Page 54 of Steel Beauty

It’s probably best to drop the headline and then give her a moment to process before I dive into the rest.

“Oh my God. You actually went for it.” I can’t tell if Vi is about to congratulate me or give me a lecture.

“Oh yeah. I went for it.” All night long and then again this morning.

“I need the play-by-play—don’t leave out a single detail. Was it sparks? Fireworks? Or are we talking full-on Fourth of July?”

I laugh, deciding to start at the beginning. “We went to dinner first. And then we had an in-depth conversation about what spending time together would look like. And we decided to enter into anarrangement.”

There’s a beat of silence.

“What kind ofarrangement?” Suspicion practically drips through the line. “And don’t you dare sugarcoat this, Magnolia.”

“We’ll have three months of fun together—just the two of us, completely under the radar. No one will know, especially not anyone from Soul Sync.”

“Aren’t the others staying right next door to you in the hotel?”

“Yes. That’s why he moved me to the penthouse with a private elevator––to make it easier to keep things private.”

“Wait, hold on one damn minute.” Her voice shoots up an octave. “You’re staying in a penthouse on the down-low? And he’s going to fuck you while he searches for his wife?”

It sounds downright awful when she says it like that.

“No, Vi. He’s called off the wife search for now.”

“Well, damn. I’ve gotta hand it to you, Mags—you really know how to land yourself in the middle of someshituations.”

She’s not wrong. “What can I say? It’s my superpower.”

“Yeah, but this one’s risky. You’re getting involved with a client. What happens if someone finds out? Or worse—what if he decides to cut things off and you’re left picking up the pieces? Have you thought about that?”

“I didn’t plan for this to happen, Vi. But it did. And I like him. I really like him. It’s only three months, and I’m okay with that. My heart is very aware.”

She hesitates, her words gentler now. “That’s surprisingly vulnerable for you. Seriously, Mags, that’s not like you at all.”

I pause, chewing on my bottom lip as her words settle in. “No, I guess not. But there’s something about him, Vi. I know it’s fast, but it feels so exciting.”

Her words soften, carrying both warmth and caution. “Look, I’m glad you’re letting someone in. That’s a big deal for you. But promise me you’ll be careful. Protect your heart, Mags. You’re my best friend, and I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“I won’t let that happen.” The words feel lighter than they should, hovering somewhere between determination and doubt.

“Please don’t let yourself fall in love with him.”

I roll my eyes as I lean against the bathroom counter. “Relax. There’s no danger of that. I know exactly what this is. It’s the here and now—nothing more.”

Her words lose some of their playful edge. “It worries me because I’ve never heard you this excited about a guy before. Ever.”

“That’s because I’ve never met anyone like him. He’s ridiculously good-looking. And, well… the sex is incredible.”

“You know what my two cents are: don’t fall in love. Don’t fall pregnant. And don’t fall victim to some kind of infection in your pussoir that none of us can pronounce.”

Pussoir. That’s a new one. Trust Violet to coin a term that’s equal parts cringeworthy and hysterical. Leave it to her to make serious advice sound like a stand-up routine.

“And please don’t make me use up my vacation days to fly halfway around the world to pick up the pieces if he breaks your heart, okay?”

While I appreciate her concern, it’s not needed. “I know what I signed up for, Vi. Three months and then we’re done. We walk away—it’s that simple. I’ve got this.”

Violet makes a small, doubtful sound but doesn’t press further. “Okay. Just as long as you’re sure.”

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