The ocean hadn’t been loud. That was what Julia remembered most as Brandon carried their small suitcase toward the door of their modest coastal room. No grand honeymoon, no luxury suites—just three days where the world felt quiet, where the sky listened instead of judged. Now, returning home, the soft tap of rain on the windshield echoed the rhythm she’d grown accustomed to: calm, steady, unhurried.
Brandon glanced at her as he parked. “You sure you’re ready?”
Julia nodded, fingers brushing his. “For home? For whatever comes next? Yes.”
He let out a breath he’d been holding since the ceremony. “Good. Because I’ve been thinking about something.”
She paused halfway out of the car. “That tone scares me.”
“I’m serious,” he murmured, rounding the car to open her door. “I want to change my
