The deadbolt clicked, and Daniel walked into the entryway carrying a stack of mail.

He sorted through the envelopes without looking up at me.

“Ava just got in,” I said.

“Good,” he said.

“I need to talk to you about the budget tonight.”

We moved to the kitchen island at nine fifteen, after Ava went to sleep.

Daniel poured himself a glass of ice water and set it on a cork coaster.

“My consulting firm had two major contracts canceled this morning,” he said.