We headed across the grass and towards the water. It wasn’t until our feet hit the gray sand that Crosby spoke. “I’m so sorry I hurt you. Alicia showed up two days ago and really threw me for a loop. I just needed some time to get my head on straight.”

I focused my gaze on the beach, knowing that if I looked at Crosby, my resolve would melt away. “I understand needing space, time to process, but you could’ve told me what was going on. What you needed. Instead, you ran away and left me wondering what the hell had happened.” I risked a quick glance in Crosby’s direction. His jaw was set as hard as the stones scattered across the beach. “I was worried. I thought you might’ve been in a rock-climbing accident. I had to text Bell and see if you were at the bar. Turns out, you were too busy yucking it up with a buddy to let me know your plans had changed.”

Crosby stopped walking. “I fucked up. I know it. Alicia wouldn’t stop texting me, so I put my phone on silent. I had a little too much to drink and lost track of time. It was careless. The last thing I want to do is hurt you.”

I bent to pick up a small, smooth stone and traced its edges with my finger. Crosby freaking out and blowing me off could be forgiven, but the wakeup call it was couldn’t be forgotten. I looked up and met his gaze, it pleaded for me to understand, but I wasn’t sure I could. “What do you want this to be?”

It was really the only question I needed an answer to. Everything else could be smoothed over and figured out as long as we were on the same page with this. I couldn’t help the hope that bubbled to life in my belly, the deep yearning for this man to have changed his mind about what he wanted his life to be.

Crosby’s expression grew guarded. “What do you mean?”

“Us. You and me. In your perfect world, what does this relationship look like?”

He stepped closer, his hand reaching out and tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. I’d let it go wavy today, free in the way Crosby had always encouraged me to be. He twisted the strand around his finger before letting go. “I want us to be exactly what we were before I messed things up. I love going on adventures with you, forcing you to watch Star Wars with me.” He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me flush against him. “I love touching you and making you come alive.”