Emily’s POV

The ocean was out in front of me, dark and endless, swallowing the last streaks of daylight. The waves crashed against the shore, loud and untamed, a sharp opposite to the silence between Cole and me.

I sat on the edge of the porch, my legs tucked under me, arms wrapped around my knees. The air smelled like salt and rain, the sky threatening to open up any second.

Cole leaned against the wooden railing behind me, arms crossed, eyes sharp. He hadn’t relaxed since we got here. Not once. I could feel his gaze on me, the weight of it heavy, like he was waiting for me...