Catalina's POV
I stared at the text until the screen blurred.
Unknown: You. I want you. And I have no right.
My fingers hovered over the keyboard. A thousand responses ran through my mind.
None of them appropriate.
None of them safe.
Me: Why not?
Unknown: I'm 32. You're 24. You're Sofia's best friend. I'm damaged. I'm your boss. Should I keep listing reasons?
Me: What if I don't care about the reasons?
The three dots appeared immediately. Disappeared. Appeared again.
Unknown: You should. I'm not good for you, Catalina.
There it was again. My name. The way only he said it.
Me: You don't get to decide what's good for me.
Unknown: Someone has to. Because all I think about is you. Kissing you. Touching you. Making you mine. And if I do that, I destroy everything.
I couldn't breathe. The car suddenly felt too hot. Too small.
I got out, walked inside my apartment, locked the door.
Sat on my bed, staring at his words.
This was crazy. Texting with Dominic in the middle of the night. Saying things we couldn't take back.
But I was tired of pretending.
Me: I've loved you since I was eight years old.
I hit send before I could stop myself.
The dots appeared instantly.
Unknown: Cat...
Me: I loved you when you taught me to swim. When you left for college. When you came back with Lauren. When she died. When you walked into that conference room today. I never stopped.
Long pause. No response.
Had I scared him off?
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered with shaking hands.
"Cat." Dominic's voice was rough. Raw. "Don't say things like that unless you mean them."
"I mean them," I whispered.
"You were a child."
"I'm not a child anymore."
Silence. I could hear him breathing.
"No," he said finally. "You're definitely not."
"I see how you look at me, Dominic. Like you want to run away and pull me closer at the same time."
"You're right. I want both."
"So stop running."
"If we do this, people get hurt. Sofia. Your parents. My mother."
"They don't have to know. Not yet. Not until we figure out what this is."
"Secrets always come out."
"Then we'll deal with it when they do."
He made a sound that might have been a laugh or a groan.
"You have no idea what you're asking for."
"Then tell me."
"I'm not the boy you remember, Cat. Lauren's death changed me. I spent a year barely functioning. I still wake up some nights convinced I'm back in that hospital, watching them tell me she's gone. I'm not whole anymore."
"Who is?"
"You. You're bright and kind and full of life. You deserve someone who can match that. Not someone who's spent two years learning how to fake being okay."
"What if I don't want fake? What if I want real, even if it's messy?"
Silence.
Then:
"All I think about is kissing you. Since you walked into that conference room in that dress. Since our fingers touched and I felt like I'd been electrocuted. Since I saw you on the balcony tonight looking at the stars like you used to."
My heart pounded so hard I thought it might burst.
"So why don't you?"
"Why don't I what?"
"Kiss me."
The line went quiet. I could hear him breathing. Fast. Uneven.
"Because if I start, I won't stop."
"Good."
"Cat—"
"I'm serious. I don't want you to stop. I've been waiting twelve years for you to see me. Really see me. Not as Sofia's little friend. Not as the girl who used to follow you around. As a woman who wants you."
"You're going to destroy me," he whispered.
"Then we'll be even."
He laughed. Actually laughed. The sound was beautiful and broken.
"This will end badly," he said. "You know that, right?"
"Maybe. Maybe not. But I'm tired of being safe. Tired of dating men I don't love because everyone approves. Tired of pretending I don't want you."
"What about Sofia?"
The question hung between us. Heavy. Impossible.
"We'll tell her," I said. "Eventually. When the time is right."
"She'll hate us both."
"Maybe. But she loves us both too. She'll forgive us. Eventually."
"You're braver than I am."
"No. I'm just tired of being afraid."
Silence again. Long and charged.
"Meet me tomorrow," he said finally. "Beach cove. Six AM."
"That's our spot."
"I know. I want to see you there. Want to kiss you where we used to hunt for sea glass. Want to do this right."
"Dominic—"
"I need to see you, Cat. Alone. Away from everyone. Just you and me and the ocean. Can you do that?"
"Yes."
"Good. Wear whatever you want. Just... be there."
"I will."
"And Cat? Delete this conversation. All of it. We can't leave evidence."
"Evidence of what?"
"Of us. Of this. Whatever this becomes." He paused. "I meant what I said on the balcony. I'm falling for you. Have been for longer than I want to admit. And that terrifies me."
"Why?"
"Because loving someone means risking loss. And I don't know if I can survive losing someone else I love."
My throat tightened. "You won't lose me."
"You can't promise that."
"Then I'll just have to prove it."
He was quiet for a long moment.
"Six AM," he said finally. "Don't be late."
"I won't."
"Goodnight, Catalina."
"Goodnight, Dominic."
He hung up.
I sat in the dark, staring at my phone.
Then, following his instructions, I deleted every message. Every word. Every confession.
Like it never happened.
But my heart remembered every syllable.
I lay in bed, knowing sleep was impossible. My mind raced. Six hours until dawn. Six hours until I saw him.
Six hours until everything changed.
At midnight, another text came through.
Unknown: Are you asleep?
I smiled in the darkness.
Me: No. You?
Unknown: Can't. Thinking about tomorrow.
Me: Nervous?
Unknown: Terrified. You?
Me: Same.
Unknown: We can still change our minds. Call this off. Go back to being professional.
Me: Do you want that?
Long pause.
Unknown: No. God, no. But I need to know you're sure. Because once I kiss you, once I touch you, I won't be able to go back to pretending.
Me: I don't want you to pretend.
Unknown: Then tomorrow changes everything.
Me: I know.
Unknown: No regrets?
Me: None.
Unknown: I don't deserve you.
Me: Stop deciding what you deserve and just let yourself feel.
Unknown: You make it sound easy.
Me: It is easy. You just have to be brave enough to try.
Another pause.
Unknown: Six AM. Beach cove. Don't forget.
Me: I could never forget. I've been waiting for this since I was eight years old.
Unknown: I've been waiting too. I just didn't know it until you walked back into my life.
Me: Goodnight, Dominic. See you at dawn.
Unknown: Goodnight, my Catalina. Sleep well.
I deleted the conversation. Set my alarm for 5 AM.
And tried to sleep.
But all I could think about was tomorrow.
The beach. The sunrise. Dominic.
Finally.
At 5 AM, my alarm went off.
I shot out of bed like the mattress was on fire.
Threw on jeans and a green sweater. Brushed my teeth. Grabbed my keys.
Didn't bother with makeup. This wasn't about looking perfect.
This was about being real.
The drive to the beach felt endless. Every red light was torture. Every slow car in front of me a personal insult.
At 5:55 AM, I pulled into the empty parking lot.
One other car was there.
Dominic's black sports car.
My heart hammered as I got out. Walked across the cold sand.
The sun was just starting to peek over the horizon. The ocean was calm. Beautiful. Perfect.
And there he was.
Standing at the water's edge in jeans and a dark jacket. Hands in his pockets. Staring out at the waves.
Waiting for me.
I walked toward him, my feet sinking into sand.
He turned.
And the look on his face made my breath catch.
Not fear. Not hesitation.
Pure want.
"You came," he said.
"Did you think I wouldn't?"
"Part of me hoped you'd come to your senses."
"I did. That's why I'm here."
He smiled. Actually smiled. The first real smile I'd seen since he came home.
"Come here," he said softly.
I closed the distance between us.
We stood facing each other. So close I could feel his warmth. See the gold flecks in his green eyes. Count his heartbeats.
"I need to tell you something," he said. "Before we do this. Before we cross this line."
"Okay."
"I've thought about you for years." His voice was quiet. Honest. "When you were sixteen and hugged me goodbye before I left for Yale, I felt something I had no right to feel. You were too young. Sofia's best friend. So I ran."
My heart squeezed.
"At my dad's funeral, you were twenty-one. Beautiful and kind and everything I remembered. And I felt it again. Stronger. So I left as fast as I could. Barely said two words to you."
"I remember. I thought you didn't recognize me."
"I recognized you. That was the problem." He reached up, cupped my face with one hand. "You've been in my head for years, Catalina. This brilliant, kind, beautiful woman I had no right to want. And now you're here. And I'm done pretending."
"So stop pretending."
"If I kiss you, everything changes. We can't take it back."
"I don't want to take it back."
"We'll have to hide. Lie to Sofia. Sneak around like teenagers. Risk everything."
"I know."
"So why are we doing this?"
I looked up at him. This complicated, damaged, beautiful man.
"Because you make me feel alive," I said. "Because I've loved you since I was eight years old. Because I choose you, Dominic. Even knowing all the risks. I choose you."
His eyes closed. When they opened, they were bright with emotion.
"May I kiss you?"
"Yes."
He leaned down slowly. Giving me time to change my mind. To run.
I didn't run.
Our lips met.
Soft. Tentative. Perfect.
Then his hands slid into my hair, pulling me closer, and the kiss deepened.
Twelve years of longing poured into one desperate, perfect moment. He kissed me like I was air and he was drowning. Like I was the only thing keeping him alive.
I kissed him back with everything I had.
When we finally broke apart, both breathing hard, he rested his forehead against mine.
"We're really doing this," he whispered.
"Yes."
"Hiding from everyone. Lying to Sofia. Risking everything."
"Yes."
"No regrets?"
"None."
He kissed me again. Softer this time. Sweeter.
"We need rules," he said against my lips. "No one can know. Not yet. We figure this out first, then we tell people."
"Agreed."
"No obvious looks at work. No touching where people can see. We have to be careful."
"I know."
"And Cat?" He pulled back to look at me. "This isn't casual for me. I don't do casual anymore. If we're doing this, I'm all in. Completely. Are you?"
I looked into his eyes. Saw the fear there. The hope. The need.
"I'm all in," I promised.
He smiled. And it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.
"Then let's see where this goes."
We stood on the beach as the sun rose, wrapped in each other's arms.
Everything had changed.
And there was no going back.
I drove home at 7 AM glowing.
Dominic and I had stayed at the beach for an hour. Talking. Kissing. Planning.
We'd meet tonight at his place. His parents had a charity event. We'd have hours alone.
Just thinking about it made my heart race.
I walked into my apartment smiling.
Mom was in the kitchen making coffee.
"You're up early," she said. "And you look... happy. Really happy."
"Just went for a drive. Couldn't sleep."
She studied me. "You look different. Glowing, almost."
I felt my cheeks heat. "Just excited about the new job."
"Mmm." But her eyes were knowing. "Well, Elena called. She wants you and Dominic to start immediately. First planning meeting is Monday. You two will be working very closely."
"Great," I managed.
"She also mentioned Marcus stopped by the bakery yesterday. Asked about you."
My smile faded. "Mom—"
"I'm just saying. He's a good man, Cat. Successful. From a nice family. Your father and I always liked him."
"I know."
"And with you working so closely with Dominic..." She paused. "Just be careful. The Castellanos are wonderful, but Dominic's been through a lot. He's not in a place for complications right now."
If only she knew.
"I'll be careful," I lied.
My phone buzzed.
Unknown: Missing you already. Tonight can't come fast enough. -D
I smiled at my phone.
"Who's that?" Mom asked.
"Just Bella. Wants to grab lunch."
More lies.
But necessary ones.
For now.
My phone buzzed again.
Sofia: OMG can you believe I'm getting married in 6 months?! We need to start planning ASAP! You and Dom free this weekend for venue tours?
My stomach dropped.
Venue tours. With Sofia. And Dominic. Pretending we were just colleagues.
Just friends.
Just anything but what we actually were.
Me: Sounds perfect!
Another lie.
But what else could I say?
I looked at my reflection in the hallway mirror.
The girl staring back looked happy.
But scared too.
Because I'd just started something that could destroy everything.
And I had no idea how this story would end.