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I paused. “You mean…?”
“I don’t know.” She suddenly sounded uncertain. “I kind of got used to living with you during the coma.”
“I did too,” I said in a strained voice, trying not to hope for too much.
“Then…?” It was her turn to lead me into admitting what I wanted.
“I would love to live here with you, just the two of us,” I said, only to cringe. “Not sure how I’m going to explain to my family how I went from not even having a girlfriend to suddenly living with one that I’m stupid in love with, but”—I let out a nervous yet excited laugh—“I’ll figure it out.”
“We’llfigure it out,” she corrected. “Because I’ll have to tell the captain the same thing.”
“But you still want to?” I asked, holding my breath and hoping she didn’t change her mind.
“Fuck yes,” she assured.
I laughed. “Ditto.”
“Oh my God,” she squealed, wiggling against me and gripping my forearm that was still wrapped around her waist. “We’re really doing this, then?”
I kissed the back of her hair and sighed. “We seem to be.” Relaxing against her, I closed my eyes and luxuriated in the moment. “Thank you for remembering.”
“It was all Hayes, I promise you.”
Smiling with my eyes closed, I murmured a happy sound. “Then please thank him for me.” A moment later, I admitted, “I’m jealous that you get to see him, but I’m also grateful you do. I’m glad I know he’s a guide, and he’s going to be the first thing I see when it’s my time.”
“He’s a total sweetheart,” Raina said. “And he has your smile, that gorgeous Union grin.”
I stroked my hand over her hip. “I love you.”
Twisting in my arms so she could face me, Raina stroked a palm along my cheek before whispering, “And I loveyou,” before she pressed her lips against mine.
* * *
When we finally got to sleep, welay wrapped in each other’s arms, almost afraid to pull away from each other. But then she started to turn into a stove, and at some point I rolled toward my side of the bed, seeking cooler sheets, only for my cheek to squish into sand.
“What the…?”
I shook my head and opened my eyes, only to find myself on a quiet, darkened beach.
“Raina?” I blurted, jerking upright.
“Right here,” she answered from nearby, sounding bleary and half awake. “But…” When I spun to find her sitting in the sand about five feet away, she squinted at me in tired confusion. “What’reyoudoing here? I only come here when I’m asleep.”
“Well…” I frowned in thought. “If I fell asleep next to you, maybe you brought me along for the ride. Is this where you?—?”
“Yes,” she told me. “This is where I always meet Hayes.”
My breath stalled in my lungs. “So he could be nearby?”
She pointed toward the surf. “He’s usually out by the water.”
I darted my attention that way, only to catch sight of a figure wading through the tide. “Oh my God,” I choked out. “Hayes?”
The boy lifted his face and looked over in surprise. “Foster?”
I scrambled to my feet and started to charge toward him as he bounded up the sand toward me. When we reached each other, I fell to my knees and opened my arms, and his small, spry body plowed into mine.
“Oh my God,” I repeated, squeezing my eyes shut and hugging my brother close. “You look exactly the same.”
