Page 157 of Smoke and Glitter

"That's offensive."

"Is it inaccurate?"

I stop under the umbrella and look at him. "Anna said that exact sentence to me an hour ago."

"Then Anna and I are going to get along."

"Absolutely not. I refuse to allow it."

I bump my shoulder into his hard enough to put him half out from under the umbrella. He takes it without complaining and doesn't move the umbrella back over himself.

I tell him about the clients I want and the ones I don't. I tell him Anna will keep feeding me crises until one of us retires. He asks questions. He doesn't solve anything I haven't asked him to solve.

By the time we reach the corner, my bag is on his shoulder, the umbrella is tilted mostly over me, and I'm still talking.

The firm doesn't have a name, an office or a single signed client yet.

For once, I don't need the plan finished before I let somebody else hear it.

Chapter twenty-nine

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Autumn

Sam zips his suitcase, stares at it for a second, then mutters something under his breath and heads back toward the bathroom. I watch from the edge of the bed.

"If you're looking for your toothbrush, you put it in the front pocket ten minutes ago."

He stops in the doorway and turns his head. "I wasn't looking for my toothbrush."

"You've checked the bathroom twice."

"I was making sure I didn't leave anything."

"Which is what people say when they're looking for the toothbrush they already packed."

Sam gives me a look before crossing back to the suitcase. He unzips the front pocket, finds the toothbrush exactly where I said it was and closes it again without comment.

I smile. "Anything you'd like to say?"

"Not particularly."

"That feels mature."

"I'm leaving the country today. Let me have some dignity."

"You lost that when you checked the shower."

"I left shampoo in there once."

"In Chicago."

"Still happened."

I laugh, but it doesn't last as long as it should.

His flight leaves in a few hours. The two extra days he asked for are over, and for the first time since he changed the ticket, there is nowhere else to move the ending. I have work waiting for me here. Sam has Vibes and Smoke waiting for him in Chicago. That was always the deal.