Page 88 of At First Catch

Me

You busy tomorrow night?

Three dots appear.

Hadley

Depends.

Me

On?

I blow out a breath as I wait for her response.

Hadley

What you want.

The warmth that spreads through me this time feels different.

Deeper.

Not excitement exactly.

Hope.

Real enough to ache.

I lean back in the chair again, looking out across Sweetspire Marina while the warm night wind rattles against the office windows.

Me

A real date this time.

Silence.

My pulse kicks hard once against my ribs while I wait.

Hadley

Okay.

That one word changes everything.

Now I can picture it too clearly—taking her out openly and walking beside her through town, holding her hand where people can see.

Not hiding. Not pretending. Not almost.

Mine.

The thought hits hard enough to steal my breath for a second.

And somewhere in the middle of a half-restored marina glowing against Back Bay, I realize I’ve never wanted anything more in my life.

I wake up Saturday morning already thinking about Hadley, which would probably feel less alarming if it wasn’t immediate. The second consciousness returns, my brain supplies the feel of her mouth against mine, the warmth of her hand on my chest, and the soft breathless laugh she made afterward in Bailey’s bookstore.

I stare up at the ceiling of the small rental cottage near the marina and scrub one hand over my face.