She nods. “I am. I just … I never thought this would happen.”
“Never thought what would happen?” I suspect I know, but I want to hear her say it.
“This.” She gestures to Sera, then to me. “You. Her. Together.”
I glance over at my daughter, who’s now filling a bucket with more sand than physics allows.
“I’m here now. And I’m not missing any more time,” I say quietly, but firmly.
She studies me for a long minute. “I know. I believe you.”
“You bringing me here this weekend? I can’t tell you how much it means to me. Making memories with her … and with you.”
A peace settles over us, and I take her hand in mine.
There’s something special about being here. No cameras. No press. No pressure. No curious eyes on us. Just the wind and waves and the two people who matter most.
That night, Sera falls asleep quickly. Between the beach, swimming in the pool, and too many cookies, she crashed hard.
Alie stands in the hallway outside her door for a second after we tuck her in. She’s wearing a yellow sundress. Bare feet, no makeup, her hair swept back in a ponytail. Her skin is sun-kissed, and she looks relaxed and happy.
I reach for her hand. “What are you thinking about?”
She smiles softly. “I was just thinking that this is the first time we’ve all slept under the same roof.”
The weight of her words settles in.
“I think it feels right.”
“I think so too.”
I lean down and kiss her, but stop it before we take it too far outside our daughter's bedroom.
“Should we go downstairs and have a glass of wine?” she asks.
I tilt my head to the side. “I need to start watching my alcohol intake as we get closer to camp, but I’ll get you a glass, and we can take it outside to the porch.”
“That sounds good. It’s such a nice night.”
We make our way down to the kitchen and get a glass while she picks the bottle she wants.
“Are we alone now, or is the house manager still here?” I ask, looking around.
“She leaves just after dinner unless we ask her to stay.”
“Does she live on the property? I didn’t realize how big it was when we drove up.”
She nods. “Yes, she uses one of the smaller cottages on the south side of the property. You can’t really see it from the main house.”
I pour some wine into her glass, then grab a glass bottle of water from the fridge.
Alie grabs a baby monitor from the counter, and we go out to the porch.
The back porch opens to a view of the ocean, and the pool sits off to the left side, but it’s connected. It’s a large area, covered with couches, tables, lawn chairs, and one of those hanging beds I’ve seen in magazines. Everything is very classy, but not obnoxiously rich. Old-money type of fancy.
She sets the monitor down on one of the nearby tables and walks over to a low railing, leaning her hip against it as she looks out toward the water and sips her wine.
I watch her for a moment, and an overwhelming feeling of protectiveness and … love rushes through me. It doesn’t scare me or even really surprise me. I was gone for this girl the first time we met. And spending time with her since I’ve been in New York has just made these feelings for her stronger. Add in the fact that she’s the mother of my child … yeah … I’m falling.
