. “Let’s.”
They sat cross-legged on the floor, sharing takeout straight from the containers. It wasn’t glamorous, but for the first time in weeks, the silence between them felt right—comfortable, full of promise.
When their fingers brushed reaching for the same carton, neither moved away.
The clatter of chopsticks and the faint hum of the refrigerator filled the quiet. For a while, neither of them spoke. It was the kind of silence that felt like healing—slow, imperfect, real.
Isabel set her carton down, stretching her legs out and leaning back against the couch. “You know,” she said softly, “for all the chaos, I really do love this place.”
Victoria glanced up from her food. “Phoenix Ridge?”
“Yeah.” Isabel smiled faintly. “It’s got this weird mix of everything—beach, cliffs, forest. Half the time it feels as if the world can’t decide what it wants to be. Guess I relate.”
Victoria’s lips curved in that small, knowing way that always made Isabel’s chest ache. “I’m glad you like it here.”
“I more than like it.” Isabel’s gaze drifted toward the window, where city lights shimmered beyond the glass. “For the first time in a long time, I felt like I belonged somewhere.”
Victoria set her food aside and leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. “Then stay.”
Isabel looked at her, brow furrowing.
“I’m serious,” Victoria continued. “If you want your position back, I’ll make it happen. You’ve earned it—and God knows the department’s better with you there.”
For a moment, Isabel didn’t answer. She looked down at the noodles in front of her, her appetite suddenly gone. The offer was tempting. Too tempting.
She took a slow bite instead of speaking. Then another. The silence stretched until it became almost awkward.
Finally, she set her chopsticks down and met Victoria’s eyes. “No.”
Victoria blinked. “No?”
Isabel shook her head. “I think…quitting was the right call.”
Victoria’s expression softened but didn’t hide the flicker of surprise. “You’re sure?”
“Yeah.” Isabel exhaled, leaning back again. “For a long time, being a cop was all I knew. But maybe it’s time I figure out who I am outside of that badge. I still want to help people—I just don’t know what that looks like yet.”
