“Come on.” Soph grabbed Lexi and me by the hands and pulled us toward the room. “I have a million people for you to meet. You should see the architectural rendering in the middle of the room. It’s lit perfectly and people are agog! Lexi, you are going to come out of this as one of the most innovative architects in the country. My god, it’s thrilling.”

I glanced at Lexi. She was looking a sickly shade of green. I leaned close to Soph and said, “Dial it back a little. We’ve been battling a case of nerves for the past hour.”

Soph glanced at Lexi, noted her pallor, and immediately threw an arm around her. “Don’t you fret. You’ve got this. Just speak from your heart.”

Lexi swallowed. I thought she might lose the vomit battle, and I wondered if there was a place I could stash all the items in my clutch in case we needed it as an emergency barf bag. I needn’t have worried. Soph hit the room, dragging us in her wake, like a cyclone of meet and greet.

Drinks were pressed into our hands, small talk was made, as we worked the room from one end to the other. My crew, Nyah, Trent, Booker, and the others, were there, and it was a relief to see their friendly faces. The crowd became a blur, I had no idea if I was just repeating myself, and from the looks of it, neither did Lexi.

When we’d been going hard for an hour, she leaned close and whispered, “Make it stop.”

I glanced around the room, looking for Jackson, who had been discreetly shadowing us the entire time. I waved him in and said, “I think Lexi could use some air.”

He nodded and took her elbow, leading her through the open doors and out onto the patio that overlooked the golf course. I envied her even as I turned back to the banker who was regaling me with his triumphs on the course that day. Not knowing a thing, and caring even less, about golf, I smiled and nodded until I was sure I resembled a well-heeled bobblehead doll. The man did not seem to care.

When Soph appeared at my elbow, I could have kissed her in gratitude. The perturbed V in between her eyebrows checked that impulse.

“What’s up?” I asked.

“It’s time for Lexi’s speech,” she said. “But I can’t find her.”

I turned back to my golfing banker, who was still talking, and excused myself. He gave a quick nod and turned to the person on his left and continued his monologue. Okay, then.

“She was stepping outside for some air,” I said. “I’ll go grab her.”

“Meet me at the stage,” Soph said.

I nodded and hurried outside. I searched the patio and almost retreated until I heard a suspicious moan coming from behind a potted orange tree.