Maria:
Lily refuses to call it practice.
“It’s a soft launch,” she says, like that makes it sound more legitimate.
I stand at the edge of the setup for a moment, just looking. It’s technically a picnic, but nothing about it feels casual. The fabrics are layered in soft colors that don’t clash, the table is low but styled like something out of a magazine, the flowers look effortless until you notice how intentional they are. Even the sunlight feels like it was invited.
“You’re inspecting,” Lily says, appearing beside me.
“I’m taking it in.”
“That’s the same thing.”
“It’s not.”
She gestures around like she’s presenting something much bigger than this. “If I’m going to get clients in your circle, I need to look like I already belong there.”
There’s something quiet under that. Not dou
