“Yes, actually, I do. Now, go on. You sleep in and do something creative. Then, what?”
I’m quiet for a moment, and Tristan gives me time to think. We’ve walked farther down the beach, our pace unhurried. We have time until the rehearsal dinner this evening, so there’s no rush.
“After getting creative, I’d probably want some downtime. I love to read. Lately, my favorite thing to read is romantasy.”
“Romantasy? What’s that?” he asks, genuinely interested.
I stare at the water beyond me. “It’s a romance set in a fantasy world. One with magic or dragons or fae. Sometimes the main characters start as enemies but become lovers. Or they’re fated mates. That’s my favorite trope,” I muse out loud.
“Fated mates?” he asks.
I glance at him as he scrunches his nose up in curiosity.
“That means they’re meant to be together?”
I nod. “Yep. Destiny. Isn’t that romantic?”
He stops and I pause with him. “Actually, I prefer the idea of choosing the right person for you, someone you’re so crazy about that you don’t need fate to make the decision for you.”
I nudge his arm. “Look at you. A closet romantic. Who knew?”
He meets my gaze and holds it, making me grateful for the sunglasses to hide whatever emotions he would otherwise find there. “Yeah, who knew?” he asks in a gruff voice.
I force an easy laugh, though my heart feels stuck in my throat.
Tristan glances back at the resort and sees how far we’ve walked. Without discussion, we turn and head back toward the hotel, in sync in a way that feels natural and good.
“Okay, so what’s next on your day off? Dinner?” he asks.
I’m surprised he remembers our earlier conversation. I give the question some thought. “Sushi for dinner. Specifically from On a Roll. It’s my favorite meal ever. Then, after dinner, I’d want to go out, maybe to Midnight.”
He turns and looks at me. “You’re not just saying that to suck up to me, are you?”
I shake my head. “Now, why would I do that?” I’m teasing him, and he knows it.
“Because you like me,” he answers with an easy lift of his shoulders.
“So cocky,” I mutter. “Now, you tell me something aboutyou. Do you have a big family?” I ask.
“No, but I wish I did. I was raised by my grandparents because they were the only family I had left. My mom died giving birth to me, and my dad took off a few months later. I guess he just couldn’t deal with being a single parent. He dropped me atmy grandparents’ house, my mom’s parents. Then he took off. They were kind of stuck with me, I guess.”
“Are you close with them?” I’m so curious about everything I can get from him.
He shakes his head. “They’re both gone now. My grandfather died five years ago in a car accident, and my grandmother went just a few months later. Her heart gave out. A part of me thinks she just didn’t want to live without him.”
I reach for his hand and squeeze his fingers. “I’m so sorry. That’s really awful.”
We hold hands and swing arms as we walk. “I’m not going to lie. It was rough. But to answer your question, yes, we were close. I never really felt like I missed out on having parents because they stepped right in the role. I never felt like I was a burden they had to take on or that they resented me for their unexpected change in life.”
“They sound like good people,” I murmur, glancing up at him.
Tristan’s smile is sad. “They were, and I miss them. In fact, I think that’s part of the reason I gave that older couple my room. They reminded me of my grandparents.”
We’re still holding hands, not swinging, as we walk, and it feels right. “You know, my grandparents were a big part of my life too. They lived in New York, and I used to visit them every summer for about two weeks. They were always so happy to see me, and they made sure it was a fun experience for me.”
“Oh yeah? Tell me.” I feel the weight of his stare, the depth of his interest, and it warms me more than the sun.
“Well, one of my favorite memories is when my grandpa took me to seeThe Lion Kingon Broadway. I was probably around ten, and Ilovedthe movie, so I couldn’t wait to see the play. My grandpa was an old-school, flannel-wearing carpenter that had no time for the arts. But he sat right beside me for the wholeshow. He even sang along to a few of the songs, which surprised me, until he explained that he learned them for me. So thatI’dhave the best time possible.” I smile at the memory, one I keep tucked away in my heart.
