Marissa didn’t let herself think too much about what did and didn’t work with Ocky’s long string of short-lived girlfriends. Octavia liked them tall, blonde, lithesome and temporary, all things Marissa would never be. Not that her own dating record had any more success. Accidents and twisted fate had played too large a role in her love life. She was hoping her future, with guided assistance from statistical analysis and algorithms she’d written herself, would improve.

As they chatted about finances, Marissa again heard the hiss of distant surf on warm sand and the quiet but intense question, “Is this what you wanted, Marissa?” Maybe the memory persisted because of the sunshine today. Just nostalgia.

Tomorrow would be one year to the day but who was counting? A vacation romance was an unreliable thing. Passion at the time but no real connection. Tears at parting, a promise she would be in touch as soon as possible—Marissa told herself she’d been a fool to believe any of it. She was over it, just as she was over her crush on Ocky. Fussing about Ocky’s girlfriends and how she looked when Ocky was around was a habit she was trying to break.

“So when your next trust payout comes along, I think we’ll be able to expand the office site and roll out some national advertising.” Ocky tapped at her keyboard, rapidly reading and responding to messages. “Those cash infusions have been great for the business.”

“It’s the last one,” Marissa said slowly, “since I’m turning thirtyfive this summer. We need to talk about it because I really should get myself out of renting and into a condo or something.”

“We should be in for some big withdrawals as partner bonuses within five years,” Ocky said. She glanced up with one of her confident smiles.

Marissa didn’t want to give in, not this time. They’d had this discussion five years ago. She’d invested a lot in the business and things were really going to start paying off, it was true, but she didn’t want to be forty and still paying rent in one of the most expensive real estate markets in the country. “We’re going to need to talk about it. There may be other ways to finance what we need to do.”

“Let’s go have a hot fudge sundae or something. I could use the pick-me-up.”

Thinking longingly of the gym, Marissa said, “I can’t be that indulgent today.”

Ocky frowned. “Still dieting?”

“This isn’t temporary. Our ancestors spawned in different oceans and I got the oversized genes.”

“I can’t even get you to split a pizza these days.”

Marissa didn’t say, “Splitting a pizza means I eat two-thirds, gain three pounds overnight while you have the metabolism of an atom bomb.” Instead she said, with a gesture at her tummy, “I’m trying to make up for twenty years of indulgence here. Maybe we could have coffee instead of ice cream? You can always get one of those brownie things you like.”