After a brief awkwardness Taylor had plowed ahead with their workout, deciding it was best to ignore what happened up on Mount Bonnell. Jamar’s barely concealed frustration signaled that he wasn’t fully on board with her plan to forget it, but he kept his objections to himself.

Taylor picked up her phone again and put it on silent. Then she placed it facedown so that she wouldn’t be tempted to answer any further texts from her niece. “I’ll figure out what to do about my folks,” she said. “I’ve taken enough of our time tonight. What’s going on with you two? Is Daniel still out of town?” she asked Samiah.

“He was home for one day before flying off again. Thankfully he’ll be in Virginia only a few days, and when he gets back, he’ll work out of the San Antonio office for the next six months. At least that’s what we’re hoping.” She picked at the himbasha, the Ethiopian sweet flatbread they’d ordered for dessert. “It’s true what they say—absence really does make the sex so much better. I may send Daniel away every now and then just so we can have return-home sex.”

“I can’t stand you right now,” London said.

Samiah laughed, but Taylor wasn’t so certain London was joking.

“What’s the deal with the hospital?” Samiah asked her.

“Yeah,” Taylor said. “You never finished telling us about the drama happening there. Why are you ready to strangle everyone in the administration office?”

London rolled her eyes. “Wait.” She reached for the pinot noir. She refilled her wineglass, then took a healthy sip before continuing. “I need fortification before talking about it.”

“Damn, is it that bad?”

“It’s that bad.” She nodded. “The hospital is being sold.”

Taylor was openly dumbfounded. “I…I didn’t know someone could buy a hospital. Is it like buying a house?”

“Believe it or not, there isn’t much difference. And the problem with privately owned hospitals is that all too often the priority shifts to shareholder profits instead of patient care.”

“That’s gross,” Samiah said. She brought her own glass to her lips. “Don’t get me wrong, capitalism is my jam. It’s the reason I’m able to afford this condo. But no one should profit off sick people. Especially sick children.”

“Yeah, that’s some comic book villain–level shit right there,” Taylor said.