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Miles grinned back at her and squeezed her tight. "Thanks. I can’t wait to get started on it. It's going to be a lot of work, but it'll be worth it in the end." Miles leaned back and kissed her on the forehead. "And the best part is that we can take it out for a sail together."
Ariel's heart swelled with happiness at the thought of sailing on the open water with Miles. She had always loved being out on the water, feeling the wind in her hair and the sun on her face. She was a terrible sailor, but he’d promised to teach her so that she could be more of a first-mate than a passenger—and now, she couldn't wait to experience that with Miles by her side.
“Miles?”
The voice, just as it had when it had called Ariel’s name on the pier the day she and Charlie had gone on their quest, made Ariel’s neck hair stand up. Emily was standing two tables over, about to be seated. Ariel's heart skipped a beat as she saw Miles tense up.
Emily nodded to the waiter, who left her menu on the table and slipped away as she walked toward Ariel and Miles. Ariel could see the surprise in her eyes as she realized who Miles was with.
"Hello, Miles," Emily said coolly, her eyes flickering over to Ariel.
"Hi, Emily," Miles replied, trying to keep his tone even. Ariel could see a vein jumping at his temple, and she could feel the tension in the air—she wished she could disappear. First the fight with Katie, and now this—thiswas an awkward situation.
"Emily, what brings you here?" Ariel asked, trying to break the ice.
"I was in the neighborhood and thought I'd stop in for a bite to eat," Emily said, looking between Miles and Ariel. “This was on the list of local restaurants that you handed me when I checked in.”
Oof.Ariel had left the printing of those to Katie, who was so much better at finding things online than Ariel was. Her daughter had proudly presented the list, all rated four and a half stars or above, and Ariel had been so busy that she hadn’t realized the Italian place had made the cut.
Well, Katie was right. This place is really good.
“Right. Well, try the lobster ravioli!” Her voice was too bright, even to her own ears, and Ariel winced. Ariel could see the questions in Emily's eyes, but she didn't know how to address them. She took a deep breath and decided to be honest.
"Emily, I know this might be awkward, but Miles and I are dating," Ariel said, her voice shaking slightly. “And I know that you’re his ex-wife.”
Emily's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh," she said softly. Then, “Well, soon to be. He hasn’t signed yet.”
Ariel nodded. Miles cleared his throat. "I know this must be strange for you, but I hope you don’t expect that I wouldn’t have moved on after you left," Miles said, reaching for Ariel's hand under the table.
Emily took a deep breath and looked between the two of them. Her eyes were glossy, but her voice was strong. "I'm surprised, but I'm happy for you both," she said, her voice warmer now. “I, uhm, was actually in town to give you something, Miles, and its best done in person. I’ll be leaving for home right after, so when it’s convenient for you—"
Ariel felt a wave of relief wash over her. She was grateful that Emily was handling the situation so gracefully.
Miles nodded.
“You know where I’m staying,” Emily said, the slightest trace of bitterness creeping into her voice. “So just let me know.”
With that, Emily turned and walked out of the restaurant, leaving her menu untouched on the table and Ariel and Miles alone at their table. Ariel could feel the tension slowly dissipating, and she reached over to take Miles's hand.
"Are you okay?" she asked him softly.
Miles squeezed her hand. "I am," he said, his eyes meeting hers. "Thank you for being here with me."
She nodded, and Miles called for the check. The truth was out between the three of them now, but Ariel still had to go back to Leeside—where Emily and Katie would be, both minefields waiting for the next confrontation.
Ariel’s meal, as delightful as it had been, sat heavy in her stomach. She had no idea what waited for her at home.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The next morning, Ariel woke up early. There had been another dinner service without Katie, and Ariel was resigned to the fact that as long as Darcy was playing waiter and the internet at Leeside didn’t go out, Katie would possibly not come out of her room until the next school year started.
To clear her head in the predawn hour, Ariel decided to take a walk around the gardens before starting her day. As she strolled, she replayed in detail the previous day and how her date with Miles had been interrupted by Emily’s unexpected arrival. She had hoped that sleep—which had come swiftly after work at the Seaside last night—would allow her to shake off some of her malaise.
As she turned a corner in the garden, Ariel spotted Emily sitting on a bench, scrolling through her phone. Emily looked up, and their eyes met. There was a flash of uncertainty on the other woman’s face before she dropped her eyes back to her phone screen. Ariel almost turned around and walked back, but something stopped her—instead, she lifted her chin, walked over, and sat down beside Emily, feeling courageous but still somewhat uneasy.
"Good morning," Emily said, looking up again and flashing a small smile. "How are you feeling after yesterday?"
Ariel took a deep breath before responding. "I'm fine, thank you," she said, forcing a smile. "It was unexpectedly busy—we were fully reserved for dinner and filled the overflow on the porch—but we made the best of it, even though we were a little shorthanded."
