I notice the quiet as I open my eyes. There’s no kitchen clatter or footsteps upstairs. It's early, but Dakota and Kaleb told us last night that they had practice this morning, so I’m sure they’re already gone.
I slide out of bed, padding softly down the hall to Marina's room. Gently, I push her door open and see her nestled in her blankets.
"Rise and shine," I whisper softly, giving her a gentle nudge.
She stirs. "Five more minutes." Her voice is muffled by the pillow.
"Come on," I coax. "Let's hit the beach before it turns into a tourist frenzy."
Marina sits up with her hair being a wild mess. "Sold," she grins, "Time to work on this tan."
We quickly swap pajamas for swimsuits. Mine is a simple black two-piece and Marina's a vibrant coral suit.
Out on the beach, it feels calm. The sand is cool beneath my feet.
"Perfect spot right here," I declare, spreading my towel near the dunes. Marina follows suit, laying hers beside mine.
"Absolutely," she agrees, surveying the slice of paradise. "Just us and the sun."
"Speaking of which," I say, reaching for the sunscreen. "Don't want to end up like a lobster."
"Pass it here when you're done," she grins, taking out her sunglasses and sliding them on.
With my face tilted up to feel the warmth of the sun, I close my eyes and just relax.
"Hey, girl?" Marina says softly.
"Yeah?"
"Are you finally going to spill the beans about what happened between you and Dakota? The sexual chemistry has been off the charts, and you've been so tight-lipped about it." Marina asks.
I chuckle. "Well, the first night, I ended up sleeping in his room."
Marina squeals, clapping her hands excitedly. "I knew it! Tell me everything!"
I grant her wish, leaving out the actual bed scene of the event, of course. After that, and when she ran out of questions, I close my eyes and enjoy the sounds of the beach.
A coolness drapes across my skin from a sudden blockage of my personal sunshine. Reluctantly, I peel open one eye and squint up at the towering figure looming over me.
"Miss me, Miss Green Eyes?" Dakota asks with that relaxed drawl of his. Wow, once again, there he is looking like a Greek god.
"How did you know?" I quip, shielding my eyes with a hand as I sit up.
"How about you and Marina join me at my favorite spot on Love Beach? It's down by the marina."
Marina sits up next to me. "What's so special about your 'favorite spot'?" she asks, a hint of skepticism in her tone.
"Guess you'll have to come and see for yourself," Dakota winks, extending a hand to help us up.
"Give us a sec to grab our stuff and then clean up," I tell him.
"Take your time," he assures us, flashing a toothy grin before heading back toward the house.
As soon as we get back to the house and have a quick shower, Dakota drives us to the marina.
He parks his car, and we walk up to a dock that houses yachts. Marina and I follow closely behind as he leads us to a secluded area a little way down to a bench. When I look up to the horizon, there’s a breathtaking view of the ocean.
"This is amazing," Marina gasps, taking in the scene. The water sparkles in shades of blue and green, dotted with boats and yachts of all sizes.
"Right?" Dakota grins, clearly pleased with our reaction. "This is my go-to spot when I need to clear my head or just take a break from everything."
We find a comfortable spot on the few benches overlooking the water, and Dakota pulls out a small cooler from his bag. He hands each of us a cold drink and we clink bottles before taking sips.
"So," Marina starts, leaning back against a rock. "Why did you bring us here?"
Dakota smiles softly, looking out at the water before turning back to us. "I just wanted to show you guys another side of me," he says, his eyes meeting mine briefly before flicking away.
"I know you both think I'm just some jock who only cares about hockey," he continues. "And while that may be true most days, there's more to me than that."
"You seem to be surprising me every day," I admit, liking how endearing he is being.
He scratches the back of his neck nervously and smiles. I stretch my legs out, feeling the wooden dock slightly bounce.
"Love Beach seems to have the best weather." I change the subject to a lighter topic, my eyes tracing the horizon where blue meets blue. "It's like it knows how to put on a show for the tourists."
"Is that the tourist talking or the meteorologist?" Dakota teases, lounging beside us with his hands behind his head.
I chuckle, shaking my head. "This is Mother Nature's handiwork." I watch a seagull glide overhead. "Actually, my fascination with weather started with something much less serene—tornadoes."
"Tornadoes?" Dakota echoes.
"Yep," I confirm. "Growing up in Oklahoma, you learn to respect their power. I saw one rip through our town when I was eight. It was terrifying... and mesmerizing. That's when I knew I wanted to study meteorology. To understand these forces, to predict them, maybe even save lives."
"That's intense," he replies, his gaze meeting mine.
"Life often is," I answer simply.
Marina's phone buzzes. She frowns at the screen, her expression quickly shifting from relaxed to concerned. I recognize that look, and it's not going to be good.
"Sorry, guys, I need to take this. It's the lab," she says, pushing herself up and moving away for privacy. Her voice fades into the background as she answers the call, leaving Dakota and me alone.
"Sounds like you two are pretty passionate about your work," Dakota observes, breaking the silence that has settled between us.
"Guilty as charged," I confess, turning back to watch Marina pace at the end of the dock, her hands gesturing animatedly. "It's not just a job for either of us. It's more like... our existence."
Marina's footsteps fade into the distance, and I'm suddenly aware of my own heartbeat drumming in my ears. Dakota shifts his weight, the wooden planks of the dock creaking under his sneakers.
“What about you? How did you get into your career?” I turn my body towards him.
"Alright, but it's not your typical jock story," he says, stretching out beside me without any pretense of personal space. The warmth from his body is distracting, but I focus on his words.
"I was this scrawny kid, always picked last for teams. No joke." He chuckles, but there's a shadow in his eyes. "One winter, the local pond froze over thick, and I just... found myself out there every day after school. It was quiet, y'know? Just me and the ice."
His gaze drifts off to where the sun glitters on the waves, and I can almost see that lonely boy, skating in endless circles.
"Turns out, I was good at it. Really good. It gave me control. Made me feel significant." Dakota's voice drops, and it's as if he's sharing a secret.
"I get that." I stare at him like we have a shared understanding.
"Yeah?" He turns to look at me, and there's an intensity in his gaze that wasn't there before.
"Absolutely. The weather, it's pure chaos, right? But studying it, predicting it—it's like I'm wrangling the chaos into order."
"Exactly," he breathes out, and our eyes lock again. "You get it."
It seems like we’re both seeking the same thing: mastery over the unpredictable, a way to make sense of the world in our own ways.
"Never figured a meteorologist and a hockey player would have much in common," he muses with a soft laugh.
"Life's funny like that." My lips curve into a smile, and his arm brushes mine, sending a jolt of electricity from my head to my toes.
The clack of Marina's sandals on the weathered wood deck jerks me back to reality. I look over to see her silhouette framed by the setting sun, and her shoulders are slumped in a way that spells trouble.
"Sorry to break up the whole intense convo you have going on here, but I've got news."
Dakota sits up straighter next to me. "Everything okay, Marina?"
She stops at the edge of the bench. "My project's hitting a critical point. They just called, and there's some big issue with the coral samples."
"Bad?" I ask, already mourning our remaining days of beach vacation.
"Bad enough. Especially with the uncertainty of budget cuts." She sighs, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I need to be back at the lab first thing. There's a flight out at oh-dark-thirty tomorrow morning."
"That sucks," Dakota mutters, running a hand through his sandy blond hair.
"Yeah, it does." Marina's quick wit is absent as she plops down beside us, staring out at the yachts bobbing gently in their slips. "This was supposed to be our epic vacay recharge, you know? But those damn corals won't analyze themselves."
I reach over to give her knee a squeeze. "You're saving the oceans, one polyp at a time. We get it."
"Still—" She shakes her head. "I hate bailing on you."
"Research waits for no one," I say, trying to muster cheerfulness.
"You're doing important stuff, Marina. Tell you what, we'll send you off with a bang tonight. How about dinner at Sand Dunes Bar and Grill? My treat," Dakota offers.
"Only if they have that chocolate lava cake. Stress-eating it is practically a ritual now." Her face lights up, the offer cutting through the disappointment.
"I’m sure they have that or some other yummy, large, chocolate dessert," Dakota says.
"Thanks, guys." Marina’s smile is genuine again. "Let's make tonight count."
I pull Marina off to the side alone for a minute. The thought of her leaving weighs heavily on me.
“What am I supposed to do? Go home too?” I ask.
“No, no! Stay. Enjoy your vacation. I’m certain that Dakota will watch after you and make your time here worthwhile.” She winks at me with a big smile.