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He tells me. I stop walking. "Seriously?"

"Very."

A smile breaks across my face. "Julian, that's incredible."

"I know." And it is. Years of work. Long nights. Missed weekends. A restaurant we built from an idea nobody else could see the way we did. It's working. More than working.

"We should celebrate."

"We should." A beat passes. "There's more."

My smile fades slightly. "The space next door is officially available." I say nothing. "The landlord called yesterday. We have first option."

Six months ago, those words would have sent me straight to my laptop. More kitchen space. Private dining. Events. The tasting menu I've wanted to build for years. Everything we talked about. Everything I wanted.

"Maddy?"

"I'm here."

"This is what we've been waiting for."

"I know."

"We can finally do the expansion right."

I close my eyes. I can see it. That's the problem. I can still see it. "What does he need?"

"An answer by the end of next week."

I open my eyes. Across the yard, Javier catches Noah before he trips over the wagon handle. End of next week. A real deadline. "What do you think?" I ask.

"I think we'd be crazy not to take it."

Normally, I'd already be agreeing. Instead, I look toward the fields. "I need to see the numbers."

"I'll send everything."

"The lease too."

"Already scanned."

"Staffing projections?"

"I have them." Of course he does. This is how we've always worked. One of us starts running and the other is already beside them. "I'll look tonight."

Julian is quiet. Then, "Okay." I know that tone. "Julian."

"You sound different."

My grip tightens around the phone. "I'm standing in the middle of a farm."

"That'll do it."

I smile despite myself. "I'll look at everything."

"I know you will."

"And I'll call you."