Chapter 1 - Almost everything is still the same

The sun was setting over the town of Valleybrook, casting long, warm shadows across the streets. The town had a way of feeling stuck in time, like someone had pressed pause and forgotten to hit play again. June Rivas had lived here long enough to understand its rhythm, its slow hum of life that never quite seemed to change. It was the kind of place where you could run into the same people at the same coffee shop, ordering the same drinks at the same time, year after year.

She was in the process of running errands—well, more like pretending to run errands, because Valleybrook had a way of sneaking up on you. You could plan on being efficient, but the town's gravitational pull always managed to drag you into conversation with someone who had something to say. The walk to the post office had taken an hour, not because it was far, but because she’d stopped to chat with three different people.

And that’s when she saw him. Ezra Holt.

It was a surprise, really. She hadn’t expected to see him back in town, especially not so soon. He was leaning against the wall outside the old diner, arms crossed over his chest, looking as though he hadn’t changed a bit. His jeans were a little faded, his hair a bit longer than she remembered, but there was something about the way he stood that made the years between then and now feel like nothing at all. He was still the same Ezra.

“Ezra Holt, the prodigal son returns,” June called out as she walked toward him, her voice teasing but with a note of genuine curiosity.

He turned, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “June Rivas, still making grand entrances, I see.”

She stopped in front of him, crossing her arms in the same way he had, mirroring his posture. “Someone has to keep this town entertained,” she said, raising an eyebrow. “And clearly, it’s me.”

Ezra chuckled, shaking his head. “I didn’t know I was coming back to be entertained.”

“You should’ve been warned.” She gave him a mock-serious look. “I’m your entertainment for the next month, whether you like it or not.”

Ezra sighed dramatically, pressing a hand to his chest. “I’m in trouble already, aren’t I?”

“Always,” she replied with a grin.

There was a pause, the kind that used to happen between them when they were younger, before the world complicated everything. The kind where no one needed to say much, but both knew exactly what was being said.

“So,” June finally said, her hands dropping from her chest to her sides. “What brings the great Ezra Holt back to Valleybrook?” She studied him, her eyes narrowing playfully. “Let me guess. You missed me.”

“Please,” Ezra said with a mock-offended tone, waving his hand in front of him. “I came back because of my father. He’s not doing well.”

The mention of his father caught June off guard. She hadn’t known. Her smile faltered for a moment, but she quickly recovered. “Sorry to hear that,” she said, her tone softer now. “How’s he holding up?”

Ezra’s eyes flickered briefly to the ground, a brief shadow crossing his face. “It’s been tough. But he’s stubborn. You know how it is.”

June nodded, understanding the weight of those words more than she cared to admit. “Yeah, I know how it is.”

They stood in silence for a moment, the gravity of the situation hanging between them. But it wasn’t long before June broke the tension with a smirk. “So, what’s it like coming back to this little slice of paradise?” she asked, her voice laced with humor.

Ezra leaned back against the wall, his arms still crossed. “I forgot how much I missed the…charm,” he said dryly. “The endless small talk, the predictable faces, the smell of coffee that hasn’t changed in years.”

“Sounds like heaven,” June deadpanned.

Ezra chuckled. “It’s not so bad,” he said. “I mean, it’s...comforting in a way.”

Comforting. That word felt strange coming from him. He wasn’t the type to settle for comfort. Not back when they were younger, at least. But June didn’t press it.

“So, what’s your big plan now that you’re back?” she asked, trying to steer the conversation to safer ground.

Ezra shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m just here to help out, take care of things.” He hesitated before adding, “But I’m not sticking around long.”

The nonchalant way he said it made her want to poke at him more. “You say that now, but you’ll be here for the next ten years before you know it.”

“I’m serious,” he said, giving her a look. “I’m here for the short term.”

“Sure you are,” June teased. “You’re probably here to save the day, huh?”

“Someone has to,” Ezra said with a grin, his smirk turning into something a little softer.

There it was again, that unspoken connection between them, a bond that neither of them had quite broken.

“Right,” June said, her voice light again. “Well, you’re going to have to get used to it. We’re all in the same place, whether we want to be or not.” She waved her hand to encompass the town around them. “There’s no escaping Valleybrook. Trust me, I’ve tried.”

Ezra’s gaze softened, and for a moment, he looked at her as if seeing her in a new light. “Yeah, well…some things don’t change,” he said quietly.

June caught herself staring at him for a second longer than she should have. She quickly cleared her throat, breaking the moment. “So, what now? You going to stand out here all day like some tragic hero?”

“Maybe,” Ezra said, giving her a playful shrug. “Or maybe I’ll come grab a coffee. You know, the usual.”

“Now we’re talking,” June said, her smile widening. “I’ll let you buy me a cup. As a welcome-back gift.”

“Isn’t it usually the other way around?” Ezra shot back.

“Not today,” she replied, nudging him with her shoulder as they walked toward the diner.

As they entered, the smell of coffee and greasy diner food filled the air. June’s gaze flicked to the counter where the same waitress from years ago still worked, her hair a bit grayer but her smile just as bright. Valleybrook hadn’t changed much, and yet everything felt different.

For the first time in a long while, June felt like she wasn’t just passing through. She was staying for a little while longer. And somehow, with Ezra back, it felt like she might stay a little longer than expected.

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