Pine trees.
Fresh earth.
And the faint scent of lake water drifting through the warm afternoon air.
I pull the truck off the long gravel drive and cut the engine.
The house sits exactly where it always has.
White siding.
Wraparound porch.
A big oak tree is leaning slightly over the front yard.
The river stretching out behind it like a sheet of blue glass.
For the first time in weeks—
Everything is quiet.
Wren looks out the passenger window.
“This is your house?”
“Yeah.”
She studies it for a second longer.
“It’s beautiful.”
“It’s peaceful.”
“That might be even better.”
I climb out of the truck and walk around to her side.
She steps down slowly, taking in the view.
The breeze moves across the tall grass along the water’s edge.
A pair of ducks drift lazily across the lake.
Wren exhales softly.
“Okay…”
“…I see why you wanted to come here.”
I grin.
“Told you.” I pull her into my arms and kiss her, as I set my big black hat on her head. Deja vu hit me in the face as I remembered doing this same thing so many times.
She turns slowly, looking around the property.
“No servers.”
“No data centers.”
