Page 67 of Happily Ever After

“Hi, baby,” she said, bending to pick him up. His fur was warm from the sun, and he smelled like the outdoors. He licked her face and she laughed some more.

He leaned into her hard, completely shameless about his affection. She soaked it up, so happy to be home she felt a little weepy.

Brick’s hand touched her shoulder. “You okay?”

“I’m great,” she said, still hugging Beau’s wiggling form. “I missed him so much.”

“He missed you, too,” Brick said, an unmistakable softness in his voice.

Blaise eased Beau down, the leash firmly in her hand, and Brick moved closer, his arms circling her in a hug that made the airport noise feel far away. His shirt was warm against her cheek. He smelled clean, like soap and aftershave and sun.

Then he kissed her.

“I missed you, too,” he said quietly, his mouth near her ear.

Blaise’s throat tightened. “I missed you.”

Brick pulled back enough to look at her face, his eyes scanning her the way they always did when he wanted to know the truth without asking a dozen questions. “You look happy,” he said.

“I am,” she replied. “It went really well.”

He nodded once, like he’d expected nothing less, and reached for her carryon. “Good. Let’s get you out of here.”

Beau stayed close as they went to the truck, leaning into Blaise’s leg whenever he could, as if he was worried she might disappear again. Blaise didn’t mind.

Brick opened the passenger door, and Beau hopped in without being asked. Blaise slid in after him, letting him climb onto her lap after she got her seatbelt on.

Brick put her bag in by her feet, then went around to the driver’s side. He started the engine and pulled out smoothly, navigating the airport loop like he’d done it a hundred times, which she doubted he had.

Once they were on the road, Brick glanced over. “You want breakfast?”

Blaise blinked. “Breakfast?”

He lifted an eyebrow. “It’s morning and the airlines don’t feed passengers anymore unless you’re in First. Thought you might be hungry, unless you already ate. But I bet if you did, it was sad.”

Blaise laughed. “I did eat something sad. The smallest, dryest blueberry muffin you can imagine. Along with some bad coffee.”

“Then it’s settled,” Brick said. “There’s a place not far from here. Dog-friendly patio.”

“Perfect,” Blaise said, already loving the idea of sitting somewhere normal with coffee and food that didn’t come in a plastic wrapper.

They drove with the windows up and the air on, the sun rising higher as traffic moved around them. Blaise watched familiar scenery slide past. She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed the ordinary until she’d left it.

Brick pulled into a small lot beside a café with a simple sign and a shaded patio. A couple of people were seated outside with dogs at their feet, water bowls set near table legs. The air smelled like coffee and butter and something sweet from the griddle.

Her stomach rumbled.

They made their way to an open table at the edge of the patio where there was room for Beau to sprawl. He settled immediately, head up, eyes bright.

A server came over with menus and a metal bowl of water for Beau. Beau drank like he’d crossed the desert.

Blaise picked up her menu, but she knew what she wanted. Something hot and substantial that tasted like being home.

Brick ordered black coffee without looking at the menu. Blaise ordered a latte and a plate of eggs with toast and fruit, then added pancakes at the last second because she felt like she’d earned them.

When the server left, Brick leaned back in his chair, hands resting on the table. “So,” he said. “Tell me all about it.”

Blaise smiled. “Where do I start?”