The thought alone sent a small rush of butterflies through me. Ethan had suggested the beach specifically because it was far from the nosier residents of our town, and I’d appreciated that more than I’d said out loud. We’d been together for a month now, quietly, in a way that belonged only to us. We hadn’t told anyone. Not yet. We didn’t want opinions or expectations pressing in before we’d even figured out who we were to each other now, as adults, as people shaped by ten years of very different lives.
Lily and Ethan came back a few minutes later, arms full. Ethan had the plates balanced precariously, Lily struggling bravely with a tray of drinks. I jumped up to take hers before disaster struck, earning a relieved smile from her.
The food looked incredible. Fresh seafood piled high, fries crisp and golden, even Lily’s burger looked unfairly good. We dug in immediately, talking with our mouths half full about the crowd,the noise, how it felt like the entire world had decided to come to the beach for summer vacation.
When we finished, Lily wasted no time.
“Can we go back to the ocean now?” she asked, already sliding off her chair. “I want to build a sandcastle.”
She grabbed both our hands before either of us could answer and dragged us toward the shore, laughing at how easily she could pull us along. Ethan immediately began exaggerating his struggle, lagging behind on purpose.
“My back,” he complained loudly. “I’m too young to feel this old. Lily, I think you need to carry me.”
She giggled and tugged harder. I laughed with them, the sound coming easier than it had in a long time, the simple joy of it settling deep in my chest.
Once we reached a quieter stretch of beach, Lily dropped to the sand and started digging with intense focus. Ethan and I sat a little distance away, close enough to watch her, far enough to have space. That was why we were here, really. Away from town. Away from eyes and assumptions. Giving this thing between us room to breathe.
We didn’t talk at first. We didn’t need to.
Ethan’s hand found mine in the sand, his fingers closing over my own, warm and steady. I shifted closer without thinking. He glanced down at me.
“Okay?” he asked softly.
I hummed in answer, content, leaning into his side.
After a moment, I asked, “So… what’s next?”
He smiled, that familiar teasing curve of his mouth. “Probably one or two more water fights where I absolutely destroy you. Then we pack up and head back before dinner.”
I snorted. “Sure, you will.”
He laughed, then I clarified, quieter, “I didn’t mean today. I meant… in general.”
He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he pulled me closer, wrapping an arm around me and resting his chin on the top of my head.
“This,” he said simply. “This is my future. Right here. In between my arms.”
My chest filled so suddenly it almost hurt, like I might float straight out of my body if I wasn’t careful.
Then he added, amused, “And, look at that. Seems like my future is running away.”
I looked up just in time to see Lily sprinting down the beach, chasing a retriever puppy with floppy ears and boundless enthusiasm. Ethan pressed a quick kiss to my lips and stood.
“Be right back,” he said, already jogging after her.
I watched as he and Lily both took off after the dog, laughter trailing behind them, and felt something settle inside me, warm and hopeful.
I wished, with all my heart, that the future Ethan talked about would come true.
Chapter 69
Claire
By the time Ethan cooked dinner, I already knew something was different.
It was not the food itself, though that was new enough. He had become capable in the kitchen but rarely did he get to show it. Tonight, there was intention in the way he did everything.
He chopped vegetables with careful focus, checked the oven twice, and kept adjusting the music like he couldn’t decide what kind of mood he was aiming for. Lily had been deposited at Emma and Bill’s for the night, which already made this feel suspiciously like adate-dateinstead of our usual comfortable evenings.
