Joanne looked over at him, searching his expression, but he didn't turn around. His gaze remained fixed on the water, and his fingers moved in that same steady rhythm as he reeled the line in—calm, deliberate, like he was giving her space to speak first. But the quiet between them wasn't empty. It felt heavy, filled with everything unspoken.
Her heart tightened. He wanted her to go with him—she could feel it. Maybe he hadn't said it aloud, maybe even he hadn't quite admitted it to himself yet, but she could tell. The hesitation in his voice earlier, the way he brought her to this place like a peace offering, the gentle question wrapped in humor—it was all leading here.
But was he sure of what would happen if she did go? Was she?
She didn't know if he'd thought that far. If he realized what it meant to bring her into that world, not just as a guest, but as someone beside him. As someone who mattered.
