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Christ, this woma

I never knohat to expect fros I can’t plan for, but the e shakes up my world, the more I’m drawn to her

I watch fros of panic start to tighten ht, it’s dark as shit And she’s in the fucking ocean By herself

When five seconds pass and I don’t see her head pop back up at the surface, I don’t think anymore I just act My shoes dropped to the sand, I sprint into the ocean and hop in—fucking suit and all

Waves crash against h in the water, every square inch of my clothes is drenched

And it isn’t until that very moment that Carly’s head breaks the surface

Thank fuck

She pushes her wet hair out of her face, and when she opens her eyes, her gaze immediately locks with ot in!”

I should be so pissed at her I really should

But for soh “Yeah I did”

Carly takes in ot in with all of your clothes on?”

I shrug “I guess you could say I got a little worried”

“Worried?” she asks, tilting her head to the side as she closes the distance between us

“Yeah” I nod Sigh Laugh Run a hand through ht, Carly And you went into the ocean by yourself When you went underwater and didn’t coht away, I panicked”

“Panicked? About me?” she asks, and I’m taken aback by her question

“Who else would I be worried about? I don’t see any other crazy people going for nighttime swims,” I add, and when a wave jostles her body, I reach out to steady her “Most people recognize rules and regulations, and this beach’s guidelines prohibit swiuard on duty”

She bursts into laughter

“What?” I question, a tiny, uninvited shter “Why is that so funny?”

“Because that’s such a Ryan thing to say,” she teases, and so in my chest expands at the familiar way she says my name and words I’ve heard from my friends in New York more than a hundred times It’s true; I’m the unofficial “dad” in almost every situation, but the people who lovethey love about me And the way Carly’s said it just now makes me feel like she does too