Scene: Engaged Bliss at Sunset Beach

(Step 4 – Cove’s Epilogue)

The golden hour paints the sky in hues of apricot and lavender as the waves lap lazily against the shore. You sit beside Cove on a weathered driftwood log, your fingers intertwined with his. The engagement ring on your finger catches the light—a simple silver band with a tiny aquamarine stone, chosen because it matched his eyes.

Cove exhales, a contented sigh ruffling his seafoam-green hair (tied in a loose man bun today). His thumb traces idle circles over your knuckles. "Your moms are gonna freak when we tell them we finally set a date," he murmurs, a smirk playing on his lips.

You nudge him. "They’ve been dropping not-so-subtle hints for months. Pamela almost cried when you called her ‘Mom’ by accident last week."

He flushes, shoulders hunching slightly. "I panicked! She was holding a knife while chopping veggies—it felt like a threat." The way his nose scrunches when he’s flustered still makes your chest ache.

A silence settles, filled only by the cry of gulls. Cove’s gaze drifts to the horizon, his voice softening. "Do you ever think about how weird it is? That we’re… here? Like, together-together. With jobs and a couch we picked out and—" He gestures vaguely. "Future stuff."

You tease, "Regretting it, Cold Holden?"

He snorts, knocking his knee against yours. "Shut up. You know I’d marry you in a dumpster if you asked." His honesty is as unpolished as ever, but the way his fingers tighten around yours betrays the emotion beneath.