Page 92 of Steel Beauty

Her smile softens. “I’m so glad you brought Charleston to dinner the other night. I really enjoyed meeting her.”

A small smile tugs at my lips. “She enjoyed meeting you.”

“I wanted to check in and see where things stand between you two.” Laurelyn’s usual playfulness gives way to an unexpected seriousness.

“Things are great. We’re having a lot of fun together.”

A smile spreads across her face, lighting her features. “Good. Because I really love Charleston. Can we keep her?”

I laugh, and her expression shifts to something more serious. “I’m actually not kidding, Alex. Hear me out.”

Her words grab my full attention. “All right.”

“She’s wonderful. She’d fit into your life—and your family’s life—so naturally. Malie and Alexander would adore her, and I know all your siblings would too. Especially Leilani and Sefina.”

Warmth spreads through me at the thought of having something more with her. “Yeah, I know they would. But she’s not looking for that kind of connection right now.”

“Maybe she’s not looking for it, but that doesn’t mean she wouldn’t be open to it if it unfolds organically. Sometimes the best things in life aren’t planned. They just happen.”

I pause, letting Laurelyn’s words sink in for a moment.

Her expression softens as she studies me. “Where’s your head at with all of this?”

“It’s still early, but I really like her. More than I expected to. And I already know it’s going to hurt like hell when she leaves and I lose her.”

Laurelyn studies me for a moment. “What if you didn’t have to lose her?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve been in your shoes, Alex. I know how easy it is to let something good slip away because you’re scared or convinced it won’t work. But letting her leave without telling her how you feel would be a mistake.”

I shake my head slightly, a quiet laugh escaping. “I can’t ask her to change her world for me. She’s got her life in Charleston, her work, her friends.”

Laurelyn doesn’t waver. “I’m not saying you have to ask her to stay. I’m saying you owe it to both of you to be honest. Let her know how much she means to you. If she still chooses to leave, at least she’ll know. And if she doesn’t… well, maybe fate has other plans.”

Her words stir something undeniable in me. “Charleston’s here for work, Laurelyn. When her assignment ends, she’ll go back to the U.S. It’s not like she can simply extend her stay. And she’s not going to drop her life for me—not without a real reason.”

Laurelyn’s gaze sharpens, her determination unwavering. “Then give her a reason.”

I shake my head. “She’s made it clear she’s not interested in marriage. That’s not what she’s looking for.”

“Maybe not right now. But she’s here with you, Alex, spending her time with you. That tells me she’s open to something more, whether she realizes it yet or not. The question is this: are you brave enough to show her what that could look like?”

Laurelyn’s smile is soft, almost amused, but there’s a knowing edge to it. “Jack Henry wasn’t looking for marriage either, but look at him now. No one could be more married than he is today. Things change, Alex. People change. And I see the way you two look at each other. She might not be there yet, but that girl is falling for you. And I know you’re falling for her too.”

Her words stir something deep within me, a thought I’ve been too cautious to fully embrace. I let out a slow breath, deciding to be honest. “You’re right. I can’t lie—I have growing feelings for her. I can see a life with Charleston, but only if she wants it too. I can’t force her into something she doesn’t want.”

“You have, what, seven weeks left with her?”

A pang of anxiety tightens in my chest. Each week that passes feels sharper, the countdown looming over everything. “Right. Seven weeks and then I have no idea what happens after that.”

Her expression softens. “Make those seven weeks count. Show her what a life with you could be like. Let her see what she’d be leaving behind.”

She studies me for a moment as if weighing her next words carefully. “Charleston is different. You can trust her. She’s not Celeste, and she’s not like the other women who chase you for all the wrong reasons.”

My thoughts drift to the moments Charleston and I have shared, moments that were raw and real, untouched by the shadows of my past.

“She showed up at the Rabbit Hole to meet you without knowing a thing about you. She genuinely likes you for who you are—not Alex Sebring, the rugby legend. Not Alexander Sebring III, heir to Sebring Hotels. Just you.”

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