Page 74 of Beachside Kisses With My Enemy

“Regret.” I sigh. “And determination.”

“Determination for what?”

“For me to do what he hadn’t. To choose differently than he did. To have the kind of life and respect and success that Steve had. To him, Steve had it made. Had an easy life. Of course, I’m sure that wasn’t true. But to Dad…” I shrug. “So yeah. I was eleven years old when he first told me that I should make sure I’m well established before falling for someone.” I cough. “That I should stay far away from small-town girls who would only hold me back.”

And that’s when she slips her hands away. When her gaze leaves me. When she slouches down into my sweatshirt like she wants to disappear. “Oh.” Her voice sounds so small, and suddenly I’m desperate to make her understand.

“Look at me.” My voice is low and tumbling. “Sunshine. Please.”

Finally, her gaze lifts again.

“Those were his words, Lucy. Not mine.”

“But you believed them.”

“Believed. Past tense.” I scoot forward, trace a path down her cheek with my index finger. The firelight flares in her eyes. “I’ll admit, the drive to make my dad proud has always been strong. Even when we didn’t agree on the what—my cooking—I saw his point. And I also saw how bitter he was. I didn’t want that. To resent my wife, my family…” I choke out the words. “So I just found it easier to pursue the things that would ensure I didn’t become like him.”

“You mean, that if you didn’t pursue love, you’d have nothing to regret because you wouldn’t have chosen it over your dreams?”

This woman. Somehow, she made sense out of my mind’s muddle. I cup her face with my palm. “Exactly.”

She leans into my touch. “So what’s changed?”

I want to tell her that everything’s changed. That I can give up L.A., that I can find peace here with her. But a part of me is still hesitant. What if this is exactly how Dad felt about Mom when he made the decision to give up everything for her?

But I can’t tell Lucy that. Not while I’m still working out in my own head what all of this means. What’s at stake. Because my dreams of the restaurant aren’t just about me. They’re about Dale too. He’s invested time and money. Things are in motion—and I can’t just back out of all that, can I? Especially when I’m not sure I want to. Or have to.

Maybe there’s still a chance that Lucy would be willing to come with me.

“All I know, Lucy Reynolds, is that the small-town girl in front of me hasn’t held me back. She’s given me a gift. She’s opened my eyes to a world of small quiet moments. Of optimism. Of flavor and color. A world where perfect stones exist. Where I can be myself, where I can be a food truck chef, a brother, a friend, and that’s enough.”

“It is enough, Blake.” A tear streaks down her cheek. “You’re enough. You’ve always been enough.”

“And you’re everything.” I lean in and softly kiss away her salty tears. “Everything I didn’t think I could have.”

And maybe still can’t. Because you’re leaving—and what if she doesn’t want to come with you?

There goes my subconscious again, ruining the moment.

But as Lucy climbs from her chair and onto mine with me, slinging her arms around my neck and her legs over my lap and settling her head against my chest, we watch the fire dance…and my mind is pacified again.

Maybe, somehow, this thing between us will defy all odds. I don’t know how, and right now, I don’t have the energy to figure it out.

All I’m sure of is Lucy. And in this moment, Lucy is all I need to be sure of.

twenty-six

LUCY

Finally. It’s done.

I sit back in Winona’s desk chair and press a hand to my chest, cock my head. Allow myself to feel.

Is it possible? I think I do feel lighter. Like I can breathe. Because The Green Robin business plan is complete.

Well, it’s ready for Blake’s perusal, anyway. He offered to take a look weeks ago, but I wanted it as perfect as possible first. And while I don’t think it’s a masterpiece by any means, it’s the best I’m capable of doing on my own.

And that’s enough.

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