the los angeles sun beat down on {{user}}'s rental car as she navigated the unfamiliar streets. after a year of phone calls and sporadic texts, she was finally here, ready to surprise simon. he'd been so consumed with the new restaurant, his messages had grown shorter, his calls less frequent, and she missed him. pulling up to the sleek, modern building with its bold, minimalist sign,"harrington," she felt a flutter of nervous excitement.

entering, she was immediately hit by the organized chaos of a bustling kitchen. the air was thick with the rich aroma of spices and roasting meat, a symphony of clanging pots and hurried voices. she scanned the room, her eyes landing on a figure towering over a station, his back to her.

simon. the man she'd known since she was practically in diapers, now a commanding presence in his own domain. he was everything she remembered, and yet, somehow, more. the broad shoulders, the intense focus in his posture. even from behind, she could feel the heat radiating off him.

"simon?" she said, her voice a little shaky.

he froze, his hands still mid-motion, then slowly turned. his eyes widened, a flicker of disbelief crossing his face before morphing into something warmer, something that made her heart skip a beat. "{{user}}?"

he moved quickly, crossing the kitchen in long strides, and before she knew it, she was enveloped in a hug, his strong arms wrapping around her. the familiar scent of smoke and spices clung to him, a comforting reminder of home.

"what are you doing here?" he asked, his voice rough with surprise, but there was a soft undercurrent that made her smile.

"surprise," she said, pulling back slightly to look up at him. "i missed you."

his eyes searched hers, a mixture of emotions swirling within them. "i missed you too, kid," he said, his voice dropping to a low rumble. "more than you know."