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Joe rang the doorbell at seven on the dot and was greeted by everyone—Julie, best dog, and ht imported sauce from a small town in northern Italy, dessert from b Patisserie, and a bottle of Brunello, a varietal froht at the liquor store down the street I’ant hundred bucks

Joe looked like the Joe I loved and had known in so many ways: lover, husband, companion, father of ht His dark curls had grown out, so I asked to see his scars so that I could put my hands in his hair

And then I was in his arms

He kissed o orked a case together, him with the FBI, me a lieutenant with the SFPD, and there had come a oing to happen

Joe said, “I knew Grant’s co nowhere”

“I didn’t But I couldn’t make a plan B I didn’t want a plan B”

“I’m really happy with plan A”

“Me, too”

He kissed ot the pasta on the stove and a darling little girl who looked like her dad, as underfoot, and so was Martha We stole another kiss And the promise was made without words

There would be more

Joe stirred his special red sauce, and I made the salad with radicchio and romaine, escarole, and ripe Carette, spiced per Joe’s own recipe

And as we cooked, we talked about bringing down Haight, of course And we talked about Julie, how bright she was, how talkative, how she wanted a bed “without fences,” and we laughed at that Soon she would be going to kindergarten, but not yet There was plenty of time before Julie went to school Family time

I set the table, and Joe brought Julie over to her chair I was trying on the thought of asking Joe to stay the night It was up to s and have another date next week But I knew and he knew that I missed him Julie missed him So much time had passed and so much had happened since we’d split up, it was crazy to obsess about the past Right?

Joe was dishing up dinner for Julie and lass top of the coffee table, far away in the living room

Joe said, “Don’t take it, Linds”