For a moment, we just stood there, shoulder toshoulder, watching our blue tang weave slowly between the rocks. It felt easy. Natural. Like slipping back into a rhythm we hadn’t lost, no matter how much had changed in my head.
The storm inside me—the questions about Livvi andReadToLiv, the doubts I hadn’t sorted out—quieted under the soft glow of the tank light. All that mattered right then was her beside me, both of us rooting for a tiny blue fish to make it through.
“You realize you’re more invested in this fish than you were a week ago.” Her lips curved into that sly little grin that always made it impossible for me not to smile back.
I shoved my hands into my pockets, keeping my eyes on the tank. “She grew on me.”
“Uh-huh. Next thing I know, you’ll be hand-feeding her algae wafers and reading her bedtime stories.”
That pulled a laugh out of me, low and unguarded. “I’ll leave the bedtime stories to you. You’ve got the voice for it.”
Her cheeks flushed the faintest pink, and she quickly pointed toward the tank. “Speaking of, I’ve been thinking we should finalize her name. Sharkira was funny at first, but … she deserves something better.”
I moved my head from one side to the other, considering the way the little fish darted through the current. “Something blue.”
Livvi nodded. “Sapphire?”
“Not bad.” I folded my arms, studying the shimmer of her scales under the light. “What about Azul?”
She wrinkled her nose. “Sounds like she should be leading a mariachi band.”
I chuckled. “Okay, fair. What else you got?”
She tapped her chin dramatically, hazel eyes gleaming. “Skye?”
“Hmm. Too soft.” I paused, then shrugged. “Maybe you were onto something with Sapphire. It’s strong, classic. Feels like it fits her.”
Livvi glanced at me, a small smile tugging at her lips. “Yeah? I like Sapphire too.”
We stood there in comfortable silence, watching Sapphire weave through the coral, the name settling between us like a promise.
After a moment, Livvi nodded her head toward me. “So … are you going to tell me how Austin went? Or do I have to dig through swim blogs to find out?”
Her question caught me off guard in the best way. The corner of my mouth tugged upward as a rush of pride washed over me again. “I got the time I needed. I’m officially a contender for Team USA.”
Her whole face lit up, brighter than the tank lights. “Talon, that’s amazing! I’m so proud of you.”
Her arms wrapped around my neck, her hug taking me by surprise. I slowly wrapped my arms around her waist and tried to not get lost in the feel of her body against mine, the way she seemed to fit so perfectly in my arms, or how her intoxicating scent enveloped me.
Warmth spread through me at her sincerity. “Thanks,” I said quietly, wishing I could explain just how much her words meant after all the hard work—and all the crap with my dad. “It feels like a weight’s been lifted.”
She pulled back enough to see my face but didn’t break our contact. “Please tell me you celebrated with junk food,” she teased.
That pulled a laugh out of me. It was no secret that I was not only dedicated in the water, but also out of it. “Nope. Stuck to the clean-eating plan. But I’ll admit … I thought about having a Snickers.”
Our faces were close, so close that it wouldn’t take too much to close the distance, to take her lips with mine.
As if sensing the tension, she quickly released her hold on me, clearing her throat and stepping back. “Well, Sapphire and I approve.”
I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye, taking in her grin, the sparkle in her hazel eyes, the way she seemed just as invested in the fish as I was now. It was ridiculous how natural this felt, like the tension from before had never existed.
“You know,” I said, half to lighten the moment, half because it was true, “I think you might care about her more than I do.”
“Please,” she scoffed, brushing a strand of dark hair behind her ear. “You’re the one who called me immediately after I texted you about the itching. Pretty sure that qualifies as fish-dad territory.”
I groaned, rubbing the back of my neck, but couldn’t stop the smile tugging at my lips. “Okay, fair.But you’re the one who came up with her name. That makes you … what, fish godmother?”
Her laugh filled the space between us, light and warm. “I guess so. I think it’s safe to say we both care about her.”