CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY THREE – THIRD WHEEL ON A DATE

By the time coffee and hazelnut dacquoise landed for dessert, Kayla's temples were pulsing with barely contained irritation. When the check arrived, she made a pointed show of reaching for her wallet and agenda. "Well, I should probably head out. It's been...quite an evening. But I've got an early morning event walk-through, so - " "Nonsense!" Valeria tsked in a theatrical burst of remonstration. "The night is still young, and the after-party awaits!" She clapped her hands with childlike glee, summoning the waiter back to the table with a fresh bottle of Armagnac. Kayla watched in muted astonishment as Valeria proceeded to orchestrate an impromptu cabaret - pouring shots of the fragrant liquor while regaling them with a dramatic reading of Baudelaire. Other diners began to take notice, surreptitiously pulling out their phones to capture the spectacle of this exquisite creature holding court so masterfully. For her part, Valeria thrived on the attention, her green eyes glittering