Vasquez Squared was located on the fifth floor of the attached office building. We rode the elevator up, and the closer we got, the more excited Soph became. She started bouncing on her toes, and Miguel smiled down at his petite wife as if he knew she was barely reining herself in and he was charmed in spite of himself. It reassured me that whatever was happening between them wasn’t serious.

“What is it?” I asked.

“Can’t say,” Soph said. “It’s a surprise.”

I lifted my eyebrows. I love surprises. It’s weird, I know. I mean who really wants fifty people to jump out at them and shout “Happy Birthday!”? Me. I do. I can admit it. But given the recent surprise of Jeremy’s proposal, which ended with me examining the contents of my toilet bowl closer than anyone should ever have to for a matter of days, yeah, I wasn’t feeling the whole gotcha thing at the moment.

Miguel must have been able to read the trepidation on my face, because he said, “It’s okay, really.”

I followed them off the elevator and into a very upscale lobby, as in there was a real live receptionist, with leather furniture, a view of the city from the big picture window, and potted plants that didn’t look as if they were seeking an escape route. Frankly, capped off by the stylized V2 logo, representing Vasquez Squared, done in copper and hanging off the pale teal textured wall, the place reeked of success.

I turned to Miguel and Sophie with my mouth slightly agape. “Ah-mazing!”

“Right?” Soph clapped her hands with that girl squad enthusiasm that I loved. She grabbed my hand and dragged me forward. “Annabelle Martin, I’d like you to meet Nyah Vanderberg. She is the cornerstone of this operation.”

Nyah rose from her desk. She had dark brown skin, dark eyes that sparkled, and a luxurious cloud of black curls that reached past her shoulders. She was built curvy and walked with a decided flirt in her stride. She put off great energy as her wide smile was bracketed by two deep dimples.

I shook her hand and said, “Nice to meet you.”

“You too. Sophie has been so excited for you to arrive,” she said. “I’m really looking forward to hearing your side of all the tall tales she’s been telling.”

I glanced over my shoulder and looked at Soph. “What have you been saying?”

“Nothing but the truth,” she said.

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” I said.

Nyah laughed, which made me like her even more. “If you need anything, come to me. I’m the details gal.”

“Thanks,” I said. “I will.”