“No. Do I look good? Of course I do—I was born gorgeous, even without makeup,” Valerie shot back, rolling her eyes with exaggerated flair.

Arthur didn’t bother answering. He just sipped his coffee, quietly relieved that Valerie looked way better than she had yesterday. A subtle warmth settled in his chest, watching the familiar color return to her cheeks.

Valerie grabbed a basket, lined it with baking paper, and started transferring the bread from the paper bag into it. The room fell ...