Nora's POV
James glances up from his reading the moment I step through the door. He's positioned himself at the kitchen counter, somewhere he rarely lingers. I can tell he's been waiting for my return, probably pacing near the entrance until he heard my footsteps.
I shake the melting snow from my boots before pulling them off, setting them beside the back entrance. We designed our laundry area in the lower level to maximize our main floor space, but we managed to squeeze in a small mudroom. It's perfect for unloading shopping bags, storing footwear, and housing the enormous dog food orders I've been placing online for Zerra.
"It went well," I respond, forcing brightness into my voice that James immediately sees through.
"Where did your companions end up?" He folds the corner of his page down, and I shoot him a horrified look. What kind of person destroys books like that?
