Two hours later, Celeste's phone chimed.
The sound pulled her from the quiet hum of the house, and from the way her fingers had been idly grazing the diamond on her finger.
She turned the phone over, half-expecting it to be Dominic, but it wasn't. By the way, she shouldn't be expecting his text until nine hours later.
It was Amara.
"C, drinks at a bar tonight? I already reserved a table."
Celeste's lips curved into a smile, soft and private. She rolled her thumb over the cool metal of her ring again, twisting it a little, like she couldn't stop reminding herself it was there, and that it was real.
She sighed, and the smile bloomed again, fresh as the first time she'd seen it on her hand.
Her fingers moved across the screen quickly.
"Can we do this at my place, please?"
Almost immediately, Amara's reply came, sharp as always.
"Nope, it would be boring. I'll share the bar address."
