I grin at her and her sparkling eyes. “We did indeed.”
The only people we come across in Samphire Hoe nature reserve are an older couple wearing matching wool caps. They take a photo of Ivy and me in front of the cliffs. We’d seen them walking around holding hands and whispering in each other’s ears. We thought, perhaps, it was because they were hard of hearing, but they heard us just fine. Ivy declared itjust romance.
And hey, if it takes a lovely old couple to get Ivy thinking about romance, so be it.
“Did you send the photo to Mr. Crawley?” Ivy asks.
“I did. Right after they handed me back the phone.”
“Good. I’m ready for another puzzle.”
“Hopefully he sends it soon.”
We walk along the beach, enjoying the blue waters and the view of the alabaster cliffs from below. And once again,sheholdsmyhand.
30
Ivy
Alexismakingthisso hard. He is, by far, the sweetest and most thoughtful man I have ever come across. Walking with him by the English Channel, underneath the cliffs, felt like living through a movie montage of a couple falling in love. He held my hand, and he kept his hand on my lower back as we talked with the older couple who took our picture. I splashed him a bit, then ran from him when he threatened to splash me back. He chased me, catching me around the middle and spinning us on the sand.
It could not have been more romantic.
And now we are at Dover Castle, because instead of racing back to London and my family, I’ve decided to fully embrace this time I have to pretend-date the sexiest man alive. Literally,he was given that title two years ago.
I still worry about kissing him, but, good gosh, do I want to. I want to lose myself in his arms and forget my life back in North Carolina. But when I remember the restaurant and all I’ve worked for, I hesitate. To some, it may seem to pale in comparison to what could be with Alex, but to me it’s everything.
“I’ve never been here before,” Alex says as we stand within the castle grounds, looking up at the ruins of a two-thousand-year-old lighthouse. “So this is a first for both of us.” He gently squeezes the hand he’s holding, and I lay my head against his shoulder as I gaze up at the structure, which is about half the height it once was.
“Maybe we’ll find some other firsts before this is all over,” I say.
“It makes me sad to think about it being over. I know that’s the plan, but I’ve lost control of things in my mind. If I ever had it to begin with.”
“You said it would be fine,” I remind Alex, turning to face him.
“I know what I said, but you make it hard to think about life after you’re gone.”
Everything inside me wants to say… You do, too. To tell him how I’ve been feeling, but I can’t give him that hope. I can’t givemyselfthat hope either. So I lift up on my toes and kiss hischeek, hoping that will put off the sadness until I’m actually gone.
I pull my phone from my bag to check the time, and to avoid giving more meaning to the moment by catching Alex’s gaze. I notice an email from my contractor. He’s attached different design ideas, and the man has an eye for it. I had no idea! I pause to look at options for an embossed tile to cover the front of the counter. One of them reminds me of the ceiling tiles, only in miniature. It’s got to be that one.
“What’s going on over there?” Alex asks when I’ve been staring at my phone in disbelief for at least a full minute.
“My contractor sent me some design options. They must be further along than I expected.Andhe’s a secret designer. I never would have thought. But he’s got an eye for it!”
“Ah. So you like what he’s doing?”
“Yeah. I really do.” I show Alex the photos, and he swipes through them with a smile. I put my phone away, deciding to respond when we get to the car.
We’re heading out of the castle, toward the parking lot when he gets a new riddle.
Remember, you might
A historical sight
A celebration was had
For your mumand your dad.
