Claire glances at something over Mia's shoulder and smiles.
"Looks like Elias will be a little while yet." She signals a server before Mia can respond. "Perfect. You and I can get started."
The server arrives with two fresh glasses.
Mia feels the rim before she raises it—the same fine crystalline texture as before, barely perceptible unless you're looking for it.
She looks at Claire's glass. Clean. Smooth. Nothing.
"My glass has salt on the rim again," Mia says. "Yours doesn't."
"I had them do it specially for you. I noticed you usually drink fruit juice or sparkling water, so I assumed you're sensitive to the bitterness. Salt softens it."
She says it at a volume the men nearby can easily hear. One of them nods with the enthusiasm of someone who has been waiting to contribute.
"She
