“The smartest. Hey, Bree mentioned Izzy’s annulment went through?”
“Last week.” I lean against the railing overlooking the production floor. “She’s doing better. Took a job at Sun Ridge, actually.”
“Yeah, Alex mentioned that. Said Izzy’s got a good eye for talent.” He pauses. “Is Gunnar seeing anyone?”
I think about the way my brother looked at Izzy that day at Hank & Lulu’s. The way he still looks at her whenever she’s around. “Not that I know of. Why?”
“Just curious. See you Sunday.”
He hangs up before I can press further.
Interesting.
The rest of the afternoon passes in a blur of meetings and production checks. By the time I’m climbing into my truck, thesun’s starting its descent, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink.
I pull into the driveway to find Bree’s Lexus already there, Ladybug’s face pressed against the front window. The dog’s tail is a blur of motion as I walk up the path.
Inside, music drifts from the kitchen—something poppy and fun that Bree probably has queued up on her phone. I find her at the stove, barefoot in yoga pants and one of my old flannels, her dark hair piled on top of her head in a messy bun.
She’s never looked more beautiful.
Ladybug launches herself at my legs, and I scoop her up, accepting enthusiastic puppy kisses before setting her down. Then I cross to Bree, wrapping my arms around her waist from behind.
“Hi,” I murmur against her neck.
“Hi yourself.” She leans back into me. “How was work?”
“Better now.” I press a kiss to that spot just below her ear that makes her shiver. “What are you making?”
“Attempting your uncle’s chili recipe. He wrote it down for me last week.”
I glance into the pot. It looks... questionable. But I’m not about to say that. “Smells great.”
She turns in my arms, an eyebrow raised. “Liar. It smells like I’m burning tomatoes.”
“Okay, it smells like you’re burning tomatoes. But I appreciate the effort.”
“We’re ordering pizza, aren’t we?”
“Probably.” I kiss her forehead. “But I love that you tried.” Turns out, neither one of us can cook much besides jam.
She swats my chest playfully, then turns off the stove. “How do you feel about Valentino’s?”
“Sounds perfect.”
While she calls in our order, I grab a beer from the fridge and our my girl a glass of wine before heading to the back porch. Ladybug follows, immediately investigating a suspicious spot near the fence line.
Bree joins me on the porch swing, tucking herself against my side like she was made to fit there.
“Izzy started at Sun Ridge today,” she says. “Alex said she’s already reorganizing their filing system.”
“That sounds like Izzy.”
“She seems happy. Happier than I’ve seen her in years.” Bree tilts her face up to mine. “I think leaving Preston was the best decision she ever made.”
“Sometimes the hardest decisions are the right ones.”
She’s quiet for a moment, her fingers tracing absent patterns on my arm. “My dad called today.”
