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“Not going to use your key?”

He shook his head. “Not until you tell me it’s really mine again.”

“Okay.” I liked that he didn’t assume we were going to pick up where we’d left off before the disastrous dinner, but it made me wonder about something. “What about the clicker to your garage?”

“Use it all you want.” He snapped the cover back and rang the bell, which was back to sounding normal again thanks to him. “I have the doorbell until the time is right.”

“I’ll let you know.”

“No rush.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Want me to run out and get the pizza, or is delivery okay?”

I appreciated that he left the decision up to me. “Delivery is fine. You’re already here.”

He dipped his chin in acknowledgment and tapped on his screen. “Margherita, plain cheese, or pepperoni?”

“Pepperoni.”

He ordered from the same place as before and paid when it arrived, smirking because the bell echoed through the house now. He carried it into the kitchen and set it on the counter, and I got out the plates and napkins. I grabbed him a soda when I got one for myself, and it felt like our usual rhythm just with a little more distance between us as we sat down to eat.

We didn’t talk much as we finished most of the pizza. He boxed the rest and put it in my fridge. “So you have a couple of slices tomorrow morning.”

I liked that he didn’t judge how much I enjoyed cold pizza for breakfast. “Thank you.”

“Thanks for letting me spend time with you tonight.” He helped rinse the dishes and put them in the dishwasher, just like always. “It means a lot to me.”

I’d made the decision for me, but I was glad it was where he wanted to be.

I followed him to the door. After opening it, he turned toward me. “Pencil me in for any day, anytime, anywhere. I’ll make it work.”

“Breakfast tomorrow,” I blurted even though it hadn’t been my plan. “I’ll bring muffins to the office.”

“Text when you’re on the way. I’ll have a French toast latte waiting for you.”

I shut the door behind him and pressed my forehead against the hard surface while I stopped myself from flinging it back open to invite him to stay until morning.

Tonight had been nice, but Harrison and Ellie’s shadow loomed over us. Julian was going to have to deal with them at some point, while unequivocally taking my side if we were going to stay together.

21

JULIAN

The date I had planned for today was something I set up a month ago. I was taking a risk by not postponing it, because Celia might feel like I wasn’t taking things as slowly as she wanted. But my gut told me she could really use this outing, so I went for it. I was okay with her being mad at me if it meant she got what she needed.

Her dark hair swirled around her head as we drove up the PCH with the windows down. “I’m going to look a mess when we get wherever we’re going, but I’m enjoying the breeze too much to worry about it.”

“Nobody is going to mind.” I jerked my chin toward the bag in the back seat. “And I brought a hat you can put on.”

She beamed a smile at me. “Thanks.”

When we turned inland near the National Guard station, she rolled up the window before we got on the 101.

“Is the drive the date?”

I shook my head. “Only half of it.”

“You’re being very mysterious.”

“You’ll see why soon,” I promised.