Ali’s face flushed. “Gawd, I can’t believe you remember that.”
“I remember everything,” he said simply.
She turned away, hiding the smile she couldn’t fight. They passed Dockside Avenue next, the breeze thick with marsh salt and honeysuckle. It smelled like childhood and second chances.
After a bit, he looped them through a drive-thru, ordered her nuggets, fries and Coke Zero without even asking, andthen drove them to Bellamy Marsh Nature Preserve. The gravel crunched under the tires as he pulled into a quiet spot facing the dock and water.
Ali pulled her legs up into the seat beneath her, crisscrossed and comfortable. “This is perfect.”
He handed her the bag and drink. “Good. I kinda hoped it would be.”
They opened their food with that easy kind of silence— the kind that didn’t need to be filled. Birds skimmed the marsh grass in the distance, and frogs chirped somewhere deep in the cattails. And right there, with her Chick-fil-A sauce and bare legs under her tee, Ali felt more herself than she had in years.
“You okay?” he asked, looking at her like he could read every flicker in her brain.
She nodded. “I’m really glad I came.”
“Me too.”
They sat parked at the edge of Bellamy Marsh, the Bronco’s windows down to let in the warm night air and the steady chorus of cicadas. The scent of salt and marsh grass drifted in, mingling with the faint hum of distant traffic.
Dylan leaned back, a grin spreading across his face as he launched into stories about his teammates— pranks gone wrong, locker room antics, and quiet moments that showed their real character. Ali laughed harder than she had in weeks, tears prickling at the corners of her eyes as his stories caught her completely off guard.
“I haven’t laughed like this in forever,” she admitted between gasps.
Ali took a breath and smiled shyly. “Sounds like some silly stuff Ashley gets our book club into. Shelf Indulgence. Sometimes we discuss books and drink cocktails. Sometimes it’s Diet Cokes and corndogs or a Saturday morning iced coffee—or whatever fits the mood. Sometimes we just want to escape adulting.”
Dylan’s eyes twinkled. “Iced coffee, huh? You still into those caramel iced lattes?”
She nodded, a little embarrassed but pleased he remembered. “Absolutely yes. They’re my weakness.”
He laughed softly. “Maybe next time, I’ll bring you one.”
The two of them sat quietly for a moment, the gentle sounds of the marsh wrapping around them like a soft blanket.
Ali stole a glance at Dylan, the easy smile still lingering on his lips. The way he talked, laughed, the way his eyes crinkled— it all pulled at something deep inside her.
Her mind wandered back to their texts earlier, the way he’d said, “God, I missed your mouth.” She’d flushed just thinking about it then, but now, here with him, it felt even more electric.
She bit her lip, feeling a flutter of nerves and excitement. The thought of those words— and all the unspoken things behind them— lingered, making her heart race.
Dylan caught her gaze and raised an eyebrow, teasing. “What’s got you all quiet?”
Ali smiled, a little shy, and shrugged. “Just thinking… about you saying you missed my mouth.”
He chuckled, the warmth in his eyes deepening. “You should know, that’s only the beginning of what I miss.”
Her cheeks warmed, but she met his gaze steady. The night felt full of promise.
Ali’s breath hitched, a blush creeping up her neck. “Oh yeah? Like what?”
He leaned a little closer, voice dropping low and teasing. “Like how good you were at those ‘wall things’ the other night. Got me thinking… you’re full of surprises.”
She bit her lip, heart pounding but daring to play along. “Is that so? Maybe I should show you a few more then.”
His grin deepened. “Damn right, you should. Just don’t be surprised if I get greedy.”
Dylan, probably not wanting to push her too far, went back to talking about his life in Orlando. She paid attention, she did but she kept thinking about how badly she wanted her mouth on him.
