Chapter nineteen
Emma
The sound of the waves is a soothing, familiar rhythm, a melody that has played in the background of my life for as long as I can remember. The sand is cool beneath my bare feet as I walk along the shore, my heart light, my chest warm. Bryan is ahead of me, his strong frame silhouetted against the evening sky, the last hints of the sun painting the horizon in hues of orange and deep blue.
The past few days really have been some of the best of my life. I meant it when I told him that. There’s no pretending anymore. I’m falling in love with Bryan Kingston all over again.
I watch as he stretches his arms above his head, his toned body catching the glow of the fading sunlight. He’s unfairly handsome. The swim trunks sit low on his hips, his broad chest on full display, tanned from the hours we’ve spent outside working on the house together.
And it’s dangerous how easy it is for me to admire him. Bryan catches me staring and smirks. “Like what you see?”
I roll my eyes, pretending I’m unaffected. “I was just thinking how slow you are. Are we swimming or not?”
He arches a brow, tilting his head. “Oh, it’s like that?”
I grin and take off running toward the water, the cool waves licking at my ankles before I fully dive in. The rush of saltwater engulfs me, refreshing and exhilarating. When I come up for air, Bryan is right beside me, shaking water from his hair.
He splashes me, and I gasp. “Oh, you did not just do that.”
He grins, his eyes gleaming. “What are you gonna do about it?”
Challenge accepted. I splash him back, and soon we’re caught in a playful war, laughing between the waves as we chase, splash, and tease each other. I haven’t felt this free in years. It’s like the girl I used to be, the one who once belonged to the boy in front of me.
Bryan lunges, grabbing me around the waist, his fingers digging into my sides as he tickles me mercilessly. I shriek, trying to squirm away, but he’s strong, holding me easily, his laughter mixing with mine.
“Say that you surrender,” he taunts.
“Never!” I gasp between giggles.
He grins wickedly. “Your choice.” And with that, he spins me, pulling me under with him.
The water rushes around us, and for a moment, everything is quiet except for the heartbeat in my ears. When we surface, I’m pressed against him, his arms still around me, his skin warm despite the coolness of the water.
And suddenly, the playful moment shifts into something else. His gaze locks on mine, his green eyes darkening. I can feel the heat radiating off him, the tension thick between us.
I swallow hard. “We should probably get out now,” I murmur, my voice unsteady.
Bryan’s eyes linger on my lips before he finally nods, releasing me. “Yeah. Bonfire time.”
By the time the fire is crackling, the ocean breeze is cooler, making me grateful for the oversized hoodie I threw on after drying off. Bryan crouches near the fire, his strong hands stacking the last few logs, making sure the flames stay steady.
I sit cross-legged on a blanket, pulling out the marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate.
“I see you came well prepared,” he muses, plopping down beside me.
“I take my s’mores seriously,” I say, unwrapping the chocolate. “And besides, this was always your favorite part, remember?”
Bryan leans back on his elbows, tilting his head toward the sky. “I remember everything, Em.”
My stomach flips at his words. We fall into a comfortable silence, the only sound the crackling fire and the rhythmic waves against the shore. The stars are scattered across the sky like diamonds, twinkling just as brightly as I remember from when we were kids.
“I forgot how beautiful this was,” I murmur, staring up at the night sky.
Bryan looks over at me. “You used to love stargazing … used to say they were tiny holes in the universe letting heaven shine through.”
I smile softly, warmth spreading in my chest. “You remember that?” He shifts closer, his voice lower now. “Of course.”
I turn to him, but he’s already looking at me, his gaze intense, his expression unreadable.
“You always loved watching the stars, Bryan,” I say quietly. “Why?”
He exhales, rubbing the back of his neck. “Because they remind me of you.”
My breath catches.
“I mean it,” he says, his voice raw. “Every time I looked up, I thought of you.”
The weight of his words settles deep in my chest, and before I can stop myself, I reach up, cupping his face, my thumb tracing his jaw. And there’s the pull that neither of us can fight anymore.
And then his lips are on mine. The kiss is slow, deliberate, consuming. His hand slides up, tangling in my hair, tilting my head so he can deepen it. I sigh against his mouth, surrendering to the warmth of him, the way his fingers skim the curve of my spine, leaving a trail of heat.
He kisses me like he’s been waiting for this forever, craving it. And I kiss him back the same way.
I don’t know how long we stay like this, lost in the firelight, in each other. When we finally pull apart, his forehead rests against mine, his breath warm, uneven.
“Emma,” he murmurs. I swallow hard, my heart racing. I’m in love with him. All over again. And that terrifies me.
I pull back slightly, searching his face. “This… this isn’t just the moment, right?”
His eyes darken, his grip on me tightening slightly. “None of them were just moments, Em.”
My chest constricts. “Bryan, can this …”
He shakes his head, brushing a strand of damp hair behind my ear. “No more running,” he murmurs. “No more overthinking. Just us.”
I hesitate. Not because I don’t want this, but because I want it too much. His lips press into a small smile, his thumb grazing my cheek. “Let’s just take it a day at a time.”
And somehow, that’s enough. I exhale, letting my body relax into his. He wraps an arm around me, pulling me against his chest, and we sit like that, watching the fire burn low, the ocean a steady heartbeat in the background.
Falling for Bryan Kingston all over again might be the scariest thing I’ve ever done. But as I sit here, wrapped in his arms, it doesn’t feel like a mistake.
***
The past few days have been nothing short of bliss. It’s the kind of happiness that seeps into my bones, the kind I never thought I’d feel again. Between working tirelessly on the clinic and spending time with Bryan, my life has taken on a new rhythm one filled with warmth, with laughter, with moments that feel stolen from a dream.
And now, as I sit in the passenger seat of Bryan’s truck, watching him drive with one hand on the wheel and the other resting casually on his thigh, I can’t help but smile at him.
Bryan notices. Of course, he does. He smirks, glancing at me before focusing back on the road. “You’re staring, Em.”
I roll my eyes, crossing my arms. “Am not.”
He chuckles, shaking his head. “Liar. You totally were.”
I bite my lip, trying and failing not to grin. Because he’s right. I was staring.
Bryan Kingston is ridiculously handsome. The way his eyes glint in the afternoon sun, the way his muscles flex subtly whenever he shifts gears, the ease with which he laughs and teases me. It’s dangerous how effortlessly he pulls me in.
I exhale, shaking my head. “Fine, maybe I was.”
He raises a brow. “Oh? And why is that?”
I hesitate, then say, completely honest for once, “Because I’m grateful.”
His expression softens. “For what?”
I look at him, really look at him, and let the words spill out. “For everything,” I say, voice steady. “For making me feel happy again. For supporting my dreams. For just… being here.”
Bryan’s fingers tighten around the steering wheel briefly before he reaches over, grabbing my hand in his. A jolt of warmth shoots up my arm, my pulse quickening at the contact.
“You deserve that,” he murmurs. “And more.”
My chest tightens, and I grip his hand a little firmer, letting myself savor the moment, the sincerity in his words.
Outside, the sun dips lower, painting the sky in streaks of gold and pink. The radio hums in the background, one of our favorite country songs playing softly. When the chorus comes, we both start singing, completely off-tune, laughing between the lyrics.
This is what happiness feels like. For the first time in a long time, I feel weightless. I feel alive.
As we drive further up the winding road, something seems familiar. Nostalgic.
The turns, the curves, it all clicks into place. I know exactly where we’re going. My heart clenches. The cliffside viewpoint.
It’s the place we always went to as teenagers whenever we wanted to be alone. Where we had our first kiss.
The truck slows as Bryan pulls up to the small dirt lot near the edge. The ocean stretches endlessly before us, waves crashing against the rocky cliffs far below. The view is just as breathtaking as I remember if not more.
I step out, inhaling deeply. Salty air, crisp and cool, fills my lungs. The sky is painted in watercolor hues, blending into the horizon like a masterpiece.
Bryan rounds the truck, stopping beside me. I glance at him, my throat tightening at the quiet intensity in his gaze. I swallow, blinking back the sudden sting of tears. “It’s beautiful,” I whisper.
Bryan wraps an arm around my shoulders, pulling me into his warmth. “It is.”
I don’t know if he’s talking about the view or something else. Maybe us.
We stand there for a long moment, just breathing it in. As I take in the endless expanse of blue, the town below, the winding roads that led us here, I realize something. He’s been coming here without me.
I turn to him. “You’ve been enjoying this view all alone since I left.” Bryan’s jaw tightens slightly, his thumb brushing absentmindedly over my shoulder. “Not really.”
I frown, looking up at him. “What do you mean?”
He exhales, looking out toward the horizon. “I only came here after you left because I hoped you’d show up, not to enjoy the view.” The confession knocks the air from my lungs.
I stare at him, my heart aching at the thought of him sitting here alone, waiting. I whisper, “Bryan…”
He shakes his head, offering me a small, sad smile. “It’s in the past.” But it doesn’t feel like the past. Not when the weight of it still lingers in his eyes.
“I am so sorry,” I murmur. Because I am. Because he had waited for something that never came.
His fingers tighten slightly on my shoulder, a quiet reassurance. “You don’t have to be.”
Maybe not. But I still am. We climb to the highest point, just like we used to, sitting on the large flat rock where the view is most panoramic. Everything looks so small from up here. The entire town stretches below us, the twinkling lights of shops flickering on as dusk settles in.
Bryan pulls out his phone. “We should take a picture.”
I smirk. “A picture? Since when do you care about documenting things?”
His lips twitch. “Since now.”
I roll my eyes but lean into him anyway, his arm wrapping around my waist as he snaps a photo. I glance at the screen when he shows me. The sunset glows behind us, his face is turned slightly toward mine, as if he’s looking at me instead of the camera.
My chest clenches. I suddenly don’t want this night to end. Ever. We sit there, watching the town below, the ocean stretching infinitely, the sky darkening above us. Bryan presses a soft kiss to my temple, his lips lingering. My eyes flutter shut.
This man. This moment. It feels too perfect.
My fingers grip the hem of my sweater, my thoughts running wild. I could get used to this. To him. The realization is both exhilarating and terrifying.
And when Bryan tightens his hold on me, exhaling like he doesn’t want to leave either, I know we’re thinking the same thing.