<🎧 Song Recommendation: Party Girl by StaySolidRocky>
...
The silence in the kitchen stretched for a couple of seconds.
Von stood by the island, watching Emily closely and waiting to see how she would react.
But she simply replied:
"Los Angeles."
Von blinked.
Whatever answer he had braced himself for, a direct and immediate admission wasn't it. His mind stumbled for a second, caught off guard by how easily she confirmed traveling.
"Los Angeles?" Von repeated, keeping his tone calm. "Why were you in LA, Emily? We have night two in Miami today, and you flew across the country without telling anyone."
Emily unbuttoned her dark trench coat, slipping it off her shoulders and hanging it over the back of a barstool, while saying:
"Because if I told anyone, the entire reason for going would have been ruined."
She reached into her small duffle bag on the floor, unzipped the side pocket, and pulled out a slim manila folder. She slid it across the marble counter toward him.
