Until he mentioned food, I hadn’t realized that I’d forgotten lunch. “What’s good Russian food?”

“What isn’t?”

Strena, her nose in the handouts, said, “I vote yes.”

When, twenty minutes later, the doorbell rang, I thought it was food delivery. Sergei dashed to answer and called back from the open door. “Someone’s here to see you, Emsley.”

And then Trey loped in, one hand in his pocket.

“Are you having a party?” He stopped on the threshold of the gallery, in his usual casual wear: five-hundred-dollar sneakers, jeans, the latest hip brand hoodie.

I used to like his style. I used to think he had style. But for a man of thirty who was a CEO, he was trying too hard for the I’m-just-one-of-the-bros vibe.

Bram, only a couple of years older, acted infinitely more mature. Bram was an adult. Trey was adulting.

“Why are you still in New York?” I joined Trey in the foyer, while Sergei returned to the coffee table where my potential investors engaged in conversation to give us privacy. “I thought you and Diya were going back to LA after Violet’s funeral.”

“We decided to stay for the rest of the week at my father’s condo. Diya wants to do some shopping.”

Sounded like Diya had already landed a new job, one with a sign-on bonus. How long had she been looking? I didn’t ask. I didn’t want to sound snarky and juvenile. I was channeling more of a mature businesswoman, CEO vibe for the evening.

Then I caught, belatedly, the weird dip in Trey’s tone when he’d said shopping. Oh. “As in shopping for a ring?”

He bent his head, doing his weird looming. “Are you going to pretend that you regret the end of our relationship?”

“What do I have to regret? I didn’t cheat,” I said between my teeth.

“Fine. If you can’t give me a break, at least give Diya one. She still wants to be your friend. Can’t you just let the past go?” He shook his head as if I disappointed him. “Anyway, it’s not why I’m here.” He scanned the room behind me and did a double take. “Why is there a chicken roosting on the balustrade?”

“She just learned to fly today. Trey, meet Lai Fa. Lai Fa, meet Trey,” I introduced them because I knew being introduced to a chicken would irk him.

His gaze slid past Lai Fa. “Who are these people?”

“An impromptu investors’ meeting. Would you like to come in?”

“Could we talk in private?”

Before I could respond, Bram spoke up, “I’m her attorney.”

“Business partner,” Bram Sr. put in.

“Ditto,” Sergei added.

“Me too.” Strena also decided to have my back. She probably read the tension in my shoulders.

Monique caught the undercurrents too. Her eyes telegraphed, Could I please stay and watch this train wreck?