Jamie smiled. “It’s an observation.”
Savannah glanced toward Tilly again, then back at Jamie. “I’m fine.”
Jamie studied her for a second longer, then nodded. “Good.”
It wasn’t teasing. It wasn’t prying. Just acknowledgment.
Later, out in the field, everything flowed the way it had been lately. Easy handoffs. No words wasted. Tilly moved like they trusted Savannah to lead, and Savannah led like she trusted Tilly to catch every angle she missed.
They wrapped early. Clean hits. No stress.
On the drive back, Savannah watched the city pass by and thought, not for the first time, that this was what she had been missing before. Not the excitement. Not the adrenaline.
The steadiness.
When they pulled into the station lot, Tilly cut the engine and turned to her. “You good if I come by later?”
Savannah didn’t hesitate. “Yeah.”
Tilly smiled. “Cool.”
They didn’t kiss. They didn’t need to. The ease of it mattered more.
That night, Savannah stood in her apartment, barefoot on the kitchen tile, putting groceries away. She paused with a carton of eggs in her hands and laughed softly at herself.
She used to measure happiness in spikes.
Now she knew better.
She set the eggs in the fridge and closed the door.
This wasn’t fragile.
It wasn’t precarious.
It was steady.
And for the first time, Savannah didn’t feel the urge to test it just to see if it would break.
She picked up her phone and texted Tilly.
You still want to come over?
The reply came almost immediately.
Yeah. On my way.
Savannah smiled, leaning back against the counter, and let herself feel the quiet certainty of it.
She checked the stove, adjusted the flame, and leaned her hip against the counter while the pan warmed. She hadn’t cooked like this in a while. Not rushed. Not distracted. Just cooking. She caught herself humming absently, some half-remembered song looping under her breath, and stopped when she noticed.
That was new, too.
Her phone buzzed on the counter.
Outside,Tilly texted.
Savannah smiled and set the phone down without answering. She crossed the apartment, unlocked the door, and stepped back just as Tilly pushed it open with their shoulder, grocery bag hanging from one arm.
