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When dusk started to settle in, Emma cracked her neck and got up, stretching her hands. “I have to go help Mom with dinner,” she said apologetically.
“Of course. So sorry. I didn’t realize the time.”
“No, no.” Emma waved her off. “That’s what I’m here for. We’re all set for April deliveries, so we should be good until next month. Unless you need anything else?”
Ana clicked through her planner and confirmed there was nothing else.
“Great. Are you heading back to New York then? Or sticking around?”
Everything on the checklist for their in-person sync was complete. There was nothing left work-wise that they couldn’t continue remotely. But Ana couldn’t imagine returning to New York just yet. She couldn't face her husband again, not with the sadness still coursing through her.
“I’ll stick around a few more days," Ana muttered. "I didn’t get to spend much time with Auntie or Tony. I should at least have a proper dinner with them.”
At any other time, Emma would have called her out on the poor excuse. But she seemed too worn out for it now. Undoing her severe blonde bun, Emma groaned tiredly and mumbled distractedly about dinner plans as she packed up all the files scattered around the bedroom.
Grabbing her laptop and stacking the files on top of it, Emma strode over to her bag lying by the window. But as she glanced out of the immense glass panes, she froze.
Dread seeped in as Ana grew still.
“What?” she whispered. Her blood ran cold. Flashes of her nightmare, that night, hit her. With danger reflected through similar windows.
When Emma said nothing, Ana inched up behind her.
And came to a halt.
A familiar figure stood on the driveway, closing the car door behind him. In the setting sunlight, his image was refracted into a thousand colors through the glass windows…making her wonder if it was an illusion. But others had noticed him too. The housekeeper rushed forward and obediently collected his coat, while her aunt emerged from the house, inaudibly greeting him.
His dark eyes darted past them, ignoring their attention as he searched higher and higher–
And landed on her.
All the breath squeezed out of her.
“I thought your husband swore never to come here?” Emma whispered, sounding just as shell-shocked.
He had.
Heart thumping, Ana stared. Unable to look away.
Gio. He was here…?
Her aunt tugged him inside just as Emma nudged her, breaking the spell. Ana breathed unevenly, calming her racing heart. It felt like a fever dream. Like something she had conjured up. What was he doing here?
In a haze, they both quickly tidied up the rest of the room and made their way downstairs, where she could hear Gio chatting with her aunt, inquiring about their weekend plans.
“Ah, there she is!” Auntie’s voice was thin, clearly on edge. “Let me go check on dinner.” She politely excused herself and dragged Emma along, giving Ana a pointed look.
Entertain him.
Her husband.
Standing stiffly with his hands in his pant pockets, in the one city he’d forsworn.
Their eyes locked, drawing them together in a hushed compulsion that seemed to pervade their every encounter. His eyes were shadowed as he watched her warily, his hands flexing visibly in his pockets.
Ana felt a little self-conscious at his appraisal. After a long day’s work, she was a little worse for wear. Her silky brown braid was coming loose over her shoulder, and her clothes were wrinkled.
She bit back her questions and waited for him to break the silence. Determined not to cave first.
