SERAPHINA’S POV
Maya was waiting for me on my porch steps when I got back home.
“So,” she began, the casual tone belying the weight of the morning as I walked toward her, “you survived the handoff.” She spread her arms. “How’s your heart?”
I laughed softly, trembling between relief and lingering anxiety as I stepped into her embrace, resting my head on her shoulder. “Intact, I think. Mostly.”
She stroked my back in soothing circles. “A part of it is tucked in that his little backpack, I’ll bet.”
I managed a smile. “You bet.”
“Well,” she said, forcing extra cheer into her voice as she pulled back. “I blocked off my entire day and even blew Ethan off. Retail therapy?”
I laughed, grateful for the shift. “Retail therapy, yes. Definitely yes.”
I didn’t even bother stepping into the house. Not ready to face the empty silence of a home without Daniel, I turned straight back to the car.
***
