Spring Break Secret by Holly Rayner

Chapter 26

Tom

Tom wasn’t sure how to feel about the way Louisa left his office after their meeting. He had tried his best to be open and present, to listen and understand. And it felt like it was working—Louisa really appeared to be enjoying her time with Tom, whether they were talking about serious topics or just hanging out near the beach—but she still seemed unsure about how much to trust him.

Maybe he had overstepped by offering to drive her to pick up Rei. Tom berated himself for that choice all night, sleeping fitfully. He very much wanted to meet his daughter, but he also wanted to respect the limits that Louisa was setting. It made perfect sense that she wouldn’t want to rush things, and he was happy to wait until she felt like Rei was ready. So he should have known better than to bring it up himself. Maybe Louisa had felt pressured by Tom’s offer, and that’s why she left so quickly.

Or maybe this was less about Rei and more about Tom himself. Maybe his inability to commit to canceling the use of Comentex entirely was enough to make Louisa conclude that he wasn’t a good guy.

There was nothing he could do, though, since Louisa had said that she would call him, and he didn’t want to come off too strong by calling her instead. His schedule the next day, as usual, was completely packed—even more so now that he had insisted Nick delay the Comentex shipment, and now everyone wanted to talk to him about the implications of this revised calendar. But Tom was actually glad for the busy day, since he had plenty of work to try and take his mind off his nerves about where things currently stood with him and Louisa.

He was pleasantly surprised, then, to see his phone light up with a call from her early that evening. Louisa was calling to let him know that Rei had arranged a sleepover with one of her friends from Eco Scouts, leaving Louisa free to get dinner that night if Tom was available.

He absolutely was, and he had a bit of a plan up his sleeve to show Louisa just how much he cared. He promised to pick her up for dinner but didn’t mention where they were going.

It took less than an hour to find all the supplies he needed—a flannel blanket, embroidered with the name of some now-defunct company that had left a bunch of free “swag” in a closet at the office, and two reusable canvas bags packed with picnic supplies.

When he picked up Louisa, she looked as cute as ever, in slim black leggings and a striped shirt that flared out just over her hips, giving her an extra bounce when she moved.

“Where are we headed?” Louisa asked once she had slid into his passenger seat.

“Actually,” Tom said, “I was hoping you could tell me that.”

“Hm?”

“The last time I was here in La Vega, you took me to your favorite spot—some dunes, a ways out from town. I remember the drive being beautiful, and we watched the sun rise. My friends teased me so hard about getting up that early just to meet a girl! I’ve packed us a picnic dinner, but I don’t remember exactly where it is. I need you to guide me again.”

Louisa’s green eyes lit up at the news. “Absolutely! Man, I haven’t been out there in ages.”

“Really? I thought it was your favorite place.”

Louisa sighed. “It is, but it’s hard to get that far out of town. My car isn’t as reliable as it used to be, and Rei’s schedule is so crazy with all her activities and stuff. I don’t think I’ve spent time on my favorite dune since last summer.”

Tom had been proud of himself for coming up with this idea, but now that he learned it was a rare opportunity for Louisa to make it out there and enjoy her private beachside paradise, he was even happier with his choice.

The drive was just as great as he remembered, and he was glad that he’d kept the car’s top down despite the evening chill.

The hike to the dunes was a bit shorter than it was in Tom’s memory. Perhaps he was just younger then, or perhaps he was just unfamiliar with the terrain. Either way, he and Louisa soon found themselves at the top of the tallest dune, the evening breeze rustling through the dune grasses all around them.

Tom spread out the blanket and he and Louisa settled down on it, feasting on creamy cheese with crackers and cucumber slices, fresh berries, smoked fish, and some sparkling wine Tom had brought for the occasion.

“Well?” Louisa asked, turning to him on the blanket. “Is it just like you remember?”

It really was. The sun was setting, its pink and gold rays like a mirror image of the sunrise he had seen from this very point ten years prior. The sand was soft beneath him, his reclining body settling into its dips and valleys. And, of course, Louisa was as gorgeous as she had ever been.

“Yes,” Tom whispered, popping a berry into his mouth and smiling. “And trust me, I’ve returned to that memory hundreds of times over my life.” He reached forward to tuck a strand of Louisa’s fiery red hair behind her ear. “You look just as beautiful—more, even, here in person than in my mind.”

Louisa blushed. “It’s been ten years, Tom. Surely I can’t compete with a young man’s fantasies.”

“You’re better than a fantasy,” Tom said, and he really meant it. Even when he thought about Louisa, tried to conjure her in his mind, it was never as good as it was right now.

“Come on,” Louisa teased. “You can’t tell me that nothing has changed.”

“Hm.” Tom looked around, taking in the sights. “I mean, I wasn’t paying much attention to the dune grasses, but I’m pretty sure that particular patch has moved a few inches northward.”

Louisa laughed.

“There are a few more buildings on the horizon, too.”

“Yeah.” Louisa sounded more serious now. “Lots has changed about La Vega.”

“I wish I’d stayed,” Tom murmured. “I wish I had gotten to see Rei grow up. And the town.”

“You’re here now, though.” Louisa scooched closer to him on the blanket, tucking herself up under his chin and snuggling close as they lay spread out on the flannel.

“I am.” Tom rolled over slightly so he could see Louisa, and once they were face-to-face, they kissed again, first softly, gentle brushes of lips on lips, and then more fiercely, Tom tracing Louisa’s cheek with his thumb as he held her jaw, Louisa melting under his touch.

“I really do want you to meet Rei,” Louisa breathed once they parted. She flopped down on her back, crossing her hands behind her head and gazing up at the now starry sky. “Yesterday, when I said no, it’s not that I don’t want you two to meet. It’s just that I’m her mom, and I have to look out for her. She’s smart, but she’s also sensitive, and I just need to make sure she’s ready.”

Tom felt himself sigh in relief. He was glad to hear that Louisa’s apprehension about letting him meet their daughter was less about not trusting him and more about wanting to be a good mom to Rei and not rush her into anything.

It felt like a stark contrast between the way he had been parented, listening to Louisa explain how she worked to take her daughter’s feelings into account. Tom had always felt lots of pressure from his dad, who would never have stopped to worry about whether Tom was ready for something, or if it was really what he wanted.

Although Tom was sad to have missed out on the first ten years of Rei’s life, he was incredibly glad that his daughter was being raised by such a great woman.

“You’re such a good mom,” Tom said, leaning over to pepper Louisa’s forehead with little kisses. “I think it’s great how much you care about making sure she’s okay, that she has what she needs, that you’re not pushing her into anything.”

“I try my best,” Louisa said.

“I know. And I’m happy to wait as long as it takes for her to be ready. I trust you to talk with her and to understand where she’s coming from.”

Tom was grateful that there was at least one responsible adult helping steer this process. He didn’t really know much about kids and had never spent much time around them, so he would look to Louisa to guide them through this.

“I’m sure you’ll be a great dad,” Louisa said.

Tom really hoped she was right.