His smile widens, confusion melting into amusement. “Good to know.”
I take a breath, trying to rein myself in. “I was just at Eve’s, and then I realized I was nearby. Then I saw you and couldn’t decide if I should stop, which—looking back—was unnecessary.”
He nods thoughtfully. “I gathered.”
Heat floods my cheeks, and a nervous laugh slips out. “Anyway, I won’t keep you. I just wanted to tell you something.”
His expression softens instantly. “Okay.”
My heart thumps. “I got a podcast request. For OneDate.”
His entire face lights up. “Nora, that’s huge!” Genuine pride threads through every word.
The knot in my stomach loosens. “Yeah,” I breathe. “I kind of freaked out.”
“Congratulations. That’s incredible. I’m really proud of you.”
I smile, warmth spreading through me. My nerves are still buzzing—but in a good way. And suddenly, nearly crashing my car feels worth it, because I told him. And this isn’t as awkward as I thought it would be.
I shift my weight and glance at the open hatch of his SUV. “So… where are you headed?”
He follows my gaze, then shrugs. “Up the North Shore. I’ve got a client who wants some springtime drone footage for their website.”
“Sounds fun. Where exactly?”
“Black Beach.”
“Oh.” I tilt my head. “I’ve heard of it, but I’ve never actually been.”
He hesitates—just for a beat. “You could come with. If you want.”
I blink. “Really?”
“Yeah.” The word comes out casual, but there’s something hopeful underneath. “Company’s allowed. Encouraged even. And I’ve got snacks.”
The snacks seal it, though the company isn’t exactly a hard sell either. “Okay,” I say before I can overthink it. “Yes.”
Twenty minutes later, we’re heading north, the road unspooling ahead of us. The city thins out, trees crowd in, and Lake Superior stretches alongside us—endless and steel blue. The drive passes quickly. We talk about the podcast and the kinds of questions they might ask. We argue about playlists. His is an eclectic mix of bluegrass, folk, and Americana while mine stands firmly with modern punk. He points out which clouds make for the best footage. I inform him that cilantro tastes like soap and shouldn’t be trusted.
When we pull into the overlook at Black Beach, the air is crisp as the breeze carries the rich scent of pine through the rolled-down windows. Fresh blooms push through the thawing ground while green leaves unfurl from their buds. The sun is warm on my skin even though there’s still a lingering bite to the air that hasn’t quite let go of winter. The waves lap against glittering black pebbles that look unreal, as if someone poured them there on purpose.
I turn toward him. “Why is the beach black? I know that happens in Hawaii, but Minnesota?”
“Are you asking me to deploy one of my random facts?”
A laugh slips out. “This is absolutely the appropriate time for random facts. Unless you don’t know.” I fake a gasp and nudge him with my elbow.
He lifts one eyebrow. “I could tell you facts you didn’t even know existed.”
“I believe you, but let’s start with the basics.”
A small smile forms on his lips. “Up until the seventies, a mining company used this beach as a taconite tailings dumping site.”
“Wow.” I blink, looking back toward the shoreline. “I had no idea.” So they really were put here on purpose.
Miles parks and hops out, immediately slipping into work mode, flipping open the drone case and checking batteries. “This place always does something to people.” He glances at me from the corner of his eye. “Just… wait.”
I drift closer to the water’s edge, watching the waves roll in, feeling small in the best way. I fish a Fireball candy from my pocket and pop it into my mouth. Behind me, the drone lifts with a soft whir, rising into the sky. Miles’s focus sharpens, hands steady on the controls. When he’s working, his confidence clicks into place. If he could tap into this version of himself all the time, dating wouldn’t even register as a problem. The drone glides across the horseshoe bay as he captures his shots, but instead of watching it, I find myself watching him. Over the next couple of hours, I smile at Miles as he flies his drone around the bay, shooting different angles and speeds.
