I smiled at her words, but again that weird cold spot bloomed in my stomach. It was almost the feeling I got when someone talked smack about my relatives. Even if it was the same stuff I gave them shit for, I still didn’t like people who weren’t family talking about them. Which was crazy, because Theo’s coffee obsession was ridiculous and also why was I getting all defensive on his behalf? I needed to get a fucking grip. But Salome wasn’t new and when she pulled back I could almost see her antennae twitching.

“Hmm...what’s with the droopy face, Ma?” She whispered it, as the others huddled in the kitchen pouring bubbly.

I lifted a shoulder, feeling weirdly exposed.

“I am excited, it’s just...” I trailed off.

“You’re just going to miss that sexy, rude motherfucker even though he was a nightmare to work for?” José finished for me, as he handed me a champagne flute. I side-eyed him and took a gulp, then slumped on the couch.

“Girl, we are not judging,” Salome said, throwing me a bone. “Whom amongst us has not gotten overly attached to something pretty that wasn’t exactly good for us?” José threw up praise hands like he was at Sunday service.

“Except most people at least get to enjoy the offerings,” I blurted out before I could stop myself. Julia and Tariq joined us on the couch, and my best friend put her arm around my shoulder. “I don’t even like him, why am I all guilty and weird about ghosting him?”

“Because you, like all of us here, were trained to do your job, even if it’s killing you. We don’t know how to walk away from a steady check even when doors are opening for us somewhere else.” All the heads in the room bobbed in agreement. “It’s the immigrant thing, baby.”

It was true. I had hesitated to take the plunge with Bookish Boudoir for much longer than I should’ve not just because of Theo Ganas’s eight-pack. Still, I hadn’t expected to feel...sad.

“It wasn’t all bad,” I surprised myself by saying out loud. Not talking about it wouldn’t make it less true, and there were things I would miss. But before I disgraced myself by listing all two of Theo’s redeeming qualities, the buzzing in my pocket made me jump off the couch. “Shit, I forgot to call my mom.” I slid my phone out of my pocket, then I saw the number on the screen and tossed the thing on the rug like it had turned into a hissing snake.

“It’s him,” I whispered frantically, pointing at the offending device.

“Don’t pick up!” Salome yelled at the same time that Tariq offered, “I’ll talk to him!”