Nora
“Mind if I ask you something?” Theo asked me when we were walking on the beach after dinner.
We were barefoot in the sand, tracing the edge of the shoreline while the last of the sunset bled out across the horizon.
“Sure,” I said, glancing up at him. And while his body language looked calm, his eyes were focused in a way that made me think he’d been holding the question for a while. “What’s up?”
“I couldn’t help but notice that you and Ky seemed to have a pretty serious conversation before dinner.” He kicked at a small mound of sand as we walked. “Is everything okay?”
My stomach dipped.
How was I supposed to explain my conversation with my brother without making things seem more serious than they were supposed to be?
I mean, Theo and I hadn’t exactly named what was happening between us. Not since deciding we were fake boyfriend and girlfriend.
But yeah, the fake part of our dynamic was definitely long gone.
So, taking a deep breath, I just said, “Everything’s fine. Ky was just doing his big-brother thing.”
“Which means he was probably worried about something.” Theo’s mouth tipped into a faint smile, like he had a good idea of what our conversation had entailed.
“He’s concerned about us,” I admitted.
“Yeah?” Theo’s brows lifted a fraction.
“Yeah.” I sighed, trying and failing to sound casual. “He was just asking what exactly we’re doing. And where I see things going.”
Theo looked ahead again, walking in step with me. “And what did you tell him?”
I opened my mouth.
Then closed it.
The honest answer was complicated, and I didn’t want to dump any unnecessary pressure on Theo.
Didn’t want to make it sound like I’d already looked at engagement rings or matching sets of Christmas pajamas.
But I also don’t want to make it seem like I don’t care.
“I told him I don’t really know where we stood yet,” I said honestly, watching his reaction carefully. “But that I’m hopeful for the future…”
Theo’s gaze shifted back to me. And when he didn’t seem too startled or upset by my words, my shoulders relaxed a little.
“And then,” I added, forcing myself to continue since I knew it was important as well, “Ky brought up my career and where I see that going if things work out with us.”
“Ah.” Theo nodded slowly, pulling his bottom lip between his teeth. “He’s worried that if things continue, I’ll hold you back.”
“No,” I said quickly. “I mean… not exactly.”
Theo’s hand stayed in mine, warm and steady, but I could feel him listening in a way that made my pulse pick up.
“He’s just worried,” I went on, “that I’m going to get swept up in the comfort of it. Staying at your place. Taking care of Charlotte every day.” I swallowed. “That I’ll forget why I worked so hard for my degree.”
Theo didn’t say anything right away. He slowed, then stopped altogether, turning toward me so he could really look at my face. “Do you think that would happen? Are you worried you’d lose yourself in the life Charlotte and I already have?”
My chest tightened, not because the question was unfair, but because it mattered that he asked it like that. Like he was trying to understand, not accuse.
“No,” I said. Then hesitated. “Not really.” I took a breath, choosing my next words carefully. “I get why Ky’s worried. Because the job with you did kind of fall into my lap. And it would be easy to just keep going on like we’ve been doing the past few weeks.”
Theo’s gaze didn’t leave mine.
So I kept going. “And it has been really good. Being with Charlotte during the day.” I glanced down, then back up. “And then hanging out with you guys at night.”
“But?” he asked, the word landing like he already knew there had to be more.
I gave a small shrug. “But I can’t predict the future. I’m not trying to pretend I have some five-year plan figured out.” I looked out at the water, then back to him. “I just know I’m happy right now.”
“I get that,” he said, his expression relaxing slightly. “And I’m right there with you.” His thumb brushed over my knuckles. “I’m not exactly living proof that you can predict anything.” A quiet pause. “If the last few years taught me anything, it’s that life does what it wants.”
I nodded, my throat tight. Then I remembered the other part. “Ky also said something else.”
Theo’s eyes sharpened. “He did?”
I nodded, holding his gaze. “He said I should be careful because whatever happens between you and me… it also affects your sweet little girl.”
Theo went still for half a beat, his jaw flexing.
“And while he doesn’t want either of us getting hurt,” I added, “he really doesn’t want her getting her hopes up, only to have them shattered.”
I explained how Ky got a lot of those hesitations from being born to a woman who had children before she was ready.
“It messed him up in ways I don’t think I’ll ever fully understand,” I said. “He was old enough to remember her. To rely on her. So when he sees me getting close to someone with a kid when I’m only twenty-two, he gets nervous about me understanding the responsibilities that come along with it.”
Theo walked silently beside me, seeming deep in thought for a moment.
“Ky’s definitely bringing up important things,” he said finally, voice low. “I’m a package deal. And you shouldn’t have to skip ahead further in life just because of me. Being an instant parent isn’t easy.”
I swallowed. “I know.”
The sand shifted under my feet as I slowed, then stopped. My throat tightened, and suddenly, it felt important that Theo understood what I’d said to Ky. What I’d tried to promise, even while my own feelings were spinning.
“Which is why I told him I’m not trying to get anyone’s hopes up,” I said. “And that I’m going to do my best not to be careless with anyone’s heart.”
Theo’s thumb brushed over my knuckles, slowly, like he was thinking through every part of it.
“That’s…” He paused, like he was choosing his words with care. “That’s one of the things I like about you.”
I looked up at him fast. “You like that I’m terrified of hurting people?”
“No.” Theo’s mouth tipped into a small smile. “I like that you think about more than yourself.”
I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding.
Then, because my brain liked to torture me, I asked, “So, um… what do you think about all that?”
Because I knew we were just barely starting whatever this thing was, and I really didn’t want to jump a thousand steps ahead before he was ready.
“I think it sounds okay,” he said, his grip tightening slightly. And then he added, in a quieter voice, “More than okay.”
My pulse kicked.
I searched his face, trying to read what he wasn’t saying.
He looked back at me, eyes steady in the setting sunlight.
“I’m not gonna try to promise you forever tonight,” he said, voice calm but honest. “Because I don’t make promises I’m not sure I can keep. But,” he continued, “I’m also not treating this like a game.”
“Okay.” I nodded once, not trusting my voice to say more.
Theo took both my hands in his, the waves rushing up behind us before retreating. “I don’t want to rush you. And I don’t want you to think you need to rush ahead, either—just because your brother brought up some scary questions.”
“I don’t want that, either,” I whispered.
Like he’d said to me after our first kiss, I liked the idea of taking our time. Of just enjoying each moment and seeing where it led.
Theo’s eyes softened as he squeezed my hands. “Good.”
He lifted our joined hands and pressed a kiss to my knuckles, like he was sealing the promise into place.
Then, with that seemingly settled, we kept walking, our bare feet sinking into the cool sand while the tide hissed at the shoreline.
We’d gone maybe another minute before Theo spoke again.
“Can I ask you something else?” he said, gaze fixed on the water. “You mentioned before that Becca hasn’t been in your life since before you went to high school, right?”
“Yes,” I said, wondering what he might be getting at. “I haven’t seen her since I was thirteen.”
“Can I ask you what happened?” He looked down briefly, like he was unsure he should ask. “She didn’t die, did she?”
I swallowed. Then, after taking a deep breath, I said, “No, she didn’t die.”
“That’s good,” he said, sighing with relief.
I nodded. “So, basically, the fallout happened the summer after seventh grade. She and I had been in contact for several months leading up to it. We didn’t see each other much in person since she lived in New Jersey with another one of her boyfriends.
But I was having a hard time with my parents—just butting heads, and I guess kind of having typical teenage-rebellious stuff. ”
“But I thought you said that forbidden sleepover without parental supervision was your only teenage rebellion?” he asked, a half-smile quirking up on his lips.
“Yeah. I guess I try not to think too much about that time in my life.”
“Oh,” he said, his expression sobering immediately. “Sorry.”
“No, it’s fine…” I let out a long breath.
“Anyway, during the time I was fighting a lot with my parents, I started emailing Becca. Just venting a lot about everything since she always seemed to understand me—plus, she’d grown up with them, too, and had her own issues with them at my age—so I liked having someone to commiserate with. ”
“It’s always good to have someone to talk to,” Theo said.
“Yeah.” I nodded, my throat still tight. Then I forced myself to keep going, because if I stopped now, I might not be able to start again.
“Anyway… Becca and I had been emailing for months. And when summer break came around, we came up with this plan.” I hesitated, then added, “I’d just hit my head on the balance beam, so I was supposed to be taking it easy for a while.
Which meant I had all this extra time and nowhere to put my energy. ”
Theo’s hand stayed steady in mine, but I could feel him listening harder.
“Becca told me she’d come pick me up one day when our parents were out of the house. And we’d go to a water park. Just a day of fun.” I let out a soft breath. “And that’s exactly what happened.”