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She exhaled and took her drink to one of the sofas, relieved to have a few minutes to herself. She was used to being on at work, but it had been awhile since she’d been social for any length of time.
She’d only been sitting for a couple minutes when Laurel spotted her from the kitchen. She extricated herself from a conversation with Bea and the woman Laurel called Ama, then carried a glass of lemonade into the living room where she dropped with a sigh onto the other end of the sofa.
“Oh my god,” she said, propping her bare feet on the coffee table. “I feel like a barge.”
Gabriella laughed. “I remember that feeling. Like you need a rearview camera and a backup alarm just to move around.”
Laurel smiled. “Exactly. Graceful, I’m not right now.”
“You’re selling yourself short,” Gabriella said. Laurel was glowing in a long floral print dress with a sash above her rounded stomach, her hair falling in gold waves down her back.
“And you’re being kind,” Laurel said. “Sorry this is all so chaotic. It’s a bit much even for me, and you’re probably still settling in.”
“Don’t worry about me,” Gabriella said. “I’m working most of the time, whether I’m here or back home. It provides a kind of continuity.”
“I envy you that,” Laurel said. “I do some charity stuff, but that’s about it.”
“Do you want to be working?” Gabriella asked. Laurel seemed so at ease with her life.
She laughed. “Truthfully? Not really. I kind of love the charities I work with, especially the urban garden organization that takes up most of my time. There’s never a shortage of things to do there — money to raise, new plots of land to buy and develop, new community outreach programs to roll out."
Her eyes shone as she described it.
“Sounds like work to me. Just because you’re not getting paid doesn’t mean it isn’t worthwhile. Look at me.” Gabriella grinned. “That’s a D.A. joke. We’re decently paid, actually, but not like our peers in private practice.”
Laurel laughed. “Have you ever thought about going into private practice?”
Gabriella shook her head. “I used to dream about going the other way though, into nonprofit work.”
“What made you stay at the D.A.’s office?”
Gabriella looked at her. “Are you sure you want to hear this? It’s kind of boring.”
Laurel looked surprised. “Not at all. I find it fascinating.”
Gabriella wondered if she was just being nice, but she actually looked interested.
“I thought I could do some good in the prosecutor’s office,” she said. “But also, I was pretty ambitious when I got out of law school. The D.A.’s office can be a springboard to a lot of other things — private practice, politics…”
“Is that something you’re interested in?” Laurel asked. “Politics?”
“I used to think so. Now I’m not so sure.” Something had shifted inside her since Leo’s abduction. Being in the public eye didn’t seem as attractive as it once had.
“Well, like you said, your time in the D.A.’s office can take you anywhere,” Laurel said. “I have some contacts at a couple of legal nonprofits. I’d be happy to put you in touch if you decide you’re ready for a change.”
“Thanks,” Gabriella said.
Laurel heaved herself up off the couch with a groan. “I better go save your lovely Bea from Ama. She will talk Bea’s ear off.”
“Bea loves it,” Gabriella assured her.
“Can I get you anything while I’m up?” Laurel asked.
“God, no! I should be asking you that.”
“Please.” Laurel waved her off. “If I sit too long I’ll never move again.”
Gabriella watched her move toward the kitchen and felt a surge of happiness for Hawk. Laurel was so warm and lovely, just what Hawk needed. No wonder he seemed a little softer.
