Chapter 15
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Suzie
The morning sky is the perfect gray—just enough cloud cover to make everything feel cozy, but not enough to dampen the excitement humming in my chest.
"Ready for your day of fun, chaos and so much walking you might want to kill us, sunshine?" Dexter grins, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
I snort in response. "Ready as I'll ever be," I say, pulling my jacket tighter around me.
"Good," Pete adds with a slow smile. "We've got a full itinerary, so buckle up, baby."
Our first stop is Point Defiance Park, where we take a hike along a beautiful beach trail. The air smells so fresh, and I enjoy watching the waves lapping lazily at the rocky shore. There's nothing quite like the sound of the ocean and the smell of the fresh breeze to calm a turmoiled soul.
"I bet," Dexter says with a grin, "that you can't skip a rock as far as I can."
I turn to him, a smile on my face as I eye him up and down. "And what do I get if I win?"
His smile broadens and then he bends down to hunt for the perfect pebble. Standing up he throws a small rock up and down as he responds. "Oh honey, you can have whatever you want. If it's within my means, it's yours."
My laughter rumbles through my chest. "Confident, or cocky?" I ask Pete.
He in turn only smiles, before shaking his head. "I'm not getting in on this. You're both way too competitive and I'd rather remain neutral." He holds up his hands in front of him and takes a step back.
Clearly, I'll not be getting any backup or feedback from him so I focus my attention back on Dexter. "What do you get if you win?"
"A kiss. Obviously."
I hold out my hand for him to shake, and as I've come to expect from him, he takes full advantage. A shiver runs up my spine as his fingers gently stroke the inside of my palm before he tightens his grip and pulls my body flush against his.
"Good luck, sunshine," he whispers, his mouth mere inches away from mine.
And then he pulls away, leaving my body reeling with the sudden loss. Pete chuckles behind me and when I turn around to look at him in question he shrugs in response.
"He has that same effect on me too. He's way too damn handsome for his own good."
We both face Dexter as he turns around to watch us one more time before Dexter throws the pebble only to have it plunk without a single skip.
Pete chuckles, folding his arms. "You call that skipping?"
"Excuse me," Dexter says, mock offended. "That was the perfect example... of how not to do it."
"Clearly." I laugh, shaking my head.
Pete then takes a smooth, calculated step forward, selecting a flat stone from the shoreline. With an easy flick of his wrist, the rock skips three times across the water.
"Ha!" I crow. "Good thing you weren't in on the bet then!"
Both men turn to me, their expressions filled with mirth.
Then Dexter lifts an eyebrow in question. "Your turn, isn't it, sunshine?"
With confidence, I step forward and flick my pebble across the smooth surface. It hops... once, twice... three... four times before it plunks into the water.
"Victory!" I cry out in joy.
"And? What do you wish as your boon, fair lady?" Dexter asks with a fond smile on his face.
"Oh, a kiss, of course. And a foot massage. Or two. I feel like my feet will need it after today."
Both men eagerly agree to my terms.
With the soft morning light and the sound of crashing waves as background, I step, first, into Dexter's arms and claim a soft, chaste kiss. After taking a careful step back, and giving my heart rate time to calm down, I turn and grab hold of Pete's hand before stepping into his embrace. He takes his time with his kiss, and by the time we're done, I'm breathless.
The rest of the day passes in a blur of laughter, photos and more walking than I thought my legs could handle. Pete and Dexter drag me from one Tacoma landmark to another. After our walk in the park, we head to Point Defiance Zoo, Ruston Way, and an amazing botanical garden. And somehow, we manage to stop at every quirky little cafe we pass. My cheeks ache from smiling, and my feet are begging for mercy, but I can't bring myself to care.
It's perfect.
By the time the sun dips low over Commencement Bay, painting the water in soft golds and pinks, I feel like exactly what I am. A tourist. Dexter insists on one last stop, at the Chihuly Bridge of Glass, and I can't help but admire the way the colorful glass sculptures glow against the twilight sky. It's everything I've ever wanted for myself. To have my work displayed for the world to see like that. Pete catches me staring and snaps a candid photo.
"This way we have a before photo, and one day, when you're world famous and have all your stuff displayed for everyone to see, we can come back here and take an after photo," he says with a small smile, tucking his phone away.
Dexter wraps an arm around my shoulders, tugging me into his side. "Alright, sunshine. Time to head home before you collapse on us. We've had a busy day."
I mumble a half-hearted protest, but exhaustion is already weighing me down.
Back at the car, Pete pulls the door open for me, and I slide into the passenger seat with a sigh of relief. The second my head rests against the cool glass of the window, sleep starts to pull me under.
The hum of the car engine lulls me into a doze, and before I know it, I'm being gently jostled awake.
“We're home, baby,” Pete whispers, his voice soft in the dark.
I make a feeble attempt to sit up, but my limbs are heavy and uncooperative. Dexter chuckles from the driver's seat.
"You stay there, sunshine. We've got you."
I barely feel it as Pete scoops me up in his arms, cradling me close to his chest. His scent wraps around me like a blanket, and I nuzzle closer without thinking.
The building is quiet as they carry me up. Pete's careful with every step, and with the way he holds me, and cuddles me close, I feel like something precious. Dexter follows behind us, making sure the door clicks shut softly.
Pete settles me onto my mattress, and the soft warmth of my blankets envelops me. I sigh, the comfort sinking deep into my bones. He places a soft kiss on my forehead before getting up and moving away.
But then, panic stirs in my chest, dragging me back from the edge of sleep. I twist, clutching at Pete's hand as he pulls away.
"Wait." My voice is soft and desperate as I plead with him. "Don't leave. Please."
There's a beat of silence, and I can feel their hesitation.
"Stay with me," I whisper, my words tumbling out in a sleepy confession. "Just... stay here. I don't want this day to be over yet. I don't want you to go."
Dexter crouches down beside the bed, brushing a loose strand of hair from my face. "Are you sure, sunshine?"
I nod, the knot in my chest loosening as I meet his concerned gaze. "Please."
Pete's hand squeezes mine gently. "Okay, baby. We're here, and we won't go anywhere."
They exchange a brief glance, a silent agreement passing between them. Then, without another word, Dexter kicks off his shoes and crawls into bed on one side of me. Pete follows suit, slipping under the covers on my other side.
The mattress dips under their weight, and the warmth of their bodies surrounds me, chasing away the lingering shadows of loneliness. Dexter tugs the blanket over all three of us, and Pete pulls me snugly against his chest.
My bed isn't really big enough for all of us, but I couldn't care less, because it just means we are closer.
A soft sigh escapes me as I sink deeper into the warmth of their embrace. For the first time in what feels like two years, I feel safe.
I know there’s still loads I need to tell them, and this is only the beginning for us, but for the first time since Pete stepped out of my life two years ago, I feel like true happiness is within my grasp.
I drift off to the steady rhythm of their breathing, my heart beating in time with theirs. And for a little while, all the worries—about the future, the secret I'm carrying, the fear of what comes next—fade into nothing.
Right here, wrapped up between them, everything feels exactly how it's meant to be.