Four days after the leaked contract had cost Petersons International the Meridian deal, Aryyah found herself standing outside Cletus's workshop again, her car parked on the street, her heart beating faster than it should for what was supposed to be a casual visit. She had told herself she was just coming to thank him again for the portrait frames, maybe ask about another commission, anything to justify the pull she felt toward this place, toward him, but she knew that was a lie.

She was here ...