Chapter 18

18

NIKKO

T he moon hung low over the horizon, casting a silver glow across the secluded beach. It was probably the most romantic backdrop I could have chosen. This place was something only locals knew about. There weren’t going to be a bunch of young kids trying to find a spot to have sex. Although there might be some adults trying to get a little action.

“It’s beautiful,” she said, her voice almost reverent.

“Yeah,” I replied, my throat suddenly dry. I wasn’t sure if I meant the beach or her.

I turned off the car and took a deep breath. What the hell was I doing? I couldn’t begin to explain what prompted me to bring her to a place that was reserved for couples. For people who were in love or hoping to be there one day.

Pushing that thought aside, I opened the door and climbed out. I popped the trunk and grabbed the bag I’d packed earlier. Diego would absolutely roast me if he knew about this. A literal picnic? Cheese and wine? It was dangerously close to romantic territory. But it wasn’t like I was going to start bragging about my private moments.

Hannah got out of the car and looked at the bag. “What’s in there? A tattoo gun? Some kind of bad-boy contraband? ”

I smirked. “You’ll see. Keep your shoes on for now, princess. This sand is a minefield. You don’t want to step on a crab or glass or whatever.”

“Wouldn’t want that,” she said with a small laugh.

We made our way down the wooden path to the beach. A few stragglers dotted the shore, couples mostly, their murmured voices blending into the night. The sound of the waves rolling in added to the romantic atmosphere.

We walked down the beach in the soft sand until I found the right spot. It was far enough away from the other couples to give us some privacy.

“This will do,” I said.

“If this is where you plan on murdering me, just know I have some lungs on me,” she said. “The other people out here will hear me.”

I laughed. “I’ll keep that in mind—gag my victim.”

She rolled her eyes but I saw the playful spark in them. She had no idea how much I needed this. After working tirelessly to get the shop back in order after the break in and working double time to try to save some of our scheduled appointments, an evening on a beach with a beautiful girl was just what the doctor ordered.

After laying down the blanket, I motioned for her to sit while I pulled items out of the bag: a bottle of red wine, two glasses, an assortment of cheeses, some grapes, and a small loaf of crusty bread.

As I set up our makeshift table, she pulled her knees to her chest, watching the waves crash against the shore. There was something incredibly intimate about sharing this quiet moment with her. It felt like we were the only two people in the world.

She glanced over and saw the spread. Her eyes nearly popped out of her head. “Is that a bottle of wine and a cheese board?”

“Don’t act so surprised,” I said, pulling out a corkscrew. “I’ve got more tricks up my sleeve than just tattoos, you know.”

“Clearly,” she said. “This is really nice, Nikko. I didn’t expect this.”

I shrugged, trying to play it cool, even though her smile was doing something dangerous to my pulse. “I’m full of surprises. Never think you know me.”

She kicked off her shoes and wiggled her toes in the sand, a carefree gesture that seemed so unlike the buttoned-up, work-focused woman I’d first met. We settled in, sipping wine and nibbling on cheese and fruit as the ocean stretched out before us.

“So,” I said, leaning back on my elbows. “What’s going on in that workaholic brain of yours?”

Hannah groaned, covering her face with her hands. “Don’t make me talk about work. These dates are already making my job harder.”

“Harder how?”

“I can’t focus,” she admitted, lowering her hands to reveal a sheepish smile. “My friends are ready to stage an intervention.”

“Why?”

“Because I never have a hard time focusing. Like you keep saying, I’m a corporate climber. I’m here for work.”

“What kind of work?”

“I’m trying to land a new account for my marketing agency,” she said. “I put together an amazing pitch. This is my first big one on my own. My boss and the rest of the team thought it was great. It’s kind of like auditioning. But the other day when I delivered my pitch to the clients, I wasn’t at my best. Someone kept me out too late and the whiskey left my brain feeling like cotton.”

I chuckled. “Oops.”

“Yeah, so, I’m busting my ass trying to get things back on track.”

“Maybe you need another vacation,” I suggested. “Take a break, breathe a little.”

“Maybe,” she said, her gaze drifting to the water. “But I don’t want to talk about work tonight.”

“Fair enough,” I said. “What should we talk about then?”

She grinned, her eyes sparkling. “How about them?” She nodded toward a couple walking along the shoreline, their hands clasped tightly.

“What about them? ”

“Who do you think they are? What’s their story?”

I squinted at the couple, then shrugged. “Easy. Bank robbers. On the run, hiding out in this beach town until the heat dies down.”

Hannah laughed, her head falling back. “Seriously? You think everyone’s a criminal.”

“Not everyone,” I said, smirking. “Just most people. What’s your take?”

“They’re in love,” she said simply. “He proposed last week, and they’re here to celebrate. She’s nervous because he’s been acting strange, but it’s only because he’s planning a surprise wedding next month.”

I stared at her, one eyebrow raised. “That’s a lot of backstory for two random strangers.”

She shrugged, smiling at me. “I guess I just believe in happy endings.”

Her words hit me harder than I expected.

“What about those two?” I asked, nodding my head at an elderly couple.

Hannah followed my gaze and smiled gently. “Oh, those two have been married for fifty years,” she said without a pause. “They’ve weathered storms together—literal and metaphorical. Every year, they come to this same spot on the beach. It’s their tradition to celebrate another year of shared life.”

I grinned at her vivid imagination. “You’re pretty creative, aren’t you?”

“Maybe,” she admitted, sipping her wine. “But all my stories could be true. Why not choose to see the romance in the world?”

“I don’t think there is as much romance in the world as you see,” I said. “Like that dude. Alone with his dog. I bet he’s divorced. His wife cheated, took the kids, and he’s all alone.”

Hannah shook her head, a playful look on her face. “Or he’s a widower. He loved his wife dearly. They had a long, wonderful life together. That dog? A gift from her to keep him company when she knew she wouldn’t be around much longer. He comes here to feel close to her again, watching the sunset they used to watch together. ”

I laughed lightly, enjoying our little game more than I thought I would. “You always have to make it beautiful, don’t you?”

“It’s better than expecting the worst,” she said with a soft smile. “Besides, everyone has their story, and often it’s more complicated and beautiful than we can guess from just looking at them.”

We continued our people-watching game for a while, inventing lives and loves. Occasionally falling silent when a story seemed particularly poignant. I turned my gaze back to the water. A couple farther down the beach ran into the waves, laughing as the guy tackled the woman into the surf.

Hannah watched them, her eyes lighting up like fireworks. Something heavy settled in my chest. I wasn’t the guy who gave girls like her happy endings. I was the guy who crashed into their lives, left them a little scarred, and moved on.

But for the first time in a long time, I found myself wanting more.

Shaking off the thought, I stood and offered my hand to her. “Come on.”

“Where are we going?” she asked, slipping her hand into mine.

“Just walking. Humor me.”

We strolled along the shore, the cool water licking at our ankles. The stars above seemed brighter here, away from the city lights.

“So,” I said, kicking at a wave. “What do you see out here? More love stories?”

“Of course,” she said, nudging me with her elbow. “This whole beach is a rom-com waiting to happen.”

“Yeah, or it’s a crime scene in progress,” I countered. “See that guy over there? Definitely burying something.”

Hannah rolled her eyes. “You’re impossible.”

“That’s what they all say,” I teased.

She chuckled and swatted my arm playfully. “Let’s compromise. Maybe it’s a rom-com about a detective. He finds love while solving a major crime on this very beach.”

“I could live with that plot twist,” I admitted, glancing at her with a half-smile.

As we walked, Hannah paused to pick up a seashell, turning it over in her hand before showing it to me. “Look at this,” she said, her voice filled with wonder. “It’s almost perfectly intact. A little home that once housed something so small.”

I looked at the shell, then back at her. “You find beauty in the smallest things,” I said, not quite able to keep the admiration from my voice.

“That’s because there’s beauty in everything,” she replied, her eyes scanning the horizon. “You just have to look a little closer, see beyond what’s right in front of you.”

It was like she moved through a different world than the reality I experienced. She probably didn’t have a loser dad that was clearly attempting to drink himself into the grave.

“That must be the marketing genius in you,” I said.

“What do you mean?”

“You see a shell and you see its backstory. Instead of a shell that most people would simply walk right by you find a way to make people see it. You’re marketing the shell.”

She laughed. “I suppose you’re right.”

She stopped again and picked up another shell.

“Oh no,” I groaned playfully. “I’m going to get this dude’s story about his wife and kids leaving him.”

Before I knew it, she splashed me, cold water hitting my leg.

“Oh, you’re gonna regret that,” I said, narrowing my eyes at her.

She laughed, backing away. “What are you going to do about it?”

I didn’t give her time to run. In two strides, I caught up to her, scooping her up in my arms as she squealed.

“Nikko!” she shouted, laughing so hard she could barely breathe.

“You started this.” I spun us both around before setting her down gently in the surf.

She looked up at me, her hair wild from the breeze, her cheeks flushed from laughing, and I couldn’t stop myself. I leaned down and kissed her.

It wasn’t planned, wasn’t calculated. It was just her and me, the ocean, and the stars .

When we pulled apart, she stared at me, her lips parted in surprise.

Shit. I like this girl.

And for the first time in my life, I didn’t want to run.

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