“It is,” he agrees, picking up our joined hands and kissing mine. My heart flutters in my chest, a feeling I’ve denied for the last three years but now embrace.
He looks up at me. “How long are you here?”
I shrug. “I just bought a one-way ticket.”
He raises his brows. “So what’s the plan?”
“I’m here as long as you are,” I say. “I’m in no rush to go home.”
He sighs happily, and the warmth in his gaze fills me down to the tips of my toes.
My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I pull it out to see a message from my dad.How did everything go?
I grin. “Can we take a picture and send it to my dad?”
“Sure. Did you tell him about me?”
I nod. “My mom is still processing everything, but my dad was incredibly cool about canceling the wedding and, you know, changing their plans for the future.”
“But it’syourfuture.”
“Exactly.” I twist around, and Ryan follows suit, so we can take a selfie with the ocean behind us. I lean my head on his shoulder, and we both have the happiest smiles. I send it to my dad, who immediately replies by sending a thumbs-up.
Ryan peeks over my shoulder. “Thumbs-up? What does that mean?”
“It means he’s happy,” I say with a laugh. “He’s not the most text-savvy. But that’s as enthusiastic of a response as we’ll get.”
“Got it.” We settle back on the beach, and Ryan wraps an arm around my waist. We watch the waves and dig our toes into the sand, contentment washing over me.
“How did you get here?” Ryan asks. “Like…what made the difference between the gala and now?”
I tell him about Annie and graduation and all the inner growth I’ve done. “It’s…uncomfortable,” I admit. “I’m not used to my mom being upset with me. But when I think about the two options—married to Zach or being with you—it’s not even a question. And I wish I hadn’t waited so long to figure it out.”
“I’m just glad you did.” He leans his head down, resting it on mine. Then we sit and watch the ocean waves roll in and out, and for the first time in a long time, I feel at peace.
We spenda week on the island. I meet Ryan’s mom, who is just as lovely as he is. Every morning, I get up early and watch them surf while I work on my novel. Ryan and I have breakfast at a local diner, head back to the beach or the pool at my hotel, and then go on excursions. One day we go snorkeling in Molokini Crater. Another day, we drive the road to Hana, and I find my favorite place in the entire world—the Seven Sacred Pools. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anywhere more beautiful and awe-inspiring, and sharing it with Ryan makes it even more inspirational. He lets me stand and enjoy the view for as long as I want. The drive on the other side of the island is a little scary with all the off-roading, but it’s an amazing experience that I’ll never forget.
The day before we’re supposed to fly home, we’re lying by the pool, and Ryan gets a phone call from Haleakala Community College. He shows me his phone before answering the call. “Hello, this is Ryan.”
I can only hear Ryan’s side of the conversation, where he just says “uh-huh” and “thank you.” The conversation lasts a few minutes, and my heart races in anticipation. Finally, Ryan says, “Okay, great. I’ll get back to you.” He hangs up the call and looks at me, his expression slightly pinched.
“What happened?” I ask.
“I made it to the next round of interviews. They want me to interview with the president of the college.”
“That’s great!” I say. But inside, I feel a little twist in my stomach.
I knew before I came out here that he was interviewing for another job. He told me he didn’t think the interview went well because he got distracted thinking about me and about how he didn’t really want to be here. So I figured it wouldn’t be an issue.
But now that the opportunity is here, I don’t want to push him to come home. He seems so relaxed and happy. He fits here, and I feel guilty pulling him back home. If this is what’s better for him, I want him to do what he needs.
He holds my gaze, studying me for a minute. “You’d really be okay with that?”
“With what?”
“Me working here. Leaving you back home.”
I press my lips together. “I’d be sad. You know that. You’re the best part of working at Coastal Vista. But I don’t want to hold you back, either.” I pause. “I love you, Ryan. And I feel like you’ve been hung up on me for years, and I don’t want to do that to you anymore. Love means supporting the other person’s goals and desires. So whatever you decide, I’ll support you. I want you to do what’s best for you.”
