Neptune follows me downstairs, nails tapping softly against the floor.
I open the back door to let him out, and he takes off immediately toward his favorite bush.
I lean against the doorway, already making a mental list of the things I’m going to need. Groceries. Maybe a few things June likes. Snacks. Something comforting.
I’m in deep thought, staring out into the ocean, when a familiar voice drifts over the fence.
“Good morning.”
I look up.
Aiden is in his backyard, in a sleeveless shirt and a backwards hat.
“Morning,” I say. “You’re up early.”
He grins. “Been up since six. Using every last minute of my last day off to bake.”
I laugh softly. Of course he is.
“You want to use my oven?” I offer. “That way it goes faster.”
“That would actually be perfect.”
He wipes his hands on the towel he has hanging from his pants, glancing toward me.
“Have you had breakfast yet?”
I shake my head.
“Come over,” he says. “I have a fresh loaf that just came out. I’m about to make avocado toast.”
The thought alone makes my stomach wake up.
“I’ll be right over.”
“Preheat your oven to four-fifty,” he calls.
I let Neptune back inside, turn the oven on, and grab my keys before heading out the front door.
When I get to Aiden’s, Nathan is standing at the entrance holding a large crate filled with baked bread.
“Good morning,” I say.
“Morning,” he replies, adjusting his grip on the crate.
“You’ve been busy.”
He nods toward the crate. “My wife’s in the middle of writing a novel. She works better at night, so she baked these through writing sprints.”
I blink, surprised, but before I can put my thoughts together, the door opens.
“Come in,” Aiden says, stepping aside.
Nathan gestures for me to go in first, then follows behind.
The house feels alive.
Containers of jam line the counters. A large bowl of peeled peaches sits near the sink. The air smells like fresh bread and something sweet I can’t quite place.
