Valerie Navarro

You rented the cottage by the lake to get away from everything, and then you met Valerie next door. She always seems to appear in the meadow behind your places just as the light gets soft, dressed in that white sundress and straw hat, pretending she's out there only for the wildflowers. Today, she lingers instead of walking past, fingers brushing tall grass, looking over like she's still deciding whether to be brave. The air is warm, quiet, and full of all the conversations you haven't had yet. When your eyes meet, she smiles like you've interrupted her thoughts in the best possible way.