I watch in the rearview mirror as the guard does in fact drop the gates, locking us in and keeping other visitors out. Five minutes later, I’m parking the RV at the very end of the road, guaranteeing us total privacy.
The brine of ocean air slaps me in the face when I step out of the RV. I hold my hand out for Harper, helping him down as Honey whips past us to nose around. The sky is bright blue with only a few clouds dotting it. Harper tucks his hands in his hoodie while slowly ambling out toward the shore.
Freedom is what Harper needs most while he’s with me. I don’t want to smother him in this newfound experience. Busy with setting up the campsite, I get lost in the mundaneness of it all. Until Honey’s soft bark sends my heart skyrocketing, only forit to settle into peace when I spot the two of them playing in the waves. Harper’s shoes sit a few yards back from them; his jeans rolled up to his knees so he can dip his feet in the cold water.
His smile is easy and free, andmine. I know then that I made the right choice in bringing him here, in giving him this experience that he never thought he’d be able to have in his grip. Honey lowers onto her front feet, then pounces on attack mode as she happily bites at a foamy wave.
Harper’s tinkling laughter rises over the din of the water. Caught up in watching them, I forget about anything else but them. My two sweethearts. Harper bends down to pick up a shell, then carefully washes it off in the saltwater at his feet. With a happy grin, he jogs towards me to present me with the shell.
But it’s not a shell at all.
It’s a dried-out seahorse.
“You know the male seahorses can get pregnant,” Harper says with a gleam in his eye.
“You’re insufferable.”
Harper wiggles his eyebrows. “It’s a sign. We should try tonight.”
I nod towards Honey. “She’s having the time of her life.”
Harper lets out a delighted laugh. “She’s happy to not be working for once.”
Pinching his chin, I turn his gaze towards me. “She’s happy because she’s at the beach with her daddies.”
Harper sighs, long and loud, then leans up on the tip of his toes to kiss me softly. He shivers slightly under my lips. I simply can’t have that. I drag him towards the outdoor seating I set up, shoving him gently into the chair. Using a towel packed away just for the beach, I clean the sand from his feet and kiss the cold skin at the top of his foot.
“Jackson,” Harper whispers, real emotion in his voice.
“Yeah?”
Harper tenderly skims his fingers across my forehead, down my cheek, finally letting them rest along the edge of my jaw. “Thank you. This is the best gift I’ve ever been given.”
My throat goes tight and my eyes burn at the genuine gratitude in his hoarse voice. Just to be given something so simple, has him beyond grateful. When really this is not a gift for him at all, but a gift for me. Because bringing Harper happiness is now my only goal in life. To bring him happiness, and joy, and to keep him forever, if he’ll let me.
15
HARPER
Lunch is sandwiches Jackson lovingly prepared in the RV kitchen. The bread is a soft flaky croissant with thick-cut deli meat, specialty cheese, and some spicy spread that shouldn't work but weirdly does. Maybe I should trick him into making my meals for me so I don’t have to spend a fortune on a private chef. He’d probably do it if I only asked. Which is a power I have to carefully wield.
Honey tires herself by early evening, deciding to sleep on the sofa inside the RV that Jackson covered with towels just for her. Spoiled girl. Jackson and I put the tent up before it gets dark, miraculously getting through the process without arguing. It must be a good sign, considering I’ve always heard these types of tasks send couples into loud screaming matches. But I also just can’t picture Jackson ever yelling at me. I’m sure we’ll disagree like adults; maybe I’ll stomp my feet, maybe I’ll try to push him away, but at the end of the day, we love each other, so screaming doesn’t seem conducive.
Captivated by the sight of Jackson’s muscles moving under his shirt, I almost miss the screen of my phone lighting up to indicate Andy’s call.
“Hello,” I say into the phone.
Jackson turns his head to look at me. I mouthit’s Andyand he turns back around, comfortable that everything is fine.
“How’s camping?” Andy asks, a hint of teasing in her voice.
“Fun so far but we haven’t hit night yet.”
“Yes,” Andy drawls. “The monsters come out at night at the shore.”
“Exactly,” I quickly agree. “What if Jackson brought me out here to kill me.”
Andy snorts inelegantly. “If he was going to kill you, I think he would’ve done it a few months ago when you were being a little shit without the sex on the side.”
