I set my phone down and lean back in my chair.
***
"Over here!"
Nadia's voice cuts through the crowded, loud hum of the bar. I weave past a waitress carrying a tray of pints and find her and Priya tucked into the big corner booth.
I slide onto the cracked leather bench, my coat still on. A second later, Liv appears out of the crowd, setting a pink pastry box in the middle of the table without ceremony. "The Margit and Tristan said congratulations," she says. “and Margit told me to remind you about the wall.”
I laugh. It comes out louder than I expected. "Of course she did."
Tom walks in at 6:10 with Wren trailing behind him. She's wearing her leather jacket and boots, hair pulled into a messy braid. She spots me and grins.
"There she is," Wren says. "The woman of the hour."
Tom sits beside me. His knee presses against mine under the table. I don't move away.
Priya raises her glass. "To Sam, for proving Castellano wrong and showing the Committee what actual competence looks like."
We clink glasses. I take a sip of wine.
The conversation shifts—Nadia is dramatically recounting a first date with a guy who brought his mother along because she "happened to be in town visiting," Liv is explaining the absolute horror of getting a phone call from her own mother asking for advice on setting up a Tinder profile, and Wren is laughing so hard she has to set down her beer.
Under the noise, Tom leans in close. His voice is low enough that only I can hear. "You were incredible today."
I glance at him. "You weren't there."
"I watched you build that presentation in the war room on four hours of sleep," he says. "I know it's true."
I squeeze his hand under the table. He squeezes back.
The fatigue is starting to settle into my bones now. My shoulders feel like they weigh twice what they do. I lean back against the booth and let the conversation wash over me.
At 7:45, Priya checks her phone and winces. "I have an early site walk tomorrow."
Nadia nods. "Same. Client call at seven."
Liv stands and pulls on her coat. "You did good, Sam. Really good."
The three of them gather their things. I stand and hug each of them in turn. Priya holds on an extra second. "Proud of you," she says quietly.
"Thank you," I whisper back.
They leave together, pushing through the door into the cold night with a chorus of goodbyes.
Wren finishes her beer and sets the glass down. She looks at me, then at Tom. "I should get going too. Subway's calling."
She stands, pulls on her jacket, then leans down and hugs me. "He's different with you," Wren says quietly, close to my ear. "Steadier. Thank you."
I pull back, startled. "I—"
But she's already smiling, already stepping away. "See you around, Sam."
She waves at Tom and walks out.
Tom and I sit in silence for a moment. The booth feels bigger now.
"Ready?" he asks.
