The restaurant was dimly lit, cozy, and buzzing just enough to feel alive but private enough to pretend the world didn’t exist outside the walls. Soft jazz music played from overhead, and a small candle flickered between Amelia and Valenie’s wine glasses.
It had been a while—too long, honestly—since the two of them had done this. Just dinner. Just girls. No interruptions. No shadowy men with unreadable expressions. No sneaky glances exchanged in hallways or shared silences in the dead of night.
For once, it was normal.
“I swear, I’ve been craving this pasta all week,” Valenie said with a grin, swirling the last of her linguine with her fork. “They make it better than anyone else.”
Amelia smiled, sipping her wine. “You said that about the Thai place last month.”
Valenie smirked. “Becau
