Valentina POV
I was up at five. I didn't wake up then; I just decided that lying in the dark wasn't helping anymore. I made coffee and sat at my desk. I didn't look out the window at the building across the courtyard. I didn't think about last night.
I answered emails from Sofia about work. She asked if I was okay because I sounded "off" on the phone. I typed back: Fine. Talk Friday. I closed the laptop. I did not think about it.
My meeting was at nine with a man named Conrado. He ran a fabric warehouse that smelled like wool and oil. "You're early, Valentina," he said, pulling out a heavy chair. "Coffee?" "I’ve had enough to power the city, Conrado. Let’s look at the linen."
We talked for forty minutes. He was a tough negotiator, but I liked that. He kept pushing the price up, citing
