Page 96 of Tastes Like Summer

“I’m scared,” I confess. “I understand what you mean that it’s an odd sort of silver lining, but at the same time, I could’ve used that money. Or at least some kind of parental support, you know? Help once a week.”

“Respectfully, you weren’t getting any kind of support before this filing. So it’s not like this made any difference, did it?”

I nod, attempting to swallow the ball in my throat.

“And, anyway… You’ve officially completed your six month probationary period here at the firm. Which means…”

He slides another sheet of paper, folded this time. When I open it, the top of the document reads “Porter, Jameson, & Webb Updated Compensation Package.”

I inhale sharply. “A raise?”

He nods. “And an increase in responsibility, too. You’re still a paralegal, of course. But some clients have taken a special liking to you, so we’ve decided to permanently assign you to some of those cases, which means you qualify for bonuses.”

“Whoa,” I breathe, reviewing the updated package.

“I hope this comes as a good early Christmas present,” he says with a smile.

I sniff. “Yes, thank you. A fantastic one, actually. Definitely softened the blow of it all. I’m excited to have dedicated clients.”

“Which leads me to my next point… You remember Jonathan Bloom, right?”

Manhattan looks like an entirely different city than the one I first visited in the summer. The streets are even more crowded than before, but the hot garbage smells have been replaced by the scent of literal roasted chestnuts, bright office building lights are now accompanied by endless string lights adorning every corner, and the sound of traffic comes with a side of holiday music blasting from stores, restaurants, and coffee shops. Before, I thought movies that showed New York over the holidays were representing a gross exaggeration of its reality—now I know that I’ve been wrong this whole time.

The city is beautiful and something out of a storybook.

Even Jonathan Bloom’s building lobby has undergone a transformation. Previously cold, decorated only in a scheme of black and white marble, it feels almost welcoming with its updated holiday decorations. Every inch of the place seems to be covered in a combination of pine, bows, twinkle lights, and gold and red accents. I swear they even put the scent of pine in the air vents.

I was scared of coming back to New York, of accidentally running into Michael somewhere in the city, as unlikely as that sounds. I was scared of what it would do to me, because after months of no contact, after months of separation, there isn’t a single part of me that feels any different. I’m still in love with him.

At the end of the day, though, I’m glad I’m here. This trip would not have been possible if Emi wasn’t in a place where I could leave her with my parents. So the fact that I felt okay enough to let her and Cami stay with them while I’m away speaks volumes to how things have been going with her diabetes. I still obsessively check her CGM app to see how her glucose levels are—more so now that I’m in New York—but we’ve had fewer scares over the past few months. A huge relief for our entire family.

“You ready for this?” Edgar asks beside me.

I smile up at him. “I mean, you only gave me a couple of days to prepare for this business trip, but you know I’m ready.”

He pats me once on the back. “Never doubted you for a second.”

Seeing Jonathan again after so long is… odd. He greets me as kind and friendly as ever, with open arms, bringing me in for an unexpected hug. So sweet, in fact, it makes me wonder whether he doesn’t know Michael and I aren’t together anymore.

“Diana,” he says with a smile. “It’s so good to see you again.”

A little dumbstruck, I let him lead us into his conference room. The warm greeting doesn’t go unnoticed by my boss or Jonathan’s legal team, but they all know better than to bring it up right now.

Jonathan asks us how our flight was, kicking off the usual slew of small talk that precedes every single meeting. Eventually though, we set pleasantries aside and thankfully get down to business.

“The contracts and negotiations have been finalized,” Edgar notifies our client, passing the final documents to the client team.

“Finally,” Jonathan heaves a sigh. “Not gonna lie, I was getting real tired of this back and forth. Who knew buying a small company in Denver was going to be so time-consuming?”

The team chuckles before reviewing every line of the contract together. When Jonathan and his team are fully satisfied, he smiles and thanks us for a job well done.

Knowing that I was a part of something big fills me with a sense of accomplishment I haven’t felt in a long time, and it never would’ve happened if Rodrigo hadn’t left me. So maybe Edgar was right in that his exit from my life has brought me incredible blessings. This job. A newfound strength I never knew I had in me. And Michael—even though I lost him.

This time, I do go out for drinks with the team in celebration of the conclusion of our business. Jonathan sits next to me at dinner, and it’s nice. It feels like having an old friend, despite us not having known each other for very long. It doesn’t take an expert to know that the ease I feel is one by association, because he’s friends with Michael. And I want to ask him so much about the man I love, but I manage to keep quiet. To stick to business or trivial conversation. That is, until he broaches the topic…

“You know you can ask, right?” he says in a low voice, so only I can hear.

I play dumb. “Ask what?”