Chapter 37

Val had just gotten home when the doorbell rang. A delivery boy stood there with a gift basket topped with a big red ribbon.

"You sure this is the right place?" Even if it was less than a week to his birthday, Val couldn't think of anyone who would send him a basket of chocolate chip muffins.

The young man read off the name and address, so Val tipped him and carried the goodies over to his kitchen counter, which blocked off one corner of the open loft space. They were freshly baked and smelled divine. He opened the card attached to the basket of muffins - the same as the one he'd bought Cora the day before - and started to smile.

"Val,

Thanks for a lovely evening.

Cora"

Well, that was just about the nicest thing anyone had ever done for him after a date - especially one that hadn't even involved sex. He couldn't resist diving into one of the muffins while his leftover lasagna heated up in the microwave. They tasted as good as he remembered - almost as good as Cora had, though nothing h