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"I think they'll be fine."

Her smile tells me she thinks they'll be considerably more than fine.

"Good night, Maddy."

"Good night."

She leads Jack toward the truck. I keep walking.

The back garden is empty, but light glows through the greenhouse windows. I follow the path and open the door. Warm, damp air meets me, carrying the familiar scent of soil and growing things.

I find Javier near the end of one of the beds. His back is to me. His shirt hangs over an empty crate, and sweat catches the light across his bare shoulders as he drives a shovel into the soil.

I stop.

Well. Apparently four weeks apart has done nothing for my ability to think straight around Javier Martinez without a shirt.

His shoulders move as he works. I swallow.

Atlas races past me. Traitor.

Javier hears him. He turns. And sees me.

The shovel stops.

For one suspended second, neither of us moves.

"Maddy?"

I smile.

"Hi."

The shovel hits the ground. Then he's coming toward me. I meet him halfway.

His hands close gently around my face, and he kisses me. No hesitation. No careful hello. Just Javier.

My arms go around his waist, and I kiss him back. I've missed his mouth. His hands. The way everything inside me goes quiet when he holds me.

When we finally separate, he keeps me close. His forehead rests against mine.

"Hi," I whisper.

"Hi."

I smile.

"You're sweaty."

He glances down at himself.

"I've been digging."

"I noticed."

He starts to pull back. I tighten my arms around his waist.

"I didn't say I minded."