"Glad you found your way here," he said simply.
The sincerity in his voice made her chest tighten. Terry didn't use flowery language or elaborate compliments. When he spoke, every word carried weight.
After he paid the bill, he stood and held out his hand. "Feel like a walk on the beach?"
Sandra glanced down, patting her full stomach with a grin. "Not only would I love it, I think I need it."
As they walked to the car for the short drive to Baytown Beach, she linked her arm through his. The comfortable silence between them felt natural and unforced.
At the beach, she slipped off her shoes and wiggled her toes in the cool sand. After a quiet moment, she tilted her head to look at him. "Will you tell me about Patricia? I don’t want to pry,but I feel like I need to understand the past, especially since I’m around the kids now."
Terry stopped walking and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. With his lips pressed against her forehead, he sighed. "Fair question. Patricia's not my favorite topic, but I don't keep secrets from people who matter."
He paused, and Sandra heard a shift in his voice. "Warning, though. The story isn’t exactly a thrilling story."
She tilted her head back and held his gaze. "For the record, Terry... anything about you interests me."
His lips curved into that slow smile she loved, and he tilted his head before sealing his mouth over hers. She melted into the kiss, deciding she'd much rather explore this than discuss his ex-wife anyway.
24
Terry wanted to fall into the kiss, to lose himself in the sweetness of Sandra's lips and forget about the past entirely. But the weight of unspoken truths pressed against his chest. Sandra deserved to understand all of it, especially the part about Patricia, which would always be woven into his life.
He shifted her gently to his side, their fingers threading together as they began walking along the beach. Cool sand squished between their toes as they carried their shoes, the rhythmic sound of waves providing a steady soundtrack.
"Joined the Marines right out of high school," Terry began, his voice carrying on the salt-tinged breeze. "Met Patricia one night when a bunch of us went out. She was... driven. Had this energy about wanting to see the world that I found attractive."
He paused, searching for the right words. "But I was never in love with her. Liked her, sure. Admired her goals. Was maybe even infatuated for a while. But love? No."
Sandra's hand squeezed his, offering silent encouragement.
"Said what I thought was our final goodbye. I went back on tour, figured we'd run our course." Terry's throat tightened with the memory. "Two months later, she calls. She's pregnant."
The words came out matter-of-fact, the way he'd learned to tell the story over the years. Clean, simple, no drama.
"She wasn't trying to trap me or anything. Hell, she didn't even want to be a mother. Said she'd worked too hard building her career. I told her I'd support whatever she decided, but when she chose to go through with it..." He shrugged. "I was thrilled."
A rueful chuckle escaped him. "Got married so she'd be on my insurance. Not exactly romantic."
Sandra looked up at him, the evening light catching her gentle smile. "I have a feeling you're not the only couple who’s married for that reason."
Her understanding sent warmth through his chest. This was why he'd fallen for her. There was no judgment, just acceptance of life's messy realities.
"Thought we might make it work. We liked each other well enough, and I couldn't wait to be a dad." His voice grew quieter. "What I didn't count on was how much she didn't want to be tied down."
"Oh, Terry." Sandra's voice carried genuine sympathy.
What struck him was that Sandra wasn't thinking about herself or how this affected her. She'd put herself in his shoes. The contrast between her selflessness and Patricia's self-focus hit him hard.
"I left the Marines at the end of my tour. Didn't want to be an absentee father." The conviction in his voice surprised even him. "Got on with the DEA and finished my bachelor's while Emma was little."
They continued down the beach, Sandra's presence making the difficult memories easier to bear.
"I honestly believed we could make it work. Didn't expect Patricia to change after Emma was born, but thought she'd get more involved." Terry's chuckle held no humor. "Instead, shetook the next promotion that came along. Better money, more travel."
They stopped walking, watching the sun sink toward the horizon. The sky had begun its transformation as deep blue gave way to streaks of gold and amber.
"She probably figured we were headed for divorce anyway." Terry guided her back toward the pier. "Then we had another surprise."
