“Sure. Of course.” She offered no further details, and Juliet realized she really didn’t know Arwen at all.

The server brought their water and slipped away. “What’s up?” Juliet asked.

“I’ll get right to it. I’m leaving DJK and starting my own firm.”

“My goodness.” That was fast. Not entirely unexpected, and not terribly unwelcome news. “Are you sure you’re ready?”

“Positive. It’ll be called Arwen Alexander Architecture.”

“Triple A.”

“Exactly. I’ve already had a logo designed.”

Juliet opted not to point out the car association. “Why are you telling me this?”

“I want you to be part of it.”

Okay, now that was surprising. “That’s very flattering. Thank you.”

“You know I’ve gotten a lot of attention recently, and it’d be foolish not to seize on it and make a move now.”

Smart woman. “There will be the usual noncompete issues, of course.”

“Of course. I’m not worried. Are you interested?”

“What’s the offer? I assume I’d be a partner.”

Arwen sipped her water, maintaining steady eye contact, then set her glass down. “Actually, no. I’d like you to come on as senior associate.”

The nerve. Eleven years her junior, and she wanted Juliet to be subordinate. “Who are the partners, then?”

“Just myself and Kathy.”

Kathy? That was . . . wow. Kathy. “Well, good luck.” DJK would go back to the way it was. No more It Girl, no more fawning over the shiny new thing. Good.

“Juliet,” Arwen said, “please think about it. You’re very reliable, you multitask well, and you’re . . . well, steady.”

“Gosh golly. Thank you so much, Arwen.”

Arwen twisted her straw into a knot. “DJK just offered me a partnership. So you might be thinking it’ll be nice not to have me around, but you’ll still know that I leapfrogged over you. If—if they offer you a partnership—and I think it’s odd they haven’t yet—you’ll have to live with the fact that you’re their second choice. After you put in more than fifteen years with them, they offered it to me.”

Well, shit. She was right. Juliet straightened her cocktail napkin. “Can I share something with you, Arwen?”

“Of course.”

“I was you. Ten years ago, I was pretty much exactly where you are.”

“Were you, though?”

“No, you’re right. You’ve gotten much more attention than I ever did. But I got my fair share. I also listened to architects who were better than I was. I put in the work and the time, and I became a better architect, because I knew I had to, and I wanted to.”

“So is this the ‘I paved the way for you’ speech?”