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I let it go

I turned into the mirror and looked at oldfish

Full skirt, scooped neck, thin straps, bare arms With a tan, it would work just fine Better than fine I twirled in thefor the chaain

"Jillian, stop her, she’s cut off," I said Mine bottle herself, and lasses knocked her on her tiny ass

"You’re no fun, Caroline," she huffed as Jillian snagged the last glass for herself

Jillian looked triu behindthe skirt

"Thanks again for askingher eyes

We both s retching noises "Ugh, you two are so sweet, I’onna puke"

"Okay, et Mi to eat," Jillian said

Mirabbed a table at a favorite bistro in North Beach

Once ere settled and got started on sone, we talked about the honeyet put on the table? I thought you were going to Italy," I said, buttering a piece of bread

"Well, Benjaes since we had a real vacation, not just a weekend away So anted to extend the trip a bit"

"Wow, that’s going to be so," I replied

"And Switzerland We added Switzerland too," Jillian added, a guilty look on her face

Mi her roll close to her chest "That sounds heavenly--a European honey o wherever I want, provided I wear lots of string bikinis for hine was still lingering

"Wait, wait, wait--you’re going to Switzerland too?" I asked incredulously "Anywhere else you’re planning that I should know about?"

"Well, I was planning on talking about this at the office, but--"

"Whoa, what’s going on?" I asked

"Actually, we’re taking an open-ended trip," she said matter-of-factly "We just want to wander freely, and this seeood ti "How long are you planning on being gone?"

"Long enough to know that you’re gonna need an intern"

"Wait a minute, just wait ato be gone?" I asked, thinking of all the projects that were co of the Clareh to land it

"Let’s talk about it at the office, okay? The food is here," she said, nodding at our waiter with our dinner

As he set plates down in front of us, I met her eyes across the table "We’ll talk about it at the office," she said again "It’ll be fine, I pro

• • •

Text from Simon to Caroline:

Hey, babe, you free for lunch today?

I wish I’ my hammer

As much as I do love your hammer, I’m literally buried under a pile of colored pencils at the ative, Ghost Rider, I’ht as soon as I leave work

For the hotel? And did you just Top Gun et out there to actually see the place And yes, I totally Top Gunned you You want to rab a quick dinner afterward

We could grab a quick so

Babe

Sorry OK, text me the address and I’ll meet you out there 7?

Perfect

Da

Aaand we’re back See you at 7

• • •

I walked around the property, checking sight lines and viewpoints, noticing where the late afternoon light hit the buildings I sas where they weren’t, walls where they could be ardens that could be renovated to bring a sense of green to aexcited to bid on this job

A Range Rover’s honk broke me from my reverie I turned fro up in front Not quite done hat I was doing, I lifted a finger to indicate that I needed another minute He parked and walked to where I was

"So this is the place, huh?" he asked, wrapping his arazed up at the structure

"Yep, what do you think?"

"I think onna kick so his chin on the top of my head