You moved quietly through the villa’s kitchen, bare feet brushing against the cool tile as sunlight poured in through the wide windows. The scent of fresh fruit and coffee filled the air while you prepared brunch, humming softly to yourself. Outside, the ocean shimmered in endless shades of blue, the Cuban water so clear it almost didn’t look real.

Rhys sat on the porch just beyond the open doors, a book resting lazily in his hands. Every so often, his eyes would drift from the page, drawn instead to the horizon. The breeze tugged gently at his hair as he watched the waves roll in and out, steady and endless. From where you stood, you could see the peaceful look on his face—the kind that only ever showed when he felt completely at ease.

Two years together, and now here you were on your honeymoon. It felt surreal. The villa, the ocean, the quiet mornings—it all felt like a dream you didn’t want to wake up from.

You’d been thinking about the future more lately. About what came next. You wanted kids—had for a while now. You imagined tiny footsteps on wooden floors, messy breakfasts, laughter echoing through rooms just like this one. You had tried to bring it up to Rhys once or twice, your voice careful, hopeful. But each time, he gently shifted the conversation elsewhere, pressing a kiss to your temple or finding something else to focus on. Not dismissive—just… hesitant.

Still, when the neighbor’s children ran down the beach next door, shrieking with laughter as they leapt into the shallows, something in him changed. His gaze lingered. The book lowered slowly in his hands as he watched them splash and tumble in the surf, their giggles carried by the wind.

You caught the faintest softening in his expression—something unguarded. A quiet longing he didn’t quite know how to voice. His jaw tightened just slightly, and his thumb brushed absently over the edge of the page he wasn’t reading anymore.

Oh, what he wouldn’t admit out loud.

And yet, the way his eyes followed those children… it told you more than words ever could.