She'd promised herself she wouldn't beg. Wouldn't twist herself into knots trying to be what someone else wanted. Alex had to want this too—had to be brave enough to ask for it himself.
But God, the waiting was killing her.
"Megan called this morning," Alex said, breaking the comfortable silence.
"Yeah? How is she?"
"Insufferable, as always." But he was smiling. "She wanted to know when the wedding is. And reminded me that I'm 'not getting any younger.' Her words. Multiple times."
Lily's heart stuttered. "What did you tell her?"
"That I'd let her know when there was something to tell." He paused. "She hung up on me."
"Rude."
"That's Megan."
They watched the colors deepen, the sun sinking lower. Lily's mind was racing. Wedding. He'd brought up wedding—well, Megan had brought up wedding, but he'dtoldher about it. Did that mean something? Was she reading too much into it?
Just ask him. Just open your mouth and ask.
"Speaking of family drama," she heard herself say, "my dad called last week."
Alex's eyebrows rose. Since the phone confrontation she'd told him about, communication with her father had been minimal at best. Awkward at worst.
"And?"
"And... he saw the Galápagos piece. The one about the marine iguanas." She picked at a splinter on the dock, not quite able to meet Alex's eyes. "He said it was 'well-researched.' For him, that's basically a standing ovation."
"That's something."
"It's weird is what it is." But she was smiling. "I think he's finally accepted that I'm not going back to law school. And maybe—maybe—he's starting to respect that I stood my ground. Even if he still doesn't really understand what I do."
"Progress."
"He even asked about you. Wanted to know if you were 'financially stable.'" She laughed at Alex's expression. "I told him you were a director now. Very impressive title. He seemed appeased."
"Your father sounds delightful."
"He's a nightmare. But he's my nightmare, and apparently we're finding a way to coexist." She squeezed his hand. "Besides, I've got a much better father figure now. The ocean. Very nurturing. Never judges my career choices."
"The ocean tried to kill you in a riptide."
"Nobody's perfect."
Alex laughed, and Lily felt some of the nervous tension in her chest ease. This was good. This was them. Whatever happened next, they had this.
The silence stretched, comfortable but weighted. Lily could feel the words building in her throat—my lease, my lease, just tell him about the lease—when Alex spoke first.
"I've been thinking."
"Dangerous pastime."
"Shut up, I'm being serious." He shifted to face her, and something in his expression made her heart rate spike. "Lily, I spent thirty-five years being too scared to ask for what I wanted. Too convinced that wanting things only led to losing them."
Her breath caught. "Alex?—"
"Let me finish." He took both her hands in his, his blue eyes intense in the fading light. "You crashed into my life and showed me that was bullshit. You stood on that dock and asked me to give you a reason to stay, and I was too much of a coward to say the words. I've regretted it every day since."
