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“Yesterday.”

It was always yesterday in my line of work. “Will he let me do my job?”

Max sighed and I heard the creak of a chair in the background. “I think so. He’s desperate enough to listen and the timing is especially grim, so he really doesn’t have the space to cause you too much trouble.”

I wouldn’t really know if I was willing to take on the client until I had specifics and Max wouldn’t give me those until I signed the non-disclosure agreement. “Send over the NDA. When I get back from dinner I’ll sign it and send it back. Call me when you’re ready and we’ll discuss.”

“Thank you, Kate. I wouldn’t have called if it weren’t such a big deal.”

Last minute desperate big deals paid more, so there was an upside to cancelling my vacation. “I’ll talk to you in a bit.”

I made my way back inside. Mei frowned as soon as she saw me. “No.”

“No what?”

“You’re taking a job.” Her frown deepened.

“What makes you say that?”

Her finger made a circle through the air. “You’ve got your work face on. Dr. Kate James.”

I scrunched my nose and wiggled my lips. “No I don’t.”

She sighed. “After this one you’re taking two months off and we’re going to Greece together.”

“Greece?”

“Or somewhere else exciting and far away from your work. I don’t care where. Oh! We could do Italy! Wine and food for two straight months!”

I paused. That actually sounded fantastic. “Let me find out what this job is and whether I even want to take it. Either way, we’re planning that trip.”

Mei lit up. “Deal.”

“I wasn’t aware we were making a deal.” I kissed the top of her head as I moved past her to say goodbye to Jeri.

“No! You can’t go! It’s my birthday!”

“We have had food, drinks, presents, and cake. What part am I missing?” Plus I was tired. Really tired. The emotional rollercoaster of the whole night had taken its toll and I wanted my pajamas.

She pouted. “Fine. But drive safe. Maybe one day we’ll lure you to our side of town with our sexy men.”

I dropped a kiss on her cheek and glanced at the bar. Isaac was gone. For some silly reason my heart dropped into my stomach with disappointment. “Have a good rest of the night. Be safe.”

“Yes mom.”

I said goodbye to everyone else, waved to Mark, and came to stop when I realized Isaac wasn’t gone. He stood beside the door, hands in his pockets, waiting.

For me?

He straightened as soon as he saw me. “Hey. I saw that you were leaving and wanted to say goodbye too.”

I got all warm and tingly and my heart skipped a beat. “A work thing came up.”

He nodded once. “I have a work thing, too. I’ll be out of town for the next month, unfortunately.” His voice was smooth and calming. “But I thought maybe when I get back you could meet me at Loretta’s? March 31st at seven? I know that sounds strangely specific, but it’s the day I get back.”

Strangely specific was also strangely romantic. A month would give me time to get this job off the ground—if I took it—and time to figure out my weird prejudice towards men with scruffy beards and flip flops. Or maybe I’d learn it really was a thing for me and meeting Isaac again just wasn’t in the cards.

“Loretta’s. March 31st. Seven,” I said with a nod as my nerves went wild.