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Charlie tilts her head, her lips quirking in a sly smile. “Careful, or I might start thinking you’re sweet.”

“First cheesy, now sweet?” I ask, mock-indignant. “I’ll have you know I’m very intimidating.”

“Oh, yes, clearly,” she deadpans, gesturing at Sunshine, who’s rolling in the sand like a complete goofball. “Nothing says ‘scary’ like a man holding a stick for his dog.”

“Hey, that’s tactical. It’s important to have backup.”

Charlie steps closer, her fingers brushing my wrist, sending a little jolt of warmth through me. “Well, as long as I’m not the scary one. I wouldn’t want to intimidate you.”

“Too late for that.” I catch her gaze, my voice quieting. “You terrify me, Charlie Cooper.”

She blinks, her playful expression shifting to something softer. “Why’s that?”

I cup her face, my thumb brushing her cheekbone. “Because I screwed this up once before. I never should have pushed you away. Never. But I somehow managed to convince myself I was right to do it. I mean, I wasso sureI was right. I never want to fool myself into making a mistake like that again.”

The words hang in the air between us, the sound of the waves filling the silence. For a moment, Charlie just looks at me, her eyes unreadable, before she steps into my arms and leans her head against my chest.

“You’re not even close to screwing this up,” she murmurs, her voice barely audible. “You’re pretty freaking special and every day I spend with you only makes me want more. One more day. One more hour. One more second…”

Her reassurance is like a balm, soothing the anxiety that’s been knotting in my stomach. I wrap my arms around her, resting my chin on top of her head as Sunshine prances back with the stick, oblivious to the weight of the moment.

The sunset deepens, the colors shifting to fiery reds and purples, and I hold her close, silently promising myself that I’ll do whatever it takes to make this work—to keep her here, with me.

Including asking her to move in with me, even though the rest of the world will scream, “Too soon, you reckless idiot!”

FORTY-THREE

Charlie

The sky is deepening into twilight, the colors bleeding into richer shades of red and purple. Sunshine zigzags ahead of us, the driftwood clamped proudly in her mouth like a prize. Nick’s arm brushes mine as we walk, and I feel the solid warmth of him even through the cooling breeze. There’s a vulnerability in his silence tonight. It tugs at me.

I don’t press, though. Nick is like the tide; he ebbs and flows on his own terms. Pushing him only makes him retreat. So I focus on the rhythmic sound of the waves and the comforting crunch of our footsteps in the sand. It’s one of those perfect evenings where the world feels full of promise, and for a moment, I let myself imagine this could be our life—a dog, a sunset, and nothing but time.

I don’t want to buy a yoga studio in Wildrose Landing.

I don’t want to go home.

I want to find work here and continue to daydream about a future with Nick.

We pause near a cluster of rocks, and I turn to him, brushing a stray lock of hair off his forehead. His face is shadowed now, the setting sun casting his sharp features into relief. He looks at me like he’s about to say something big, and my heart gives a nervous flutter.

Before he can speak, the sharp trill of his phone breaks the moment. He pulls it from his pocket, glances at the screen, and hesitates.

“I should take this,” he says, his voice tinged with something serious, his eyes dark and brooding, the tumultuous thunderstorm instead of the clear blue sky.

“Yeah, of course.” I smile despite the spasm of nerves in my belly.

I watch Nick’s broad shoulders as he paces a few steps away, phone pressed to his ear. His posture is rigid, his free hand curled into a loose fist. The snippets of his voice that drift back to me are low and clipped. Even though I can’t hear the other side of the conversation, it’s clear this isn’t a casual call.

Sunshine drops the stick at my feet, looking up at me expectantly. I toss it half-heartedly, my attention still on Nick. When he finally hangs up, his jaw is tight, and his shoulders are stiff as he walks back toward me. The carefree ease of a few minutes ago is gone, replaced by a gravity that makes my stomach tighten.

“Everything okay?” I ask softly.

He hesitates, running a hand through his hair, his eyes wild with a mixture of excitement and fear. “That was my old CO. He wants me to consult on a mission. Maybe several missions.”

I blink, trying to process the words. “Consult on a mission?” I echo. “What’s that even mean?”

“It’s nothing like before.” Nick scans my face like he’s gauging my reaction. “I’d just be advising. They’ve got a situation they think I can help with.”

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