Her mouth worked silently for a moment.

"But that wouldn’t be accurate. My day was not merely fine. It was productive but anxiety-inducing, particularly in the final hours leading up to this event, and summarizing that complexity as ’fine’ feels like a misrepresentation of my actual experience."

Jordan laughed.

The sound surprised Brooke, her crimson eyes widening as though she had never heard someone respond to her with genuine amusement rather than confusion or frustration.

"What’s funny?"

"You are." Jordan leaned back against the booth. "In a good way. You’re different from anyone I’ve ever met, and I mean that as a compliment."

The flush returned to her cheeks.

"I’ve been told I’m different before. Usually the context is less positive."

"Different people say stupid things."

Before Brooke could respond, the sliding screen opened.

Chloe entered first.

She wore a cropped black turtleneck that displayed her toned midriff, paired with high-waisted dark jeans that hugged her curves in ways that made Jordan’s brain temporarily forget how to form sentences. Her blue-streaked hair was pulled into a high ponytail that swung behind her as she moved, drawing attention to the elegant line of her neck. Her blue contact lenses caught the ambient light as she scanned the booth, taking in Jordan, then Brooke, then the arrangement of their seating.

"Am I interrupting something?"

The question carried edges.

"You’re right on time." Jordan stood, closing the distance to place a kiss on her cheek. "Chloe, this is Brooke Hastings. Our new accountant. Brooke, this is Chloe Kim. One of Nova Network’s founding partners."

Chloe’s expression shifted from suspicious to curious.

"You’re the math girl from the library. The one Jordan mentioned." She extended her hand. "Nice to meet you officially."

Brooke stared at the offered hand for approximately two seconds before reaching out and grasping it with the mechanical precision of someone who had rehearsed handshakes in a mirror.

"The pleasure is mine. Jordan has spoken highly of you. Well, he’s spoken of you. Whether the content was high or low in evaluative terms is subjective, but the frequency and emotional register of his references suggested positive regard, which I interpreted as—"

"She’s nervous," Jordan interrupted. "She talks when she’s nervous."

Chloe’s lips twitched.

"I can see that."

"I apologize." Brooke released Chloe’s hand and returned both of her own to her lap, where they twisted together like small, anxious creatures. "I’m aware that my verbal output increases during periods of social stress, and I’ve been working on developing better filtering mechanisms, but the implementation has been challenging because my brain processes information faster than I can evaluate which portions are appropriate for vocalization, and—"

"Brooke."

She stopped.

"Take a breath."

Brooke inhaled. Held it. Exhaled slowly.

"Better?"

"Marginally."

Chloe sat across from Brooke, leaving space for Jordan beside her. Her body language had relaxed slightly, the threat assessment apparently concluding that Brooke posed no romantic competition despite her remarkable figure. Jordan suspected Chloe had identified Brooke’s complete lack of flirtation skills within seconds of meeting her.

"So you’re handling the finances." Chloe pulled out her phone, probably checking on Kumiko’s ETA. "Jordan says you’re some kind of genius."

"I don’t like that word."

Chloe’s eyebrows rose.

"Genius?"

"It implies an innate superiority that I don’t believe accurately represents my situation." Brooke’s fingers found the menu edge again. "I work harder than most people. I study more. I obsess over details that others dismiss. The results of that effort may appear exceptional, but the process is quite ordinary. Anyone could achieve similar outcomes if they dedicated equivalent time and focus."

"That’s the most humble-brag thing I’ve ever heard."

"I don’t understand."

"You just said anyone could be as smart as you if they tried harder." Chloe’s tone carried amusement rather than malice. "That’s basically saying everyone else is lazy."

Brooke’s face went pale.

"That’s not what I meant. I didn’t intend to imply that others are deficient. I was attempting to explain that my achievements are the result of effort rather than innate gifts, which I thought would be perceived as modest, but I can see now that my phrasing was problematic, and I apologize for any offense, and—"

The sliding screen burst open.

Kumiko exploded into the booth like a small, fashionable hurricane.

"I’m here! Sorry I’m late! The Uber driver took a wrong turn and then I had to explain to him that Google Maps was incorrect because the restaurant moved locations two years ago but the digital records weren’t updated, and then he got confused and I had to navigate manually using visual landmarks, and then—"

She stopped.

Her eyes found Brooke.

"Oh my god."

Brooke froze.

"You’re so pretty!" Kumiko slid into the booth beside Brooke, completely ignoring personal space boundaries. "Look at your eyes! They’re red! Actual red! That’s so cool! Are they contacts? Wait, don’t answer that, I’m being rude. I’m Kumiko! Jordan mentioned you! You’re the accountant! The genius one! But Chloe-chan said you don’t like that word so I won’t use it! But you are really pretty! Your hair is so shiny! What products do you use? Wait, that’s also rude. I’m sorry! I’m just excited because Jordan said you were smart and he didn’t mention you were also gorgeous, which seems like important information he should have shared, and now I’m rambling, which happens when I meet new people, especially pretty ones, and—"

"Kumiko."

She stopped.

Jordan pointed at the menu.

"Order something."

Kumiko grabbed the menu with both hands, her enthusiasm redirecting toward the laminated pages. Her outfit tonight consisted of a pastel pink blouse with puffed sleeves and a pleated skirt in a matching shade, accessorized with multiple small bows and a choker featuring a heart-shaped pendant. Her signature twin tails bounced as she scanned the options, occasionally making small sounds of delight when she found something appealing.

Brooke looked like she had been hit by a truck.

"She’s always like this," Jordan offered. "You get used to it."

"I don’t think I will."

Chloe laughed, a genuine sound that broke whatever tension remained.

"That’s what I said the first time I met her. Now she lives in my building and texts me forty times a day about koi fish."

"Mochi deserves recognition!" Kumiko interjected without looking up from the menu. "He ate from my hand! That’s significant interspecies bonding!"

"Mochi is a fish."

"A very intelligent fish!"

Jordan caught Brooke’s expression, something between terror and fascination.

"They’re my girlfriends," he explained. "Both of them. It’s complicated, but it works."

Brooke processed this information for approximately four seconds.

"I have questions."

"I’m sure you do."

"Many questions."

"We can discuss them later."

"The logistics alone would require significant analysis."

"Another time."

Brooke nodded slowly, filing the topic away for future investigation.

The server arrived to take drink orders, a young man whose eyes kept drifting toward various occupants of the booth with poorly concealed interest. Chloe ordered wine. Kumiko ordered something pink and fruity that came with an umbrella. Brooke ordered water. Jordan ordered beer.

7:15 PM.

Lila was late.