The afternoon light had shifted by the time they returned.
It poured through the tall windows in soft sheets, catching the dust motes drifting lazily in the air.
The company floor felt calmer now—phones ringing in low bursts, printers humming, footsteps passing on polished tiles.
Luca slipped back into his department first, greeted by the faint buzz of conversation and the smell of coffee that had clearly been reheated too many times.
"Back from the social hour?" Georgia's voice came dry but not unkind from across the room.
Luca smiled, dropping his bag on his desk. "We call it team bonding now, actually."
Her brows arched. "Do we?"
Bella snorted from her seat. "Future legend, remember?"
Georgia shook her head, but a flicker of amusement crossed her face before she turned back to her computer. "Bond all you want—just meet your deadlines."
Luca slid into his chair, spinning his pen once between his fingers.
