CHAPTER 3 — Breakfast, Saltwater, and Something New
1694 Words
Natasha woke before her alarm again, the soft humming of waves slipping into her room like a greeting. But unlike yesterday—when excitement pulled her out of bed—today her stomach fluttered for a different reason.
Henrick’s expression last night.
The way his voice dropped.
“That’s… not simple to answer.”
She had pushed. She hadn’t meant to, but she had. And the look on his face—surprise, hesitation, maybe a flicker of pain—stayed with her long after he carried Charm inside.
Natasha rubbed her forehead. Id*ot.
She didn’t even know him that well. She had no right to pry.
Today needed to start differently.
She sat up, inhaled deeply, and decided on one thing: apologize properly.
And in her world, proper apologies came in the form of food.
She slipped into the kitchen before either of them woke, tying her hair up as she scanned through ingredients: eggs, bread, fruit, butter, a few vegetables, and leftover rice.
“Perfect.”
She moved quietly, mixing garlic-fried rice the way her mom taught her, scrambling eggs, grilling tomatoes, slicing mangoes. She even brewed coffee—strong, warm, fragrant. By the time she plated everything, the kitchen smelled like comfort.
Just as she placed the last plate on the table, she heard small footsteps on the stairs.
Charm appeared first, hair messy, eyes squinted with sleep.
She stopped mid-step.
“Whoa…”
Natasha smiled nervously. “Good morning, Charm.”
The little girl gasped dramatically and ran toward the table. “Papa! Papa! Hurry! Natasha cooked the whole world!”
Henrick’s footsteps followed, slower, steadier. He came into view wearing a soft gray shirt and beach shorts, hair still damp from a quick shower.
The moment he saw the table, he froze—just for a second—before meeting Natasha’s gaze.
“You cooked this?”
Natasha tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Yeah. I, um… wanted to apologize. For last night. I shouldn’t have asked about… you know. It wasn’t my place.”
Henrick blinked, surprised.
Charm tilted her head. “Are you fighting?”
“No,” they both said at the same time.
Natasha’s cheeks warmed. Henrick’s mouth twitched in a half-smile, and he stepped closer to the table.
“You didn’t have to do all this,” he said softly.
“I wanted to,” she replied.
Charm was already digging into the mangoes with both hands, humming happily. Henrick chuckled and sat beside her, then glanced at Natasha.
“Let’s eat?”
Their hands brushed lightly as they reached for utensils.
A spark. Small. Warm. Impossible to ignore.
—
Breakfast felt easy despite her nerves. Henrick praised the garlic rice, Charm declared the eggs “the fluffiest clouds ever,” and Natasha felt herself loosen with every bite.
She stole a few glances at Henrick, relieved to see no lingering heaviness in his expression.
After eating, he leaned back in his chair.
“Thank you,” he said quietly. “And… about last night—you didn’t do anything wrong.”
Natasha looked up, surprised.
Henrick exhaled slowly, as though choosing his words with care.
“You asked a fair question. I just wasn’t ready to answer it.” He paused. “But I’m not upset.”
Some tension she didn’t know she’d been carrying melted instantly.
Charm wiped her mouth with her shirt, despite Henrick’s quick attempt to hand her a napkin. “So what are we doing today?”
Before either adult could answer, she looked between them.
“We’re going swimming!”
Henrick raised a brow. “Are we?”
“Yes,” Charm insisted. “All three of us.”
Natasha hid a smile. “I don’t think we got a choice.”
Henrick looked at her with a helpless but soft expression. “Apparently not.”
—
They headed down to the beach an hour later, Natasha in a modest navy swimsuit under a cover-up, and Henrick carrying a bag filled with Charm’s toys—tiny buckets, shovels, and brightly colored floats.
Charm sprinted ahead the second her feet touched sand, leaving both adults laughing as they followed.
“You should go swim with her,” Natasha said.
“And leave you alone on your vacation?” Henrick shook his head. “Not happening.”
“Henrick, it’s okay—”
But by then he had already removed his shirt.
Natasha forgot what she was saying.
Her brain simply… stopped.
What the hell?
Why did he look like that?
Not overly muscular, not gym-chiseled—just strong. Real. Broad shoulders tapering to a defined torso, skin sun-kissed and warm. A thin scar traced across his left rib, almost invisible but noticeable enough to make her wonder.
He caught her staring.
Heat flooded up her neck.
“Is the… sun too strong already?” he teased lightly.
Natasha blinked. “What? No. I mean—yes. I mean—swimming! You should go. Before Charm drowns.”
“She’s in ankle-deep water,” he said, amused.
Natasha covered her face with her hands. “Just go.”
He laughed, low and warm, and walked toward Charm.
Natasha followed, thankful the ocean breeze cooled her overheated face.
Charm immediately dragged both of them into the shallow waves.
“Come on, Natasha! The water is perfect!”
Natasha dipped her feet first, then walked deeper until the water reached her waist. It was cool but refreshing, washing over her nerves.
Charm splashed them relentlessly, giggling when Henrick pretended to fall dramatically into the water.
Natasha couldn’t stop laughing—real laughter, the kind that made her stomach hurt and her eyes shine.
“Natasha! Papa! Look!” Charm hopped on her floatie shaped like a turtle. “I’m the queen of the ocean!”
Henrick lifted his daughter gently, placing her on his shoulders as she shrieked in triumph. “Now you’re even taller.”
Charm pointed at Natasha. “You're the princess!”
Henrick chuckled. “And what am I?”
“You’re the guard,” Charm declared.
Natasha smirked. “Seems fitting.”
Henrick gave her a mock glare before smiling again.
The rest of the morning passed in waves—literal and emotional. They took turns chasing Charm as she swam back and forth. Natasha floated on her back, staring at the sky, listening to their laughter beside her. Henrick swam close enough to keep Charm safe, but occasionally close enough that their shoulders brushed.
Each time, Natasha felt that strange, fluttering warmth in her chest.
Not intrusive.
Just… present.
—
After swimming until Charm’s fingers wrinkled like raisins, they spent the afternoon on the sand building castles that kept collapsing under Charm’s increasingly ambitious architecture.
Henrick pretended to be a sea monster trying to invade their castle, and Charm shrieked and shoved wet sand at him.
“Natasha! Protect the queen!” Charm ordered dramatically.
Natasha grabbed a small bucket of sand and dumped it on Henrick’s foot.
He stared at her, shocked. “You’re taking her side?”
“I fear her wrath,” Natasha whispered.
Charm stood with crossed arms, nodding approvingly.
Henrick laughed so hard he actually fell backward into the sand.
Natasha collapsed next to him, breathless from laughing.
The sky slowly shifted from blue to gold as the afternoon waned. Seagulls glided overhead. Waves rolled lazily onto the shore. Charm eventually tired herself out and curled into Henrick’s lap, dozing lightly as he brushed sand from her hair.
Natasha sat close enough to hear Charm’s soft breathing, close enough to feel the warmth of Henrick’s arm along the sand between them.
For a moment, the world felt impossibly gentle.
“You’re good with her,” Henrick said quietly.
Natasha blinked. “Me?”
“Yeah.” He looked at her, eyes warm. “She doesn’t warm up to people this quickly.”
Natasha’s throat tightened softly. “Charm’s easy to love.”
Henrick’s expression softened even further. “Not everyone thinks so.”
“Then not everyone pays attention.”
Something unspoken flickered between them—an understanding, a pull, something delicate but real.
Henrick opened his mouth like he wanted to say something, but before he could, Charm stirred awake.
“Papa… I’m hungry…”
Natasha laughed. “Castle-building is tough work.”
They walked back to the house slowly, Charm riding on Henrick’s shoulders, sleepy and sun-kissed.
—
After dinner, they sat on the porch while Charm played with her seashells nearby.
The sun had set completely, leaving the sky sprinkled with quiet stars. The ocean hummed against the shore. A lantern near the porch cast a warm glow on Henrick’s face.
Natasha sipped her drink, feeling peaceful—but also aware of the lingering weight from last night’s question.
She turned to Henrick, ready to apologize again, but he spoke first.
“Natasha,” he said quietly.
She froze. “Yes?”
He looked nervous. It was the first time she’d seen him unsure.
“There’s something I wanted to ask you.”
Her heart thudded. What is he going to say?
Henrick glanced briefly at Charm, who was humming to herself, then returned his gaze to Natasha.
His voice was gentle but steady.
“Tomorrow’s Christmas Eve,” he said. “Charm and I… we’re celebrating on a yacht. It’s a tradition we’ve done for a few years.”
Natasha blinked. “That sounds amazing.”
“It is,” he whispered. “But…”
He swallowed lightly.
“We’d like you to come with us.”
The words dropped into the air between them like a pebble into still water—small, but creating ripples that reached all the way to Natasha’s ribs.
Her breath caught.
She hadn’t expected this.
Not from him.
Not so soon.
Not with this softness in his voice.
Henrick held her gaze, uncertainty in the lines of his face.
“Would you like to join us?” he asked.
And before Natasha could answer—before she could even breathe—
Charm called out brightly, “Natasha has to come! Please say yes!”
Natasha opened her mouth—
- Writer
