46. Finn
Chapter Forty-Six
Finn
Best. Day. Ever. I'm calling it now. Before we've even left the dock. Before the boat engine's even started. This is it. This is the day. Because Kaia is here. On our boat. With all of us. And she's smiling like she can't help it.
The drive here took maybe ten minutes from the house—just enough time to feel the shift from our quiet neighborhood to the working heart of the coastal town.
The dock stretches out along the weathered pier, salt-worn wood and rope, the smell of brine and diesel mixing with the cry of gulls overhead.
Our boat is moored at the end, a sleek catamaran with twin white hulls, a broad sun deck, and polished railings, bobbing gently against the morning tide like it's been waiting for us.
I watch her step onto the deck, careful but excited.
Her hand grips the wooden railing tightly, knuckles blanching as she steps aboard and steadies herself against the gentle rocking of the boat beneath her feet.
She looks out at the water like she's seeing it for the first time—really seeing it, not just glancing at it from shore or through a car window.
Maybe she is. At least like this. With us.
There's something different about commanding the water from the deck of a boat rather than surrendering to it from within—being carried by it instead of moving through it.
Her eyes are wide, taking in the expanse of blue stretching out to the horizon, and I can see the exact moment when it all clicks for her, when she realizes this is real, this is happening, and she's finally here.
Lachlan starts the engine with a sharp twist of the key.
The low rumble vibrates through the deck, resonating beneath my feet, and I feel it in my chest like a second heartbeat.
The powerful motor churns to life, sending ripples of energy through the entire boat.
The smell of salt and diesel and ocean fills the air, mingling together into that unmistakable scent of a boat day at sea—briny, mechanical, and alive all at once.
It's the smell of adventure, of leaving solid ground behind.
Kaia's eyes grow even wider, taking it all in.
"You good?" I ask, stepping up beside her.
She nods. "Yeah. Just…this is amazing."
"Wait ‘til we really get out there," I say, grinning. "It's even better."
Adrian unties the lines. Jonas coils them neatly. Lachlan steers us away from the dock, slow and steady. And then we hit open water. Nothing but vast, endless blue stretching out in every direction as far as the eye can see.
The boat picks up speed. The wind whips through my hair, warm and wild.
The sun hangs high in the cloudless sky, its light reflecting off the gently rippling water in glittering points that dance across the surface like scattered diamonds.
The warmth radiates down, kissing our skin with golden rays, while the water below sparkles with a hypnotic quality that makes it almost impossible to look away. Almost.
Because Kaia stands at the bow, her hands gripping the railing tight, her face tilted up toward the sun. She's glowing.
Forget the water, I can't tear my eyes away from her.
Jonas steps up beside me, following my gaze. He doesn't say anything. Just smiles.
"She's happy," I say quietly.
"Yeah," Jonas agrees. "She is."
And that—that's everything.
We anchor about a mile offshore. Far enough that the coast is just a hazy line in the distance, where you can barely make out the buildings and trees.
Close enough that the water is still clear and calm, with that beautiful turquoise color you see in postcards.
The waves are gentle here, just enough to rock the boat in a soothing rhythm. Perfect.
"Alright," I announce, already pulling my shirt over my head. "Who's swimming?"
Kaia blinks. "Now?"
"Yes, now. What else are we gonna do?"
"I don't know. Sit? Relax?"
I laugh. "Kaia. We're on a boat. In the ocean. You don't sit. You swim."
She looks uncertain. "I know I can swim, but being this far out…"
"Good thing you've got four guys who are amazing swimmers," Lachlan says, stepping up behind her. His hand settles on her lower back. Steady. Grounding. "We've got you."
Her expression softens. "Okay."
I jump in first, because of course I do.
The water is cold. Shocking. Perfect. It hits my skin like a thousand tiny needles, stealing my breath for just a moment.
The initial plunge sends electricity through my entire body.
But then, almost immediately, I adjust. My body acclimates.
The cold transforms from something jarring into something invigorating, something that makes me feel impossibly alive.
This is exactly what we needed.
I surface, shaking my hair out, grinning up at the boat. "Come on!"
Jonas jumps in next. Then Adrian. Then Lachlan helps Kaia down the ladder, his hands steady on her waist. She hesitates at the bottom rung, the water lapping at her feet.
"I've got you," Lachlan says.
She lets go and drops into the water with a small splash. After a moment, she surfaces, gasping, her eyes wide. "It's cold!"
"You get used to it," I say, swimming over to her.
She stays afloat, her movements a little clumsy but determined. I stay close. Just in case.
"See?" I say. "Not so bad."
She laughs. "Not so bad."
We swim for a while. Lazy circles around the boat. Splashing. Laughing. At one point, I dunk Jonas underwater. He retaliates by pulling me under with him. When we surface, we’re both grinning like idiots. Kaia watches us, treading water nearby. She's smiling—really smiling.
"You want in on this?" I ask.
"In on what?"
"The dunking."
Her eyes widen. "No. Absolutely not."
"Too late."
I lunge toward her. She shrieks and tries to swim away, but I'm faster. I catch her around the waist, pulling her close. She's laughing now. Full and bright and unguarded. I don't dunk her; I just hold her, keeping us both above the surface. "You're safe," I murmur.
She looks at me. Her eyes soft. "I know."
We climb back onto the boat eventually. Dripping. Sun-warmed. Exhausted in the best way. Kaia wraps herself in a towel, her hair plastered to her face like tangled seaweed. She looks like a drowned cat.
She looks perfect.
The boat has enough space for all of us to move around without tripping over each other.
There's a small cabin below deck, a shaded cockpit toward the back where Lachlan had been steering, and up here at the bow, an open front deck with built-in cushioned seating that stretches across the width of the boat.
Plenty of flat space for towels and bodies and the kind of lazy afternoon we're having.
Jonas hands out sandwiches from the cooler.
Turkey and avocado. Simple and tasty. We settle onto the cushioned bow seats, legs stretched out, eating in comfortable silence.
The boat rocks gently beneath us. The sun beats down.
The ocean stretches endlessly in every direction.
Kaia leans back against Lachlan's chest. He wraps an arm around her, casual and easy.
She fits there, like she was always meant to.
After lunch, Adrian suggests we move to the upper deck. More sun. Better view. We climb up. Kaia goes first, and I follow, watching to make sure she doesn't slip. She doesn't. She's getting more confident. More comfortable. I love watching it happen.
The upper deck is a raised sun pad—spacious and flat, with low cushioned edges running along the perimeter and a low windscreen rail that keeps us safe without feeling enclosed.
There's plenty of room for all five of us to stretch out on towels.
We spread them out, claiming our spots. Kaia settles between me and Jonas, her head tilted back toward the sun.
Lachlan and Adrian are on the other side, close enough that we're all connected but with enough space to breathe.
I turn my head, looking at her. Her eyes are closed.
Her face is relaxed. Peaceful. "You okay? " I ask quietly.
She opens one eye. "More than okay."
"Good." I reach over and take her hand. She doesn't pull away, just laces her fingers through mine. We lie there. The sun warm on our skin. The sound of the ocean all around us.
At some point, Jonas gets up to grab drinks. Lachlan follows to help and Adrian shifts closer to Kaia. I watch him lean in, murmur something I can't quite catch. She smiles. Nods. He kisses her. Soft. Unhurried.
I look away to let them have this moment.
When I glance back, she's looking at me. "You okay?" she asks.
I grin. "Yeah. I'm great."
"You sure?"
"Kaia. I'm watching you be happy. That's all I want."
Her expression softens. She reaches for me and like a magnet, I’m pulled in. She cups my face. Kisses me. Her lips are warm. Sweet and salty. Sun-soaked.
When she pulls back, she's smiling. "Thank you," she says.
I shake my head. "You don't have to thank me."
"I want to."
Instead of replying, I pull her in for another kiss. Because I can. Because she's here. Because she's ours.
After Lachlan and Adrian come back with the blueberry lemonade, we swim again. This time, it's just me and Kaia. The others stay on the boat, giving us space. We float on our backs, staring up at the sky. The water holds us. The sun warms us.
"This is perfect," she says quietly.
"Yeah. It is."
"I didn't know it could be like this."
I turn my head to look at her, water sloshing into my ear. "Like what?"
"Easy. Safe. Happy."
The happiness hits me like a wave. "You deserve all of it."
She doesn't respond. Just reaches for my hand. We float. Here. Together. The ocean rocks us gently, its rhythmic waves lulling us into a peaceful, meditative state as the water cradles two Omegas and our boat like we belong to it.