Page 57 of Happily Ever After

He shot her a look. “Cece.”

She nodded. “I’m sorry. Next time I’ll ask you right away.”

“Good.”

She picked up her fork again. The steak was still hot. Still good. And for the first time since Darcy had approached her and Paige at the fitness center, she felt like they might be gaining ground.

After dinner, they took everything inside and rinsed their plates, moving easily around each other in the kitchen. It amazed her that they had this kind of quiet coordination so early in the relationship.

It felt like something that should have happened over time, but maybe it was just a testament to how comfortable they were around each other.

When everything was cleaned up and put away, Joe grabbed her hand and pulled her close for a kiss. As his lips left hers, he tipped his head to one side. “Beach walk?” he asked.

Cece smiled, warm with affection. “That sounds like a perfect way to end the day.”

They held hands on the way down, the air only moderately cooler, but the scent of salt stronger as they got closer to the water.

By the time they reached the sand, the sky wore several shades of pink and orange, the horizon quickly darkening to a deep blue. They slipped off their shoes and walked until they reached the wet sand. They kept going for a bit longer until Joe tugged her away from the waterline to sit.

“Let’s watch the sky.”

She was fine with that. She took a seat and Joe sat beside her. He reached for her hand, lacing his fingers through hers without ceremony. Cece leaned into him, the steady sound of the waves filling the quiet. Words didn’t seem necessary.

He kissed the side of her head and they sat like that for a while. Finally, he spoke. “I can drive you to your lab appointment tomorrow.”

Cece turned her head to look at him. “You don’t have to do that.”

“I want to,” he said.

She studied his face in the low light, the sincerity there. It would be so easy to love this man. And maybe she already did, just a little. “It’s just bloodwork.”

“So what,” he said. A small smile tugged at his mouth. “But also I was thinking we could get pancakes afterward.”

Cece laughed softly, the sound carried away by the breeze. “Ah. So this isn’t about me, it’s about your need for pancakes.”

“Absolutely,” he said. “I’m very committed to them.”

She squeezed his hand. “All right,” she said. “But only if I get to order whatever I want.”

Joe smiled, warm and sure. “If I have anything to say about it, you will always get whatever you want.”

They sat there a while longer, hands still joined, the tide moving in and out as it always had. For the moment, the sand between her toes, the ocean breathing nearby, and the quiet reassurance of someone who put her first was enough to make her ignore whatever Darcy was up to.

There would be plenty of time for her nonsense tomorrow.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Essie heard Sophie moving around before she saw her.

A soft shuffle from the hallway. The faint click of the bathroom door opening and closing. Then nothing for a long moment.

Essie stood at the sink, rinsing the mug from her evening cup of tea, and waited. She didn’t call out, even though that was her first instinct. She’d learned that Sophie didn’t always want to be acknowledged or checked on.

Sophie seemed to do better without those things. Essie wasn’t sure what that said about the young woman. Perhaps that she was lacking in social skills? Or was it more that she didn’t want to be social with Essie?

Either way, it was ironic coming from someone who fancied themselves a social media influencer.

Essie tried not to take it personally. At least Sophie didn’t treat Maple with the same coolness. Then Essie would have had to say something.