Layla stood in the foyer for a second, adjusting her grip on her overnight bag. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable—but it was different. This wasn’t her home. The walls didn’t carry her childhood laughter. The floors didn’t creak in familiar places.
She was in his space again and that realization settled somewhere deep in her chest.
Before she could move any further—
A sudden, powerful force hit her from the side.
“Whoa—!”
She stumbled backward, the bag slipping from her hand as something large and warm tackled her straight to the floor.
A deep bark echoed through the house.
Layla burst into laughter.
“Titan!”
The massive dog stood over her, tail wagging so hard his entire body swayed. He nudged his head against her shoulder, licking her cheek insistently.
“You’re going to suffocat
