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My heart thuds for nothing else but confusion. “Why?”
“Because I feel guilty. Denny faced all the same obstacles and pressures that I did growing up, and I think…maybe I could’ve turned out similarly. Angry and bitter. Feeling empty, alone, and full of regret. Grandma saved me when she sent me away to Vegas. And I met you.You saved me.”
I place my hand against his cheek, watching the sun gleam against his face, making his hazel eyes look like a bright, light green. “What does that have to do with the house, though?”
“A peace offering, I suppose. As much as I want to hate her, I just feel bad for her because, somehow, I got out. I’m happy. I have you. She lost her whole family, and I’m just starting mine.” Dex places his hand against my stomach.
I squint at him like he’s crazy. “I’m not pregnant.”
“Yet. That was the other thing I wanted to talk to you about. I asked Hank to step in as an intermediary for a while at Hessler Group.”
My eyes nearly pop out of my head. “What? I thought you decided to keep Hessler Group privately owned. What about the employees and?—”
“I am.I am.I trust Hank. He’ll still report to me, and I’ll oversee everything. I’ll still consult in a similar fashion to what I was doing before Grandma’s passing.”
“Does that mean…” I bite my bottom lip, not finishing my sentence, a little afraid I’m drawing the wrong conclusion.
“Yeah, if you’d like, we’ll move back into the Vegas house. Let’s take a few years and put down roots. Let’s start a familyalongside Avery and Finn. Spend time with your parents while we can. Hank says he can more than handle it for a few years while we live our lives.”
“Dex…I…”
“Is that what you want?”
“Yes,”I muster out before he can misunderstand my response. I’m struggling to give any other answer because I’m so overly enthused. “I would’ve gone back with you, you know. I would stand by you through anything.”
“Well, one day, we’ll go back. But right now, I want to give you these years while I can. Just you and me and all the little people I’m going to put in here.” He pats my stomach.
I smile, enjoying the warm sun against my skin. The boat rocks softly on the water, lulling me into a trance of comfort. I’m enjoying paradise. “We’ll make some babies soon. But for now, maybe I want a couple more honeymoons.”
“Fair enough.”
“Hank is really okay with all of this?”
“Of course. I mean, he’s about to get a hefty salary bump, but overall, I think he’s just happy to help Harrison and Grandma in some way. He did have one condition, though.”
“Being?”
“He wants you on his board of advisors.”
“What?” I squall.
“Minimal commitment,” Dex says. “Just join a few video conferences. Hank likes your ideas, and he wants your help bridging some gaps.”
I roll my eyes, pretending like I’m put off. “You’re never just going to let me be the trophy wife I am, are you?” I flip my hair as sassily as I can.
“Funny. I can tell him no if you want.”
“I can’t turn down his only condition. I’ll learn. And plus…Hank’s right. I have some ideas if anybody cares to listen.”
“I’m listening.” Dex kisses my forehead, then each of my cheeks. I catch a whiff of his sweet, spicy cologne mixed with the salty ocean spray. If I could bottle up this perfect moment and keep it forever, I would.
“Okay, baby. Time to suit up.”
We tug on our BCDs, test our regulators, and the instructor side of Dex even doubles back to check my straps. Force of habit. He’ll be doing this all day tomorrow and the rest of the weekend once the dive students arrive.
The radio intercom crackles to life, and our boat captain, who has been quietly ignoring us, answers the call. He speaks in his native language, back and forth with another boat captain. Luckily for me, he’s bilingual.
“Señor Hessler,” he says when he’s wrapped up his conversation. “Great news. We got a report from a few divers just coming up. There are at least two sharks down there.”