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Past the moment when Alesha would pack up and go back to Oregon.

The thought had always been there—quiet and somewhat easy to ignore—but now it sat heavier in his chest, refusing to be pushed aside.

Where do you see yourself…with Alesha?

Reece exhaled slowly, tightening his grip on the steering wheel.

The answer should’ve been simple.

It should’ve been nowhere.

This—whatever was happening between them—was supposed to be temporary. Easy. Something that lived inside the bubble of her visit and ended when real life started again.

Except it didn’t feel temporary.

It felt…

He glanced over at her, the passing streetlights catching in her hair as she stared out the window.

It felt like something he didn’t want to lose.

And that was the problem.

Because wanting something and knowing you could actually have it were two very different things. And for the first time since she’d come back, Reece wasn’t sure which one this was.

The idea of five years from now didn’t feel nearly as distant as it should have.

If he were being honest with himself, he could see it clearly.

Marriage.

Kids.

A life here in Harbortown.

What he couldn’t see—what he wasn’t sure of—was whether Alesha wanted any of that. The last thing he wanted was to push too hard and risk scaring her away when their time together was already so limited.

The drive to his place was short, and it wasn’t until he pulled into the driveway that he realized neither of them had said a word.

When they stepped out of the truck, he caught her looking up at the sky, smiling.

“What put that smile on your face?” he asked, joining her.

“Fresh air,” she said, glancing at him. “Dinner felt a little suffocating. And then you were so quiet on the drive home that I couldn’t wait to get outside and breathe.”

“Oh.”

Not exactly the response he’d hoped for.

He unlocked the door, and it took her a moment to follow him inside. They stayed quiet as they moved into the living room.

“I’m really sorry about Joanne,” Alesha said suddenly. “I had no idea she was so…forward. My dad apologized before we left and asked me to pass that along to you.” She shrugged out of her coat. “It’s not his fault, but I just hope they don’t end up arguing about it.”

Reece chuckled softly. “You’re worried about that?”

“He really likes her,” she said. “And everything about this is already a little…awkward.”

He didn’t disagree.