Page 111 of As the Years Pass

“Hi, can I help you?” the man behind the desk asks. This isn’t the same person I spoke to when I checked in.

“My key isn’t working. Tried it like ten times.” I slide it and the paper I was given to him. He takes them, and presses it to the machine.

“Hm,” he says. “Seems there’s an issue with the card, but I’ll give you another one and you should be good.”

“Thank you.”

He grabs a new card from a large stack and runs it through the machine before sliding it to me. “If you have any issues, please come back, but it should be just fine.”

“Thank you.”

“Of course. Enjoy your stay.”

We head back upstairs, and I check the key. I blow out a relieved breath when the light turns green.

“Awesome,” Adam says. “So, do you want to go grab some food?” I raise a brow, not expecting him to have asked me that. “What? Is something wrong?”

“No, nothing. Food sounds good. I haven’t eaten much today.”

“I saw a bar on the beach not far from here, if you want to check that out?”

“Did it look like they had greasy food?”

He laughs. “Do they have grease out here?”

Now I laugh. “Good point. It feels like everything is fruits and vegetables and healthy.”

“Hopefully not,” Adam says.

“Seriously. I need a greasy cheeseburger.”

“Oh god, that sounds perfect.”

Walking to the bar takes less than five minutes, and we wait only a few more for a table. We’re on the side that overlooks the ocean, and it’s hard to believe this is real. It’s so beautiful.

“I can’t stop looking at it.” Adam smiles out at the ocean.

“Neither can I.”

“Funny because we can see it whenever we want, but it’s so much better here.”

I look at him, taking inhisbeauty and wanting to tell him thathe’sthe most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, but I just look at my menu instead.

“Oh look. They have cheeseburgers,” I say.

“Yes, but are they greasy?”

I huff a laugh. “Guess we’ll find out.”

When the waitress takes our orders, we both get a burger and fries and a beer. The beers are brought a few moments later, and we drink them slowly while staring at the beach. Some people are lying in the sand, on towels or in chairs. Others are walking, hand in hand. Some are playing catch with a football. Others are walking through the surf or deeper out in the water, swimming. The vibes here are… so positive and happy. Like a dream. It’sexactly what I need. Now, if only I can get my heart to chill out, it’ll be a good weekend.

The problem is everything with Adam and me is all so natural, even though my heart is weeping. I just wish it was enough for him.

When our food comes, it looks so damn good. And it is, just not nearly as greasy as I was hoping for. But that’s probably a good thing. I’m not getting any younger over here, so leaner meat is for the best.

The sun is starting to set, and the bar gets busier, but we sit and drink our beers while the sun turns the most beautiful shade of pink and orange. We don’t say a word, but it isn’t needed. Not with us.If only things were this easy all the time.

I lose count of how many beers we have, but we aren’t trying to get drunk, it’s just something to pass the time with each other. The other patrons are loud and rambunctious, enjoying their night. But for us? It’s just us. Just him and me sitting here watching the sun set in the most beautiful place I have ever been.