Page 13 of Valentine On Palmar Island

"Hey," she said, opening the door before he could knock.

"Hey yourself." His eyes traveled over her, lingering for a moment. "Ready for an adventure?"

"Depends. Are you going to tell me where we're going?"

"Nope." He smiled, reaching down to scratch Milo's ears. "That's part of the surprise."

The drive was peaceful, filled with comfortable silence and the occasional comment about places they passed. Grant turnedonto a narrow road she'd never noticed before, one that wound through a stretch of pine forest. The late afternoon sun filtered through the branches, creating patterns on the truck's hood.

Charlotte sneaked glances at Grant as he drove. His profile was strong against the light, and his hands were steady on the wheel. She noticed he'd rolled up his sleeves, exposing his forearms. The detail shouldn't be as distracting as it was.

Milo sat between them on the bench seat, his head swiveling back and forth as if he couldn't decide who needed his attention more. When Grant turned onto an even smaller track, barely more than a trail, Milo's tail started wagging with obvious recognition.

"Almost there," Grant said softly.

The trees opened up suddenly, revealing a hidden cove Charlotte hadn't known existed. The water stretched out before them, deep blue in the late afternoon light. Old oaks draped in Spanish moss created a natural archway leading down to a small, sandy beach.

Grant parked in a cleared area and came around to open her door. "Watch your step," he said, offering his hand. "Path's a little steep."

His palm was warm against hers as he helped her down. She expected him to let go once she was steady, but his fingers remained linked with hers as they started down the path.

"I found this place my first year doing restoration work," he said, his voice quiet in the stillness of the cove. "Was checking some property lines for a project and stumbled onto it. Been coming here ever since."

"It's beautiful." Charlotte took in the way the setting sun painted the water in shades of gold and pink. The air was unusually still, protected by the natural bowl of the cove.

"Not many people know about it." Grant led her toward a fallen log that made a perfect bench overlooking the water."Thought you might like to photograph it sometime. But today..." He hesitated, and Charlotte felt his hand tighten slightly around hers. "Today I wanted to share it with you for a different reason."

Charlotte's heart thundered in her chest as they sat down. Milo settled at their feet, unusually calm, as if he understood the importance of the moment.

"Grant—" she started, but he shook his head.

He took a deep breath. "There's something I want to give you."

The sun dipped lower on the horizon, painting everything in golden light, and Charlotte held her breath.

Grant reached into his jacket and pulled out a wooden box about the size of a book. The wood was deep mahogany, polished to a soft shine, with brass hinges that caught the fading sunlight. Charlotte's breath caught at the obvious care that had gone into making it.

He cleared his throat. "After our conversation about Sweetheart candies, I couldn't stop thinking about messages that matter. Real ones."

He placed the box in her hands. It was warm from being carried close to his body, and she could feel the slight roughness of hand-carved details under her fingers.

"Open it," he said softly.

Charlotte lifted the lid, and tears pricked her eyes. Inside, nestled in dark blue velvet, were brass tokens cut in the shape of hearts. Each one was perfectly sized to fit in her palm, with messages carefully engraved in Grant's precise hand.

She picked up the first one. "'Be Brave,'" she read aloud, running her thumb over the letters.

"Because you are," Grant said. "Moving from place to place, always starting over. That takes courage."

The next token read "Stay Awhile." Charlotte's heart thundered in her chest as she traced the words.

"That one's a bit selfish," Grant admitted. His voice was low, intimate in the quiet of the cove. "I'm not ready for you to leave."

When she lifted the last token, the largest one centered in the box, a tear slipped down her cheek. "Found My Home."

"Charlotte." Grant's hand covered hers, both of them holding the token. "I've spent my whole life preserving other people's stories. But since you arrived I've been thinking about my own. About what's missing."

She looked up at him, caught by the intensity in his blue eyes.

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