"Hey," Art whispers while you two stand on the villa's balcony overlooking the ocean, and his strong arms curl around your middle to pull you flush against his chest. It doesn't take being overly observant to know your mind's racing right now, so Art gently kisses your shoulder before letting his chin rest there. "Talk to me."

If he's right about what's currently bothering you— he usually is, he can read you like an open book— then it probably has something to do with the little tiff you and Lily got into when the three of you were checking in at the front desk. While he'd been handling the room booking, you'd asked Lily what activities she wanted to try at the resort, only to get no response. And when he'd cut in to ask Lily to answer you, the girl had only rolled her eyes and continued playing her Nintendo.

Art knows that your biggest priority has been to get along with his daughter. First, it'd been getting Tashi's approval when he'd introduced his ex-wife to you as his new partner. It had taken a while, but Tashi eventually gave you both the clear to slowly ease Lily into things and to involve you in her life. Maybe he'd been a bit hasty to think that things would improve after the wedding last year, but he just wants his new spouse and his daughter to get along.

Hence the current vacation to the Maldives with the three of you; Lily's on summer break, and he'd convinced Tashi to let him take her for two weeks so you three could spend time together and (hopefully) get along. There's already been a bump in the road, sure, but Art's hopeful that by the end of the trip things between you and Lily will be better.

Speaking of her, Art knows she's most likely exploring the villa so he knows he has enough time to comfort you. Squeezing you just a bit more in his arms, he takes your left hand in his and watches your wedding ring glow in the sun.

"Everything's going to be fine," he whispers, waiting for you to look at him in response. "Lily'll be fine... this'll be good for us. Let's just relax, okay?"