“She was the one who kept us on our toes. Ever since I can remember, she’s been running toward the next adventure. We worried she might never find someone who could keep up with her—someone who saw her chaos and didn’t flinch. Someone who not only wanted to stay butchoseto.”
He turns to me, his hand landing firmly on my shoulder. “But these last few days… it’s as if she’s found something worth slowing down for. And the way you look at her… it gives this old man hope.”
I swallow hard as the weight of the moment presses against my ribs. I never planned to say any of this out loud tonight, but standing here with Sienna’s father, the words feel right.
“Can I be honest with you?”
“Always,” he responds with a smile. “Honesty is the only policy worth keeping.”
I nod, staring out at the dark ocean again. “My parents passed away a few years ago. This is the kind of conversation I wish I could be having with them right now…”
Gregory’s grip tightens in quiet understanding. “I’m sorry to hear that. I lost mine in high school. That kind of loss never really leaves you. It changes every big moment after.”
“It does,” I say quietly. “My parents would’ve loved Sienna. Adored her, actually, especially my mom.”
He studies me for a beat, then gives my shoulder another firm squeeze. “And you?”
I draw a shaky breath. The truth rises before I can hold it back. “I like her more than I expected. Honestly… I think I’m falling in love with your daughter.”
God, saying it out loud makes it feel even more real. I never saw her coming. I built a life that was calm, ordered, and safe—everything running on schedule. Then this bright, chaotic, impossible woman sat down next to me on a plane and wormed her way into every corner of my life and made it brighter than I could’ve ever imagined.
Gregory stays quiet for a moment, then a low, genuine smile spreads across his face. “You’re not just falling, Milo. You’ve already landed. Sienna’s a force of nature. She deserves someone who sees all of her and still chooses to stay. If that’s you—and I believe it is—then I’m happy for both of you.”
Emotions swell thick in my chest. “Thank you. That means more than you know.”
“Take care of her,” he says with a soft smile. “And let her take care of you. That’s how the best ones last.” A protective glint flashes in his eyes. “And just so we’re clear—I may look retired and harmless, but if you so much as hurt a single hair on her head, I still remember how to throw a decent punch.”
I chuckle as the tension eases. “I’d never hurt her. You have my word.”
“Good man,” he grins, clinking his bottle against mine. “I’m holding you to that.”
We stand in silence for a while, watching the ocean. The waves roll in with a steady rhythm. It feels peaceful. Right.
Footsteps sound behind us, and we both turn to see Ethan step out onto the deck, his face warm from laughing inside.
“What are we talking about out here?” he asks, already grinning as he joins us at the railing.
“Just having a heartfelt conversation with a son-in-law I never expected to meet so soon,” Gregory winks at me, then steps back. “I’m going to grab some water before calling it a night. See you both bright and early in the morning.”
“Good night, Greg,” Ethan smiles as Gregory heads back inside. Once the door slides shut, he turns fully toward me. His head tilts, eyes narrowing. “Your eyes are glistening, Reyes.”
I blink hard and swipe at the corner of my eye with the back of my hand. “It’s the alcohol… mixed with the ocean breeze.”
He gives me a long, knowing look. “Not only are you my best friend, but we’re also going to be brother-in-laws in the future. I know when you’re lying, Reyes.”
I let out a shaky breath. The words slip out quieter than expected, almost carried away by the waves. “I’m falling in love with Sienna.”
Ethan’s smile breaks wide across his face. “About damn time you realized!”
I laugh, the sound rough around the edges yet genuine. “Yeah… I don’t even know when it happened, but it did. It’s all blurred together.”
She wasn’t supposed to get this far under my skin. I came here for a wedding and a little peace. Instead, this whirlwindwoman crashed into my quiet life and somehow made every carefully constructed piece of it feel incomplete without her.
She’s chaos, color, and constant motion, and I can’t imagine going back to steady, silent days.
Ethan claps me hard on the back, hard enough to make me sway. “I’ve been waiting for you to catch up, Reyes—bothof you. It’s been painfully obvious the whole time.”
I shake my head, grinning despite the tightness in my chest. “It’s been that obvious?”
