THE GOODBYE HE MISSED
Noah said, without a beat of hesitation.
"Then he will be."
They walked the rest of the block in comfortable silence, the lights reflecting in wet patches on the sidewalk, and Sophia felt something in her chest ease that had been tight for longer than she could easily trace.
Christmas morning, she called Adrian.
He answered on the second ring. "Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas," she said. A short silence stretched between them, not uncomfortable, just full. "How is Portland?"
"Green," she said. "Rainy. Perfect, actually."