“But I’m young. Right?”
“It’s wrong to tie you down.” No matter how much I want to.
“Is that the way you see relationships? Once you commit, it’s a done deal? Every decision made? By the man?”
“No.” I tossed the shell, and it landed near my big toe. Her questions knocked me back. What was my expectation? That if we were together, she’d sculpt her life to fit mine? But that was what would happen, right? That was what couples did.
“Why don’t you ask me how I see a relationship?”
Because that’s an odd question. What does that even mean? I dug my toes into the cold, heavy sand. “All right. Tell me.”
“I’ve watched my parents my whole life. For years, I wasn’t sure they’d make it. Can’t tell you how many times they called us down for a family meeting, and I expected them to tell us they were getting separated.”
“That sounds…awful.” Admittedly, my mother died when I was a teenager, but I never recalled ever wondering if they would divorce.
“Awful? Yes, and no. Because you know what I realized when I went home over the holidays?”
A seagull dipped into the waves and a second later flew away with a slim, silver fish.
“You’re not even listening.”
“No, I am.” I shifted on the sand to face her and crossed my legs. She continued staring straight ahead, but acknowledged I’d given her my full attention by continuing. “Every day, they wake up and decide. Will they keep trying, or won’t they? So far, each day, the answer has been yes. That’s twenty-five years of yes. Next year, one of them may decide it’s a no.”
“That sounds unstable.”
“I suppose. But it’s also the reality of any person in a modern-day American marriage. None of us are locked into a marriage. We always have options. Every day, we decide. I didn’t always see it that way.”
The sun glistened in her hair. I thought about the meaning of her words. “When you went home…your ex. He’d be a better—”
“I don’t want Brandon. I had thought I didn’t want him because what he offered was too similar to my mom and dad. Being trapped in the same small town for the rest of my life. But I realized I didn’t want Brandon because he’s not right for me.” She shifted her gaze. My reflection shone on her shades. “I believe you are. I want to give us a try. But if you can’t get past my age, and you can’t treat me like an equal partner, then you’re not right for me either.”
She stood and wiped the sand off her bottom. Gobsmacked, I remained sitting. As she walked away, understanding dawned. I chased her down and matched her pace once I caught up. The wind whipped her loose hair around, covering a portion of her face, and I tugged on her arm for her to stand still. I tucked her unruly strands behind her ears and cupped the back of her head, angling her chin upward. I kissed her, gently, deeply, and with promise. I broke the kiss and lifted her shades, forcing her to look me in the eye, so she could see.
“Luna, if you are open to us, I want to try. You’re the best thing to happen to me. I don’t see you as less. I see you as so much more. Jasmine, she’s in the picture, too. She’s a part of me now—”
“I care for her too, you know? She’s a remarkable person. I want to be there for her. Help her with her new life. She’s stronger than you give her credit for. And she’ll be off to college in four years.”
I grimaced at the notion, unsure. “Not if she’s not ready—”
“You’ll be there for her if she needs you.”
“What about you?” My thumb grazed her smooth, flawless skin, and she looked up at me, silently questioning. “Are you thinking you want to pursue your doctorate?”
“I still don’t know. But my options don’t change because of you and Jasmine. It’s something I’m exploring. We can make it work.” She pressed her palm against me, pushing for space. “But not if—”
“Luna, this morning, I didn’t know what I was dealing with. I didn’t know how it would play out. When I dropped you off, I still didn’t have a cohesive plan. I didn’t know Zane would be on the island today, not for certain. It’s luck Logan was in his office when I stopped by the police station.” Station was a generous description. It was more of an attachment to the fire station that housed the only two fire engines on the island. “If anything happened to you…I had to keep you safe. Can you understand that? I love you.”
“Okay.”
“Okay?” She nodded and pulled at a wisp of flyaway hair, her eyes glassy with emotion. I held her close and kissed her forehead. I will try harder. Her cheek. I want you in my life. The corner of her lips. Please let me be enough. Her lips. I need you. I treasure you.
“I love you too.” Her softly spoken words filled me like wind against a sail.
I clasped Luna’s hand, weaving her fingers through mine. When I arrived on this island, I’d been on the brink of a fall line. No more.
“So, how do we do this? Where do we start?” I looked to her for direction.
“We take it day by day.”
“Together?”
“That’s the only way.” Her determined gaze locked on mine, and all doubts evaporated.
Epilogue
Luna
6 months later
Find the hidden pond & follow the instructions. I’d heard about this hidden pond before. Tate had once suggested we go there to skinny dip. An insane suggestion, that one. Here on Haven Island, we were surrounded by the Atlantic, ergo plenty of snake-free skinny dipping options.
The leaves crunched beneath my sandals as I gripped my phone. The prior two clues had required I send photographic evidence of my location, then
