Konni:Consider it done.I’ll see you at 5.
Grinning, I put my phone away and turned to the girls.
“This is it,” I said with certainty.“This is the future home of Phoenix Studios.”
Wrenly cheered.Bennett put his hands on her shoulders to stop her from bouncing too much.
“I’m so happy for you,” she said.“And I’m looking forward to the fashion show.I can’t wait for you to wow Motan.And to see Miranda on the catwalk.”
Miranda shot her a sultry wink.“Same.Does this mean we get to celebrate?There’s a bar nearby I want to try.”
Wrenly pouted and looked up at Bennett.
I watched his internal war play out in his expression.He wanted to say yes so badly, but Miranda and Wrenly both already knew he wouldn’t.It was their newest way of torturing Bennett while they waited for the baby to arrive.
“Let’s schedule an official celebration on the day remodeling begins,” I said, taking pity on him.“You’ll be able to drink then.”
Bennett shot me a look of gratitude and hurried Wrenly out the door before she and Miranda begged for anything else.The realtor came in after they left.
“What do you think?”he asked.
“It’s a beautiful building, and I appreciate that you took time out of your Friday afternoon to show us,” I said.“I’ll talk it over with my partners and be in touch soon.”
He wasn’t disappointed by my answer and shook my hand.
While he locked up, Miranda ordered a rideshare.
“So, about that drink,” she said.
“Konni wants me home by five.”
She had her phone out before I could stop her.Her thumbs flew over the keys.I saw an equally fast reply and her grin as she looked up at me.
“He said that he’ll come pick us up when I’m done with you.”
“I can’t wait until Wrenly isn’t pregnant anymore,” I said with a long-suffering sigh I didn’t really mean.Drinking with Miranda was always fun, and I knew, eventually, that phase of my life would be a thing of the past.I planned to enjoy it while I could.
The car that arrived looked vaguely familiar.
When I got in, I realized why.A woman wearing a ball cap with her long, red hair pulled through it in a ponytail glanced at me in the mirror.
“Hi again,” I said with a smile.“You probably don’t remember me, but you dropped me off at Lunar Pulse once.You waited until I got into my car before leaving.”
“I remember,” she said.Her voice had a low-husky quality that sounded nice but didn’t match her going to a ball game style.“Are you sure you want to go to a club down here?It’s not exactly a safe area.”
“We’ll be fine,” Miranda said.
“If it’s not safe, why are you taking rideshares down here?”I asked as she pulled away from the curb.
“I have business down here.”
“Same, hopefully,” I said.“I’m thinking of opening a store in that building.Maybe I’ll see you around again.”
“Oh?What kind of store?”she asked, turning.
“Fashion design,” I said.“It won’t be open for a while, though.Maybe spring.It needs a lot of work.”
“Everything down here does.Make sure you’re not alone there at night.Girls our age tend to go missing in this area.”
