Scott shifts, his thumb brushing lightly over my knee. The hem of my dress flutters in the breeze. He’s staring at my legs. My eyes drift to his neck, where his skin flushes against the white of the scar.
“I…” He hesitates, his voice thick. “You’ve made me want to stop running. You’re worth staying put for.”
His words send my heart into freefall.
Our faces are so close now, I feel his breath. The ocean fades. There’s electricity snapping between us.
Scott leans in, deliberate and careful, giving me a chance to pull away.
I don’t.
When his lips meet mine, the world disappears.
His palms cradle my face as he weaves his fingers through my hair, rough against the softness of my skin. His kiss is slow and tender, filled with gentle intensity. He moves with a deep longing to explore, gliding his tongue against mine like a slow dance. No haste, just pleasure and an understanding between us that we want to follow this path. We want to discover where it leads together.
We’re breathing hard, our hands moving over our bodies now, wanting more than a kiss. When we pull apart, Scott rests his forehead against mine.
“I’ve wanted to do that for so long.” His words pour out breathlessly.
“Me too.” I reach back out to him and pull his face to mine.
As the hours pass, we remain on the rocks all night, surrounded by moonlight and the crashing waves—talking, laughing, and kissing. And dreaming of tomorrow.
Chapter 19
Scott
I park my truck at the edge of the cemetery.Dark clouds of an approaching storm cover thesun.A gust of wind stirs the scent of pine and damp earth, and as I step out onto the ground, the quiet void wraps aroundme.My chest is heavy from the weight of my decision to come here today and from all thememories.
Adeline lies toward the back of the grounds, shaded by a large oak.Her headstone rests beside her mother’s—a quiet reminder of their bond.The path is familiar, and my boots know every bend and dip.
When I reach her, I take in herheadstone.It’s simple and elegant, like she was.I crouch, brushing away a few stray leaves and pine needles gathered on thestone.
“Hi, Adeline.” My voice is barely more than a whisper. My fingers trace the engraved letters of her name. “It’s been a while.”
I sit back on my heels, letting the quiet stretch between us. I always feel like she can hear me here, as though the spacebetween the living and the dead isn’t so vast. Today, I need that to be true more than ever.
“You’re probably laughing at me right now.” I smile weakly. “I’ve been running in circles, trying to figure out what to do. How to move forward. It’s been four years. Four long years of missing you, of feeling lost without you.”
My throat tightens. I don’t bother fighting the emotions rising—I just let them come.
“You were my best friend, you know? Before anything else. Before the love and our marriage, it was the friendship we shared that made me the man I am. You made everything in our lives feel so right. And when you left, the best part of me went with you.”
The breeze picks up, rustling the oak tree’s branches, and the first soft pinpricks of drizzle hit my face. I close my eyes, leaning into the sensation as though it carries some part of her.
“But now…” I continue, exhaling slowly. “I’ve changed.” My chest tightens as I cross this threshold. “I’ve met someone. Her name is Maddie.”
Saying her name out loud is like a confession, and my heart thuds hard against my ribs and lungs.
“She’s… strong, kind, stubborn as hell,” I say with a soft chuckle. “And when I’m with her, I feel… alive. For the first time in a long time, I feel like maybe there’s something more for me. Something beyond the grief.”
I rake my hand through my hair, eyes staring at the gravestone, looking for approval.
“But it scares me. I’m scared of what this means, of letting go. I don’t want you to think I’ve forgotten. I could never forget you. You’re a part of me. But I can’t keep living like this—holding on so tightly to what I’ve lost that I can’t hold on to what’s in front of me.”
Tears slide down my cheek, and I let them fall.
“I love you.” I draw in a breath. “I always will. But I think… I’m ready to release the guilt and the fear. To let myself have this relationship with Maddie, even if it scares me.”
