*Sam's POV*
I woke up later than usual, the morning sun already high in the sky. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I reached for my phone and saw a message from Millie.
Millie: Went out to buy some stuff, dragged Caleb with me. Be back later! Don't burn the house down.
I smiled at her usual humor before standing up and stretching my arms above my head, lazily making my way out of bed. As I made my way downstairs to the kitchen, I passed by the fridge and noticed a note stuck onto it. It was Cass's handwriting.
Austin and I went to try the couple's spa nearby. We'll be back in a few hours! Don't miss us too much. ;). - Cass
I chuckled and shook my head. Typical.
That meant I was alone. Well, maybe. I wasn't sure if Nate had gone with Millie and Caleb, but I didn't think much of it and proceeded to make my coffee.
After preparing my mug, I took it outside to the porch. The ocean stretched widely before me, waves rolling in a steady, rhythmic crash. The salty air mixed with the aroma of my coffee, and for a moment, everything felt peaceful.
My mind wandered back to last night's conversation with Nate by the bonfire. A soft smile formed on my lips as I replayed the moment in my head. It was nice... too nice. It was still awkward, sure, but comfortable in a way I hadn't expected.
Just as I got lost in my thoughts, a voice interrupted them.
"Morning."
I turned to see Nate standing at the doorway, looking as effortlessly handsome as ever, his hair slightly tousled from sleep.
"Morning," I greeted back, hoping my voice didn't betray the way my heart skipped a beat.
He walked over and sat beside me. "Where is everyone?"
"Millie and Caleb went out to buy some things, and Cass and Austin are at the spa, experiencing the ultimate couple's retreat."
Nate groaned playfully. "A couple's spa? Classic."
I laughed. "I know, right? They're really out there living their best romantic lives."
"Makes you wonder if they'll come back engaged," he joked, making us both laugh.
After a few more moments of easy conversation, Nate stood up and stretched. "Wanna make breakfast?"
"Sure. I was about to make some toast or something," I admitted. "But if you have any grand ideas, be my guest." I followed him back into the kitchen, setting my mug down on the counter.
Nate stretched his arms, looking thoughtful. "How about something fancier? I can cook."
"Oh? I didn't know you were a chef now."
"I have my moments. Sit back and watch."
I rolled my eyes but obliged, watching as he moved around the kitchen with ease.
Nate rummaged through the fridge and pulled out ingredients. I watched in amusement as he moved around with confidence, cracking eggs, slicing vegetables, and seasoning everything like a pro.
"How can I help?" I offered.
"I got this," he said, waving me off. "You just sit there and look pretty."
I rolled my eyes but sat on one of the bar stools anyway, watching him. He really was good at this. His hands worked skillfully, his arms flexing with every movement, and I suddenly found myself... staring. My eyes trailed from his hair to his jawline, to his broad shoulders and down to his toned arms. How was he effortlessly attractive like this? It was unfair.
"Sam?" Nate's voice snapped me out of my daze.
I blinked. "Huh?"
He smirked. "I said, can you pass me the whisk? But judging from that look on your face, I'd say you were pretty distracted."
Heat rushed to my face. "What? No—I was just—I was thinking about—"
He raised a brow, clearly amused. "Thinking about?"
"Nothing," I mumbled, quickly looking away.
Nate chuckled but let it go. "Pass me that whisk?"
I grabbed it and handed it to him, still avoiding eye contact. He didn't say anything, but I could feel his gaze lingering on me for a second longer than necessary before he turned back to cooking.
"But hey, if you wanna keep checking me out, don't let me stop you." he said, still grinning.
I threw a napkin at him, making him chuckle before he finished cooking. Once everything was ready, we sat down together and ate, the comfortable silence between us making the moment feel even more intimate.
"Hey," Nate spoke up after a while. "Since everyone's out, wanna go explore? There are some pretty cool spots around here."
I hesitated. Spending more time alone with Nate felt... dangerous. But I couldn't deny I was curious.
"You've been here before?"
"Yeah, a few years ago. I know some cool places I can show you. If you want."
I sighed dramatically. "I guess I have no choice."
"You don't."
I smiled. "Okay, fine. But only if you promise not to get us lost."
"No promises."
After breakfast, we agreed to freshen up and meet by the front door in thirty minutes. I chose a simple white summer dress, pairing it with a sun hat and my favorite woven bag. When I stepped outside, I found Nate already waiting, dressed in a white summer polo and shorts. He looked... good. Too good.
When he saw me, his eyes widened for a fraction of a second before he smiled softly.
"What?" I asked, suddenly self-conscious.
"You look... really pretty."
My face warmed at the compliment, but I played it cool. "Thanks. You don't look too bad yourself."
He grinned. "I try."
With that, we set off. Nate led me through hidden pathways, showing me scenic spots I would've never found on my own. He told me random facts about the area, explaining little details that made the place even more interesting.
It was... easy. Despite the initial awkwardness, I found myself relaxing around him. The way he talked, the way he laughed, it reminded me of how we used to be.
"Did you know that tree over there is over a hundred years old? Legend says couples who carve their names on it end up together forever." Nate asked, pointing to the gigantic tree a few meters away.
I raised an eyebrow. "You believe in that stuff?"
He shrugged. "Not really. But it's fun to pretend."
We wandered around for hours, stopping for milkshakes at a small beachside stall, walked along a narrow bridge that overlooked the clearest water I'd ever seen, and even sat under a tree for a bit, just listening to the waves.
I admit, I missed this.
Nate glanced at me. "Missed what?"
Shit. Did I just say that out loud?
I hesitated but decided to be honest. "Just... hanging out like this."
He didn't speak right away, but when he did, he gave me a soft smile. "Yeah. Me too."
I looked at him, and for a moment, the tension that had existed for months seemed to ease. Maybe, things weren't as broken as they seemed anymore.
We stayed there for a while before deciding to head back.
As we approached the beach house, I was still laughing at a joke Nate had made, but the moment we opened the door, all laughter died down.
Sitting in the living room were Millie, Cass, Austin, and Caleb. They were all looking at us with knowing smiles, their eyes filled with mischief.
"Well, well, well," Austin said loudly, leaning back against the couch. "Look who decided to take a romantic stroll around town."
"It was not romantic," I quickly corrected.
"Oh?" Millie smirked. "Then why do you both look like you just came back from a date?"
"A date? More like from a honeymoon." Caleb added.
I turned to glare at Nate, who was doing a terrible job of hiding his amusement.
"Guys, stop it," I groaned. "We just went out for a walk. That's it."
Cass leaned forward, her smile widening. "So, what did you talk about? Did you hold hands? Did you—"
"Cass!" I exclaimed, cutting her off.
Millie gasped dramatically. "Did Nate finally confess his undying love?"
I groaned, covering my face. "Oh my god. You guys. Stop."
Nate laughed. "Okay, okay, let's not torture Sam too much."
Caleb shrugged. "Hey, we just call it like we see it."
Millie grinned. "And we saw a lot."
Nate chuckled, shaking his head. "You guys are unbelievable."
"Oh, don't worry, we'll leave her alone... for now," Millie said with a wink.
I sighed in relief as they finally dropped it, but as I stole a glance at Nate, I caught him already looking at me. There was something in his eyes... something soft, something unreadable. And for some reason, I couldn't look away.
Maybe things were still awkward. Maybe there was still a lot unspoken between us.
But still, I felt hopeful.
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