Chapter 126
Nora's POV
The shrill beep of my phone alarm dragged me out of sleep. I groaned, slapping blindly at the nightstand until my fingers closed around the offending device. My head throbbed faintly, a dull reminder of last night's beer, and my mouth felt like I'd been chewing cotton.
I squinted at the screen, and my stomach dropped.
5:05 AM.
"Shit."
I bolted upright, the blanket falling away as I scrambled out of bed. The memories of last night rushed back in a disjointed flood — the kiss, the way I'd melted into him, the mortifying words I'd let slip. I like you. Oh God.
My phone buzzed with a message. I unlocked it.
Julian: You up?
On my way.
I stumbled into the bathroom and washed up quickly. My reflection looked frazzled, my hair a tangled mess. I did my best to smooth it down, then threw on a hoodie and sweatpants, grabbed my phone, and headed out the door.
The walk to the beach felt longer than it should have. The sky was just beginning to lighten, the horizon glowing faintly with the promise of dawn.
When I reached the east side of the beach, I saw him.
Julian stood near the water's edge, his back to me, hands in his pockets. The wind ruffled his hair as he stared out at the horizon, his posture relaxed but alert.
My steps slowed.
Then he turned.
Our eyes met, and his lips curved into a faint smile.
"Morning."
"Morning," I managed, my voice smaller than I would've liked.
I closed the distance between us, my eyes fixed on the sand. When I stopped a few feet away, he tilted his head slightly, studying me.
"How are you feeling?" he asked. "Hangover?"
"A little," I admitted, still not quite meeting his eyes. "But I'm okay."
"Good."
His hand brushed against mine, and then he laced our fingers together.
"Come on," he said quietly. "Let's sit."
He led me to a spot where the sand was dry and soft, and we sat down side by side. He pulled a thermos from a bag I hadn't noticed before and handed it to me.
"Coffee," he said. "Black. I didn't know if you liked sugar."
I took it gratefully, unscrewing the cap and taking a sip. The warmth spread through me immediately, chasing away the lingering chill. "Thank you."
"Don't mention it."
We sat in silence, watching as the sky slowly brightened. The first rays of sunlight broke over the horizon, painting the water in shades of gold and pink. The world felt still, peaceful, like we were the only two people in existence.
I took a deep breath, the cool air filling my lungs, and felt something inside me unclench. The grief, the exhaustion, the constant weight I'd been carrying — it all seemed to fade, just for a moment. I closed my eyes and let the warmth of the sun wash over me.
When I opened them again, Julian was watching me.
"Better?" he asked.
I nodded, a small smile tugging at my lips. "Yeah. Better."
"Thank you," I said quietly. "For all of this. My mom's passing... I've felt like I was barely holding on. But now..." I looked out at the horizon. "I think I can keep going."
He was quiet for a moment, and then he reached out, his arm wrapping around my shoulders and pulling me against his side. I let my head rest against his shoulder.
"Nora," he said, his voice low and serious. "I don't know how you feel about me. And I'm not going to push you. But I want you to consider something."
My heart skipped a beat. "What?"
He tilted his head, his chin resting lightly on top of my hair. "Let me be your family. Someone who'll give you twice the love you've lost. Someone who won't let you feel alone anymore."
My breath caught. I felt tears prick at the corners of my eyes, and I blinked them back hard.
"Why?" I whispered. "Why are you so good to me?"
Julian didn't answer right away. Instead, he tightened his hold on me, his warmth seeping into my skin.
"Because you deserve it," he said finally. "And because I want to."
I closed my eyes, my fingers curling into the fabric of his sweater. For the first time in what felt like forever, I didn't feel alone.
---
These three days had been some of the best I'd had in months. Between capturing footage for Emily and Zachary's island resort project, interviewing Zachary, and simply enjoying the sun and sea, I'd almost forgotten what it felt like to carry grief everywhere I went.
Almost.
Now, standing on the private dock, I watched the crew load luggage onto the gleaming yacht. Seagulls circled overhead. The salt air stung my nose, fresh and clean in a way that made my chest ache with something I couldn't quite name.
Emily stood nearby, directing one of the staff with easy authority. Since I'd arrived, she'd been nothing but kind to me—more than kind, really. She'd treated me like an actual friend rather than some outsider Julian had brought along.
I crossed the dock and caught her arm before she could disappear up the gangway.
"Emily." My voice came out more earnest than I'd intended. "I need to apologize. I had absolutely no idea I was coming to a wedding before I got here. I showed up empty-handed like some kind of freeloader."
She turned, her expression softening as she reached up to pat my hand where it rested on her sleeve. "Nora, stop. You being here was the gift. You spent your time working on our project, keeping us company."
"Besides, Julian already sent a very generous gift on behalf of both of you." She smiled.
"That's him. This is me. And I've already decided what I'm getting you once I'm back in Silverton, so don't try to talk me out of it."
Emily laughed. "I wouldn't dream of it."
Before I could say anything else, a flash of movement caught my eye. Freya came running down the path, her sundress fluttering around her legs, arms spread wide like she was preparing for flight.
"Oh, for crying out loud," she called out, breathless as she reached us. "You two look like you're preparing for some tragic goodbye scene. It's not like you'll never see each other again!"
She pulled both Emily and me into a fierce hug, squeezing tight enough that I felt the air leave my lungs. When she finally released us, she grabbed my shoulders and held me at arm's length, her expression mock-serious.
"Nora, I'm coming to Silverton soon, and you'd better roll out the red carpet. I want the full tour—best restaurants, weirdest tourist traps, everything."
I couldn't help but grin. "Deal. I'll make sure you see it all."
"Good." She released me with a satisfied nod, then bounded off toward the yacht.
Emily shook her head, affection clear in her smile. "She's exhausting."
"She's great," I said honestly.
"She is." Emily glanced toward the yacht, then back at me. "Take care of yourself, Nora. If you need help—you have my number."
"Thank you." The words felt inadequate, but they were all I had.
She squeezed my hand once more, then went to find her husband.
I looked toward Julian in the distance, deep in conversation with Zachary about something.