(Jeff's POV)
The first thing Jeff noticed was the silence.
Not the comfortable kind — they'd all mastered that long ago — but the strange, careful quiet that came after emotional honesty had been laid bare the night before. The kind that hovered in the air like steam after a hot shower, clinging to the walls of Vince's villa as if afraid to disturb anything too soon.
Snow pressed gently against the tall glass panes of the dining hall, painting the world outside in soft white. Inside, warmth ruled. The faint aroma of freshly brewed coffee mingled with the scent of buttered pastries and something absurdly expensive that Vince had insisted on importing "for ambience."
Jeff pushed his chair back slightly and scanned the room.
