“Awesome kitchen,” he remarked. “I could totally cook in here.” He ran his hand across the hefty burners of her Viking range. “My favorite range. Like the Range Rover of the kitchen.”

“Thanks. It was a splurge.”

“I bet.” He walked through the kitchen nodding. “It’s kind of funny that you live here. I mean, with the tree with our initials right in the front yard and how we always met up here.”

“It just happened to be up for sale at the right time. Don’t read anything more into it. This house was where we met because it was the center point between our two houses. I bought it because it was an amazing deal. Too good to pass up.”

She took two cobalt-blue soup mugs down from the cabinet and scooped chili into them with a shiny metal ladle.

“That smells so good.” Andrew took the bowl she handed him. “I think my stomach just growled a thank you.”

“Better wait until you taste it, Chef.” Their conversation must’ve woken Gray, because she heard him scurry in the mudroom.

Andrew stopped in his tracks. “That was not my stomach.”

“That,” she said, “was Gray.” She hurried down the hall to the utility room door and let Gray wander into the kitchen.

“Holy cow. Pig. Whatever. You really do have a pig. That was you I saw walking…” he gestured to Gray, “…this thing near Main Street when I got to town. I thought he was way too fat to be a dog.”

“Had to be me. There’s not another one like this around town.”

“Probably not too many anywhere.”

She reached down to pet Gray on the head. “You’d be surprised. Micro pigs are a thing here now.”

Gray accepted the attention, but only for a moment. He raced over to Andrew and nudged his leg with his snout. Andrew dropped right to the floor and started petting him. Gray ran off and came back with one of his toys, showing off for Andrew. The pig was giving Andrew a hometown hero’s welcome. Traitor.

“He’s smarter than a dog!” He squeaked the toy and watched Gray pounce around with excitement. “He is too cool. So, why is this guy named Gray when he’s clearly black and pink?”

“It’s a long story.” Thankfully Gray dropped his ball and ran behind her to get breakfast. “Come on, Gray.” She let Gray out back, then they sat down at the table and ate chili. “I rarely let him in this part of the house.”

“This chili is just as good as I remember.” He shoved another bite into his mouth.

“Is it making you sweat yet?”

“In a good way,” he said. “Someday I’ll have to make you some of my jalapeno cheddar corn muffins. They’d go perfect with this.”