Page 31 of A Walking Shadow

Will blushed a deep red and busied himself with his cheese and bread.

“That sounds like an excellent plan,” Sasha told him. “What you about, Naya? Any interest in a sabbatical?”

“Not me. You forget. I haven’t been a lawyer as long as either one of you. I’m still in my world domination era.”

“Fair enough. But we should host a happy hour or anotheraperitivofor the entire firm to let people ask questions about the sabbatical program and explain how it works.”

“The entire firm?”

“The entire firm,” Sasha insisted. “We should make the sabbatical available to all employees. Equity partners aren’t the only folks susceptible to burnout or whose happiness matters.”

“You’re not wrong,” Naya said. “And with this new client you just brought in, heaven knows we can afford to do it.”

“Then it’s settled,” Will proclaimed. “That was the second thing, correct?”

“No, that was more like 1b. The second thing is while I don’t want to take advantage of the sabbatical program right now, I do need to take a vacation. A one-month vacation starting on Monday.”

Will blinked, owl-like. Naya gave her the side-eye.

“Will your new client find that acceptable?”

“Yes. It’s prearranged.”

This was true. She and Connelly were picking the twins up from Ryan and Rylie’s place as soon as she left work to head to the lake house for the weekend—a quick trip before beginning their four-week training as agents of The Lighthouse on Monday.

“Then that’s settled, too,” Will said.

“To new adventures,” Naya proposed.

“To new adventures.”

15

Sunday evening

The McCandless-Connelly family waved goodbye to Daniel and Chris as Daniel backed the couple’s Mercedes up the steep gravel driveway that led from the road to the lakefront house. At the top, Daniel gave a shortbeepgoodbye before pulling out and driving away.

“Did they leave the leftover pizza for us?” Fiona wanted to know before the car had even vanished from sight.

“Where does she put it?” Connelly muttered under his breath.

“She must have a hollow leg,” Sasha whispered back.

“What if we save the leftovers for your lunches tomorrow and toast marshmallows instead?” Connelly suggested.

“S’mores?” Finn countered.

“S’mores and one last sunset over the lake,” Sasha agreed. “Go get the graham crackers and chocolate while Dad and I start the fire.”

The twins squealed and hurtled down the driveway to the house, Mocha barking wildly and racing along with them.

“Big day tomorrow,” Connelly observed as he laced his fingers through hers and they strolled behind the kids and dog.

“It is.”

“Are you nervous or excited?” he asked.

She thought for a moment. “Both. It feels like the night before Christmas and the night before the first day of school all wrapped up together. What about you?”

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