I froze in the doorway, staring at her like my brain was still buffering. Val. In my kitchen. When she was supposed to be in London—five, maybe six thousand miles away.

For a second, I actually wondered if I'd finally lost it. That maybe I'd fallen asleep at the wheel and was dreaming this. But the smell of something frying, the faint sound of her humming under her breath—it all felt too real.

"Val?" I said, barely above a whisper.

She spun around instantly. Her eyes lit up, wide and bright before a grin broke across her face. The spatula she'd been holding clattered against the counter as she rushed toward me.

"Husband!" she breathed, wrapping her arms around me so tightly that for a moment, I forgot how to breathe.

I caught her, arms locking around her waist like I was scared she'd slip through me. Her warmth, her scent—everything was exactly the same, and I didn't realize how much I'd missed it until now.

She leaned back just enough to look up at me before pressing her lips to mine. Quick, soft, but enough to make everything inside me spin. Then she hugged me again, burying her face against my chest like she was trying to make up for every missed day.

For a while, neither of us said anything. I didn't want to. I just wanted to stand there, holding her, convincing myself she was real.

Finally, I managed, "How?"

Her smile turned smug, that same playful spark in her eyes that could make even the most serious moments feel like a game she'd already won. "Go freshen up," she said, lightly tapping my chest. "We've got enough time to talk."

I almost laughed. "You can't just—"

She tilted her head slightly, that familiar glint dancing in her eyes. Not defiant, not exactly—just that mischievous sparkle that said she knew exactly how much power she held in moments like this.

Her lips curved into a small, teasing smile as if daring me to challenge her. "Go. freshen up husband." she repeated softly, voice warm but laced with that quiet confidence only she could pull off.

I held her gaze for a moment, pretending to resist but the look in her eyes made it impossible to win this one.

I sighed, shaking my head with a small smile. "You know you're impossible, right?"

She grinned. "You say that like it's new."

That earned a low chuckle from me before I finally nodded and headed off to do as I was told.

I took the fastest shower of my life, scrubbing like if I stayed in there too long, she'd vanish. The whole time, my chest buzzed with this jittery kind of disbelief—like adrenaline and relief mixed together.

When I came back out, the lights in the kitchen were dimmer, warmer. The table was set—plates, glasses, even candles. She was just finishing up, placing down the last dish, humming the same tune from earlier.

I stopped by the doorway again, watching her.

For the first time in months, I felt light. Like the last few months hadn't happened. Like the calls that ended too soon, the distance, the what-ifs—all of it was just smoke, gone with one breath.

I leaned against the wall, a quiet smile tugging at my lips. "You really don't know how to give a guy a heads-up, do you?"

She glanced over her shoulder, grin forming instantly. "Where's the fun in that?"

And just like that, everything felt right again.

---

Dinner was quiet—at least, on the surface. The clinking of cutlery, the faint hum of the fan, and the occasional soft sigh from her as she reached for her glass filled the silence between us. But underneath that calm, I could feel something else—something lighter, something I hadn't realized I'd been missing until now.

I kept stealing glances at her. Small ones at first, then longer ones that stopped pretending to be subtle.

She knew. Of course she did. Val always knew.

But she kept her focus on her plate, that composed, graceful air of hers never faltering. She took another bite, hummed softly as if she were tasting art, and it almost made me laugh.

After a few minutes, I couldn't take it anymore.

I set my fork down. "Okay," I said, leaning back slightly. "Talk. Why are you suddenly back? You're not supposed to be home until the end of next month."

She didn't look surprised by the question. Instead, she dabbed her lips gently with a napkin, met my gaze, and said it as simply as breathing.

> "I was missing my husband."

I blinked, fighting a smile. "That's all?"

Her jaw dropped slightly, the way it always did when she wanted to act offended but couldn't quite pull it off without smiling. "That's all?" she repeated, her tone dramatic. "Wow. I fly for hours, cook you dinner, risk dying of airplane food and you say, that's all? My poor heart, Kai."

I couldn't hold back a laugh this time. "You're ridiculous."

She grinned, proud of herself. "You love it."

I shook my head, but the smile didn't fade. "I've missed you."

"I know," she said, almost too easily, but her voice softened right after. "That's also why I'm here. To save you from dying of boredom."

"Right," I murmured, smiling. "That checks out."

She tilted her head, playful. "You're welcome, by the way."

I took another bite, then set my fork down again. "I'm guessing your phone being switched off all day was also part of the plan?"

Her grin widened instantly.

I frowned. "Val."

Before I could finish the thought, she started giggling—quiet at first, then louder.

"You were scared?" she asked between laughs, eyes sparkling with mischief.

"It's not funny," I said, trying to sound serious, but that only made her laugh harder.

"Okay, okay," she said finally, catching her breath. The laughter faded into a small smile as she reached for her water. "It wasn't intentional, Kai. I'd never do that to you on purpose."

"Then what happened?"

She shrugged lightly. "I fell asleep on the flight. Guess the signal must've been weird once I landed. And by the time I turned it back on, I was already heading here."

I looked at her for a beat longer. "Oh." Then, quieter, "Sorry."

Her expression softened again. "Don't be. I know how it feels when you don't pick up, so I'd never do that to you intentionally."

Something about the way she said it—calm, honest, unguarded—made the tightness in my chest ease entirely.

"Eat," she said after a moment, nodding toward my plate.

"Alright," I murmured, picking up my fork again.

That earned me another smile.

I took another bite, savoring the food, but mostly savoring the quiet. It wasn't awkward this time. Just... comfortable.

After a few minutes, I asked, "What about Duchess?"

Her fork paused midair. "With Natasha."

I blinked. "You left her with Natasha?"

She giggled, unable to help it. "Relax. She doesn't eat cats."

I stared at her for a long second before chuckling under my breath. "You're unbelievable."

"Mm," she hummed, grinning. "And yet you still love me."

I shook my head, smiling as I watched her. The way she laughed, the way her eyes softened when they met mine—it all felt like gravity snapping everything back into place.

For the first time in a long while, my thoughts weren't scattered. I wasn't thinking about work, or Tasha, or anything else that had been trying to pull me off balance.

Because this—this right here—was where I was supposed to be.

With her.

With Val.

---

To be continued...

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