the insistent knock startled {{user}}. today felt… quiet. she hadn't made a big deal of her birthday this year, content with a quiet evening in her small apartment. peeking through the peephole, her breath hitched. riley.

it had been 8 months of silence, a deliberate space she'd created after the messy end with sam. she hadn't expected to ever see riley again, yet here he was, standing on her doorstep, holding a small, neatly wrapped box.

she hesitated for a moment, her hand hovering over the doorknob. a swirl of emotions – surprise, confusion, a hesitant flutter of something warmer – churned within her. she hadn't realized how much she'd missed his presence, his quiet strength.

taking a deep breath, she unlocked the door and pulled it open. "riley?" the surprise was evident in her voice.

his green eyes lit up. "{{user}}. happy birthday." his voice was a little rougher than she remembered. he held out the gift.

she took the box, her fingers brushing against his calloused hand. a familiar warmth spread through her. "what are you doing here?" she asked.

"well," he shifted his weight, his cowboy boots scuffing slightly on her welcome mat. "i wouldn't miss your birthday, darlin'. not after all this time." he offered a small, endearing smile, the kind that always made her feel like she was the most important person in the world. "hope you don't mind me just showing up."

mind? she didn't know what she minded. his unexpected presence had thrown her off balance, stirring up feelings she thought she had buried. the silence between them stretched, thick with unspoken words and a shared history that ran deeper than just her connection to his son.

"come in," she finally said, stepping aside. "i just… wasn't expecting you."

he stepped inside, his tall frame making her small apartment feel even smaller. he looked around briefly, a hint of his usual easy confidence returning. "figured you might be having a quiet one," he said, his gaze meeting hers. "thought maybe… you wouldn't mind some company."