She sounded cool, but there was still something strange in her eyes that Jules was too tired to figure out. Her eyeballs felt dry. She glanced toward the window and saw that it was still dark outside. Her jaw almost dislocated itself in a yawn.

“I didn’t mean to wake you,” Vivian said.

How…weirdly thoughtful. Jules yawned again. “You didn’t. Mostly. I couldn’t sleep at first. Jet lag or something.”

Vivian nodded. She had bags under her eyes and did not look well.

Jules squinted and, like when Vivian had FaceTimed her at three in the morning, let fatigue cloud her judgment. “Are you okay? Why are you awake too?”

“I wake up all the time. I got up for the bathroom, and then I saw a light on downstairs.”

“Can I get you something?”

Vivian ignored the question. Instead, her gaze dropped to Jules’s tablet, which hadn’t gone to sleep when Jules had. What to Expect When You’re Expecting was still clearly visible on the screen. Jules blushed.

Vivian didn’t comment on her choice of midnight reading material. Instead, she picked at the sleeve of her bathrobe, her lips pursed in thought.

“What do your parents think about you being here?” she asked.

That was the second time Vivian had asked about Jules’s parents in as many days. Too surprised to lie, she replied, “They don’t like it.”

Vivian thinned her lips.

Fuck. “But that’s just because it’s Christmas.” Oh, that wasn’t any better. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter.”

Vivian lifted her eyebrows. “No?”

“Well…I mean…I’m here, aren’t I? You, um—” Jules took a deep breath. “You wouldn’t have fired me if I hadn’t come, would you? I mean, you didn’t actually say you would or anything.”

Vivian hesitated ever so slightly before looking away again and shaking her head.

Jules took another deep breath and realized she’d always known that. Vivian would have been angry, even hurt, if Jules had said no. But she would not have actually punished Jules, would not have ruined or fired her.

She just might have trusted Jules a little bit less. Leaned on her a little bit less. Felt like she couldn’t count on her.

“Well,” Jules said, “I’m here.”

“So you are.” Vivian’s voice and face were absolutely neutral as she looked at Jules. She tugged her robe’s collar tighter around her neck as if she were cold.

Jules offered her the blanket, but she shook her head wordlessly.

“You got an outfit for the ball?” Vivian asked.

“Oh. Yes. A couple of girls helped me pick it out.” Jules cleared her throat. “Do you want me to show it to you? You can make sure it’s okay.”