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She watched them for a second through the binoculars, admiring all the details she was able to see with the enhanced vision. Then she dropped the binoculars to her lap and took in the whole, big picture. The setting sun splashed puddles of red and gold across the surface of the ocean. The calm of pre-twilight seemed to draw out all sorts of animals. Besides the dolphins, a couple of what must’ve been really large rays glided just below the surface in a sort of choreographed dance. Birds lazily drifted over head as squirrels scampered through the trees. She could here an owl hoot off in the distance somewhere, just waking up from what she assumed was a long nap. It was completely alive and active and completely peaceful at the same time. It would’ve been noteworthy on its own, but sitting here, shoulder to shoulder with the man she’d grown to admire, elevated it a notch. This moment was inspired, and if she had the ability to freeze time, she’d freeze it right here, sitting next to Grant, fully immersed in the nature they both loved.
“So, Saturday. I’m moving on Saturday.”
Or they could do that.
He lowered his binoculars, focusing his warm chocolate gaze on hers. Seriously, why did he have to be so attractive? Or charming? If they were venturing into the why-abyss, why did he, out of all the people in all the world, have to be the one to walk into her clinic on that hectic Friday afternoon?
“I know it’s a little faster than anticipated,” he continued.
A little faster? If they wanted to get technical about it, this was a lot faster than she’d been anticipating. Light years faster. She was supposed to have at least three more weeks to figure this out, not seven days.
“But the timing feels right, you know? Things are in a good place.”
Some things, she supposed. “If today was any indication, Mateo and Claire are more than ready to take over the Turtle Rehab. Shelley, Buzz, Woody, and the rest of the turtles are in expert hands.” Other things, though…
Grant rested his chin on the wire that made up part of the protective railing and stared into the distance. “Claire was born for this role, and Mateo is probably far more qualified to be the director than I ever was. I have complete faith in both of them.”
“And we have two more releases coming up. Mateo asked me today if I could do the final exam for Taylor Swifty sometime this week, and they’re looking at scheduling Little Bear for the week after that.”
“Seems like it’s time for everyone to move on.”
Yup. Change was definitely in the air, which brought her back to the decision that’d been running through her mind since the wedding.Stay on or get off.
“The thing is—” Grant started, but Molly cut him off before he could get any farther.
“The last couple of months have been really fun.” She needed to stay in front of this conversation before it headed in a direction she wasn’t ready for.
“Right.” He shifted, looking a bit nervous. “Part of the reason for that, or at least some of the reason for that…” He paused. His lips pressed together as if he was searching for the right words to say. A second ticked by, and then something seemed to click. His confidence returned, fueled by the strength and courage that she admired, and he turned to her.
To be more specific, he gazed into her eyes.
Honestly, up until this exact moment, she’d thought gazing in someone’s eyes was a symbolic phrase used in stories, kind of like love at first sight. It wasn’t the kind of thing that happened in real life. But apparently, she’d been wrong.
The way Grant looked at her went so deep and was filled with such adoration that it resonated in her soul. It caused a physical reaction that literally drew her to him. She felt herself leaning toward him with a gravity she was powerless to stop. A gravity she didn’t want to stop.
She knew what words were going to follow. She could almost hear them resonate in her mind, taste their sweetness, feel them engulf her like an embrace. They were the words she equal parts longed to hear and couldn’t let him say. Maybe if they weren’t uttered into the universe, what she was about to do—what she had to do—wouldn’t be as excruciating.
Because, as long as she was being honest, her decision had been made long before they’d ever gotten to this moment.
“The last couple of months have been so great because of what great friends we’ve become? I feel the same way.” She was proud of herself that the words didn’t get clogged in her throat.
Grant’s eyebrows knitted together. “Friends?”
She plastered the best fake smile on her face. A pain stabbed at her chest, but she pushed past it and wagged her finger, trying desperately to keep the moment playful and light. “Not friends. Great friends. And really, in my opinion, that’s the best kind of relationship.”
The words hung there between them.
Eventually, a resigned smile crept across Grant’s charming, handsome face. “Right.” Even though neither of them moved, it felt like the space between them ballooned. It left her with a bit of a chill, which was to be expected, right? Being too close was suffocating, which meant this newfound space was…
She pushed that thought aside too, because it didn’t matter what it was now. What mattered was this was the right call for the long-term. She wanted to tell him that she was doing this for him. That maybe if things were different or if she’d met him four years ago instead of now, this story would have a different ending. But she swallowed those words. For starters, they didn’t change anything. Also, there were some things, like whatever she’d stopped him from saying, that were better left unsaid.
Her heart ached to the point that she almost changed her mind, but this wasn’t about her. This was about sparing him from the kind of hurt she knew all too intimately. She turned away, not trusting herself if she continued to look at him. The sun was starting to slip into the sea, leaving only a perfect half circle peeking out above the horizon. Its light bathed the world in a golden glow that made everything seem too good to be true. Kind of like this thing she had going with Grant.
“Wasn’t it you who said the best thing about saying goodbye is knowing they’re finally heading to where they belong?” She clutched her hands together in her lap and stared at them.
“It does sound like something I would say.”
“And that the whole wide world is waiting?”
