Obx 4

Chapter 12

JJ's pov

When Kie walked over to me, she looked absolutely stunning, her hair glowing in the sunlight, and I couldn't help but smile. I took her outside, and we drove to a small pier where an old-fashioned ice cream van was parked, the kind that plays cheerful music.

"Want some ice cream?" I asked, trying to keep things light.

"Of course!" she said, flashing that irresistible smile of hers, showing off her perfect teeth. We waited in line, both of us standing close enough that our arms kept brushing against each other. It felt good, natural, like things were falling back into place. When it was finally our turn, the vendor greeted us with a friendly grin.

"Hey there! What can I get for you two lovebirds?"

Before I could speak, Kie jumped in. "I'll have a cookie dough ice cream, and he'll take a chocolate one."

I couldn't help but grin. She knew my favorite flavor without asking—it's the little things like that which remind me why I love her. The vendor worked quickly, handing us our cones and spoons with a cheerful "Enjoy!"

As we walked away, I glanced over at her. "Wanna taste mine?"

Kie raised an eyebrow but played along. "Sure," she said, taking a small spoonful of my ice cream and tasting it. "Not bad, but mine's better," she teased.

I smirked, taking a bit of her ice cream on my spoon, but instead of eating it, I gently dabbed it on the tip of her nose.

"JJ! I swear, I'm going to kill you!" she laughed, rolling her eyes before dipping her finger into her ice cream and smearing some onto my cheek.

We were both laughing now, and for a moment, it felt like everything was perfect again, like the tension between us was disappearing with each laugh.

"How are we going to clean ourselves off?" she giggled, still trying to wipe some of the ice cream off her face. "The guy didn't give us any napkins!"

"I've got an idea," I said, leaning in and gently kissing the tip of her nose, licking away the bit of ice cream I'd left there. She blushed, her eyes widening in surprise, but she smiled and returned the favor, brushing her lips softly against my cheek where she'd smeared the ice cream.

The moment was sweet, but I could feel something else too—something more. This was us, the real us, before all the drama.

"So... what now, Maybank?" she asked, glancing around, clearly happy but curious.

I grinned, tossing the rest of our ice creams into the trash and grabbing her hand. "Come with me," I said, pulling her gently toward the pier.

As we walked, I led her up to the edge, where the pier dropped off into the water below. The waves crashed gently against the wooden beams, and the wind whipped around us. I hopped up onto the railing and held out my hand for her.

"JJ, I can't... it's too high," she said, her voice wavering a little.

"Do you trust me?" I asked, locking eyes with her.

She hesitated for a second, then nodded. "Yeah, I trust you."

I helped her up, and we stood there, side by side, with the wind in our hair and the sound of the waves below us. She was gripping my arm tightly, but I didn't mind—I liked that she needed me in that moment, that she trusted me to keep her safe.

The sensation of the breeze on our faces and the peaceful rhythm of the ocean was perfect. I glanced over at her, seeing her eyes closed, just enjoying the moment, and I realized how much I'd missed this—how much I'd missed her.