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“So what, Charlie? The timing feels so…” Nick grimaces, rolling his hands through the air for me to continue.

I take a deep breath, steeling myself to give him the out I don’t want him to take.

“Is this how it’ssupposedto be? The way it’s always been between us?” I look to the water as the rest of my thought escapes on a sigh. “Forever cursed with bad timing.”

“Bad timing?” Nick asks. “What do you mean?”

“Mom told me there’s a yoga studio for sale in Wildrose Landing. Maybe you’re supposed to take that consulting job and I’m supposed to go home.”

His reaction is immediate—his shoulders tense, and a flicker of something unreadable passes over his face. “Is that what you want?”

“No. Not at all. Have I ever talked about wanting to open my own studio?” I force myself to meet his gaze, even though my chest feels tight. “I’m just putting it out there. You know, in case…” I trail off, gesturing vaguely.

“In case what?” His voice is quiet, but there’s an edge to it that makes me wince.

“In case you want to take the job and don’t want to let me down. I know how much you’ve missed your sense of purpose,” I finish softly.

Nick steps closer, his eyes searching mine. He exhales sharply, his hand coming up to cup the back of his neck. “This isn’t just about purpose. It’s about us. About what we’re building here.”

The raw honesty in his voice nearly undoes me, but fear wells up inside me and I give it a voice without thinking. “And what if that changes?” I ask, hating the way my voice wavers. “What if you go on this mission and realize you need that life more than you need this one?”

Nick looks like I’ve just slapped him. He opens his mouth, then closes it, his jaw working as he struggles for words. When he finally speaks, his voice is low and rough. “Do you really think I’d just walk away from you?”

You did once, I think, but don’t say, though I swear he can read it in my eyes because everything in him softens.

“Charlie…” He takes my hand, his grip firm but gentle. For a long moment, neither of us speaks. The waves crash in the background, and Sunshine trots back to us, dropping the stick at Nick’s feet as if trying to break the tension.

Finally, he sighs, bending to pick up the stick and tossing it farther down the beach. “Those deep thoughts I was having? I was thinking of asking you to move in with me. That’s where I am with you.”

I smile at the thought.

He was thinking of asking me to move in and I was thinking of how much I don’t want to leave. Maybethat’sthe nudge Mom told me to look out for.

“That’s where I am with you too…”

I wait for him to ask me, to make it official so we can put all this confusion behind us, but Nick simply runs a hand through his hair and stares at his feet. After too many silent seconds, I take a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“If that’s where you are,” I say, taking Nick’s hand and searching his eyes, “where youreallyare, why are we having this conversation and not that one?”

The question takes him off-guard. Doubt flickers in his eyes and his jaw clenches as he looks away. I wait for him to changethe topic, to ask me to move in, to say he doesn’t have all the answers to our future, but that we’ll find them together.

Instead he says, “That’s a fair question,” and leaves it at that.

I swallow hard, the lump in my throat making it impossible to speak. I step into Nick’s arms, pressing my forehead against his chest. He holds me tightly, his hand stroking my hair as if he’s trying to smooth away all the unspoken things between us.

For now, it’s enough. But deep down, I know this is just the beginning of a storm we can’t avoid.

FORTY-FOUR

Charlie

I pull up in front of Angela and Garrett’s house and kill the engine. The driveway is quiet, the house bathed in shadow. Night has fully fallen, and the moon and stars are hidden behind heavy clouds, the sky an endless expanse of black on black. Even the porch light seems dimmer than usual, its glow diffused by the thick humidity hanging in the air. It feels oppressive, like the night itself is conspiring with my mood. Nothing is clear. Everything is dark.

I sit for a moment, gripping the steering wheel, my mind racing in spirals I can’t untangle. Sadness twists with confusion, and I can’t even pinpoint why. What just happened? Nothing. Everything. I don’t know…

With a sigh, I climb out of the car and make my way up the steps. I let myself into the house as quietly as possible, careful not to disturb anyone. With Elise’s weird schedule, waking her would be a disaster. The soft click of the door shutting behind me barely echoes before a light flicks on in the kitchen, spilling warm yellow into the hallway.

I hear Garrett humming—a low, tuneless sound—and Elise cooing in response, her baby babble laced with sleepy contentment. Despite myself, a small smile tugs at my lips. Paternal bliss isn’t something I ever imagined for my no-nonsense brother, but it suits him in a way I didn’t expect. He’s softer now, gentler. A reminder, yet again, that even the most predictable things in life can change when you least expect it.

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