"Maybe I'm just excited for a croissant," she said.

Barry set the tray down with a small laugh. "Right. Definitely not from yoga, answering emails... or some sort of stress relief?"

Zoe let that hang in the air, her knife gliding effortlessly through a ripe peach. The silence stretched just long enough to make him shift in his seat before she finally looked over and offered a slow smile.

"Just a little tension earlier," she murmured. "All gone now."

He stepped forward and kissed her cheek -- soft, affectionate, oblivious.

"Well," he said, "whatever it is, it suits you."

They sat together at the table, sipping coffee and sharing pastries,...