Page 81 of Before Dawn

She took a sip of water, her head dipping slightly, but when she looked back at me, I saw another tear welling up, her green eyes shining brighter, reflecting every emotion she felt.

“You mean that?”

I leaned in closer, my expression serious. “I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t mean it.”

She whispered, almost as if she was speaking more to herself than to me, “Right.” Then, she looked up, trying to steady herself, and said, “Sea lions have always been on my must-see list, and seeing them today felt surreal.”

“I know.”

“You know?” she repeated, her voice tinged with surprise, as if she hadn’t expected me to understand something so personal to her.

“Number two and three on your bucket list.”

She looked at me with a mixture of softness and confusion. “I forgot about that. You remembered.”

“What did I tell you earlier?” I prompted, a teasing glint in my eyes.

“Hm?”

“I told you that I’ll always remember everything about you. I pay attention to detail.”

Or, I should’ve said, I pay attention to everything related to you.

“I’m starting to realize that.” She chuckled. “What else have you noticed about me?”

I leaned forward. “The green in your eyes gets deeper, like emerald or pine green, when you talk about your favorite things. Like today, when you saw the sharks or the sea lion interaction.”

Blush crept onto her cheeks, but she couldn’t hide the happiness shining in her eyes. “You noticed that?”

“What kind of man would I be if I didn’t,cariño?”

Her smile softened, a warmth spreading through her features. “You’ve got such a sweet mouth.”

Before our conversation could continue, the waitress returned with our food.

“This looks so good,” she said, her eyes widening as the steaming hot dog was placed in front of her, piled high with mustard, ketchup, relish, andonions.

“Just wait until you try it.”

With a playful grin, she drizzled barbecue sauce over her hot dog, took a bite, and let out a soft moan of satisfaction.

“Oh my gosh,” she mumbled, covering her mouth as she chewed. “This is amazing.”

“Told you,” I teased, taking a bite of mine.

She leaned in slightly, her eyes bright with excitement. “You were definitely right.” Her gaze flickered over my arms, lingering there. “You know, I’ve been meaning to ask you about your tattoos.”

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “What about them?”

“They’re so…” She bit her lip, her expression thoughtful before breaking into a smile. “They look incredible on you. What do they mean?”

I rolled up my sleeve, revealing a detailed lotus flower on my forearm. “This one represents new beginnings. Fitting, after moving from one country to another.”

“Wow,” she breathed, tracing the ink with her eyes, as if memorizing every line.

“And this one?” I pointed to the compass inked across my chest. “It’s about finding my way. The journey being just as important as the destination.”

She grinned. “You’ve got this whole mysterious vibe going on.” Then, her voice dropped slightly, playful but firm. “Not to mention, you’re really hot.”

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