Page 161 of Secrets Beneath the Waves

He nodded. “That’s an old trick. My high school buddies and I used to love to do that to people. We’d use invisible ink to write words or draw pictures on bathroom mirrors or windshields. Whenever fog would appear on the glass, the message would become visible. If it was a car window and the temperature changed again, like when you turned off the AC, it would quickly disappear.” Of course, with him and his friends it had been harmless fun. With that sicko, it had been something far more ominous.

Dante’s fingers tightened around the steering wheel. As they approached Jules’ place, she grew quieter, rubbing the tip of one finger over the door handle the way she had the daisy on that plastic tablecloth. As much as he would love to know what wasgoing on in that beautiful head of hers, he gave her space. She had a lot to process.

When they turned onto her street, she gazed out the front window. “My answer is no.”

Dante blinked. Her answer to what? His unspoken question about the two of them and whether there was any chance they could have a future together? Was she shutting that down completely before they even discussed the possibility?

Before he could get her to clarify, she added, “You asked me at the cottage if I would give up all the memories I have of my mom and dad and Lou in order to feel nothing, to remember nothing. My answer is no. I wouldn’t give up a single minute I had with any of them, as much as what happened to all of them still hurts.”

Dante turned into her driveway and stopped his car behind hers. Then he shifted to face her, one arm resting on the steering wheel. “I wouldn’t give up a minute I had with Carina either. Because, along with the pain, I’d be giving up all the joy and love and laughter.”

Jules nodded. “Pain might be the price you have to pay for love, but the price you pay for refusing to accept that love is far higher.”

“I agree.” Dante reached for her hand. “That’s why I think I have finally gotten to the place where I can contemplate the possibility of opening up my heart to someone else.”

She ran her thumb over the back of his hand, sending tingles skittering across his skin and up his arm. “Me too.”

“Then, Jules Adler, would you consider going on a second date with me? After the last one, I promise to make sure it is the quietest, most uneventful, boring date you have ever been on.”

Jules laughed, and it struck him again how willing he was to dedicate his life to making her do that every day. Now, maybe, he would get that chance.

“Boring and uneventful sounds extremely appealing right now. Although, I don’t think we can go on a second date.”

His stomach plummeted. “We can’t?”

“No. Not until we technically end our first one. I mean, it did get cut off abruptly. I don’t believe we can move forward until we have closure on that one.”

She really had to stop doing that to him. Still clasping her fingers in his, Dante tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before cupping her cheek. “Closureisgood.”

No doubt her neighbor was watching. In that moment, Dante didn’t care. Leaning closer, he pressed his lips gently to hers. His eyes closed, he focused on filing away this memory the way she would, taking in the aroma of her floral shampoo, the soft pinging of the car engine cooling, the feel of her soft, warm lips beneath his. Those sensations—laden with emotion—were what he would always remember about this perfect moment.

When he lifted his head, she sighed. One last, sweetnotefor him to add to the file.

Dante ran a finger down her cheek. “Before we go on our second date, I do have one stipulation.”

Amusement sparked in the turquoise eyes fixed on his. “What’s that,Frat Boy?”

Dante rolled his eyes a little. He was never going to live that one down, was he? Somehow, he didn’t mind. “My sisters cannot ever find out about us. I mean, even if we get married someday and have children and grow old together, I can never give them the satisfaction of knowing that they were right about the two of us.”

She nodded solemnly. “Same with Brie and Kelli. It will have to be a secret the two of us take to our graves.”

“Deal.” Dante gave himself an hour, two at most, before he started shouting from the rooftops that Jules Adler had agreed to go out with him. After all, even if they drove him crazy, hecould never withhold news like that from his sisters. It would make them far too happy.

After the long journey of grief and sorrow Dante and Jules and everyone who loved them had been on, it was time to be grateful that God had brought them through and accept the unexpected gift of joy waiting for them on the other side.