I stifle a laugh. “Technically, she was trained to sniff out crime.”

“Yeah, and she failed. Spectacularly.” Celeste points an accusatory finger at the dog. “How do you wash out of the TSA? What did you do, let a drug smuggler bribe you with treats?”

Valkyrie blinks, tilting her head in a way that asks do you really think I’m that dumb?

Celeste sighs dramatically, returning her attention to me. “Whatever, don’t think I didn’t notice that very convenient distraction. We’re not done here.”

I groan, covering my face with my hands. “Oh my God, Celeste. Please drop it.”

“Oh, I will never,” she says, setting her nail polish down and scooting closer. “Spill. What’s the deal with Mr. Dreamy?”

I sigh, knowing there’s no escaping her. She’s like a golden retriever in designer heels—relentless in her enthusiasm and utterly immune to shame.

I groan, giving up any hope of escaping this conversation. “Fine. His name’s Theo. He’s… well, he’s pretty cool.”

“Pretty cool?” She presses, her green eyes sparkling with mischief. “What does ‘pretty cool’ mean?”

I hesitate, picturing him. Theo isn’t just good-looking—he’s a person who makes a room feel lighter just by being in it. He’s all easy smiles and warm eyes, the human embodiment of a golden retriever. He remembers people’s coffee orders, holds doors open without thinking, and somehow always knows exactly when someone needs a laugh.

“He’s funny,” I say, finally. “Not in a trying-too-hard way, just… naturally. He’s a guy who will slip a terrible pun into a conversation just to see if you’ll groan or laugh. And he’s always looking out for everyone. Like, if you mention once that you’re craving a certain type of candy, he’ll ‘randomly’ have some the next time he sees you. He just—he cares. A lot. And he doesn’t even try to hide it.”

Celeste hums in approval. “Hot and sweet? Go on.”

I exhale, fiddling with the nail polish brush. “He’s the type to wear his heart on his sleeve, but not in a needy way. He just… feels things deeply, you know? And he’s always taking care of everyone. If someone’s had a bad day, he’ll magically have their favorite drink waiting. He works ridiculous hours at the cafe, but if someone needs help moving furniture, suddenly he’s got all the time in the world.” I pause, swallowing. “And he’s a menace.”

Celeste perks up. “Oh?”

I nod, grinning despite myself, remembering the time he switched the sugar and salt at the cafe just to mess with his employees. “He’s a prankster. The harmless, goofy kind—like putting googly eyes on everything in the fridge or swapping people’s ringtones when they leave their phones unattended. He’s chaos, but the good kind. The kind that makes everything feel a little brighter.”