They walked along in silence for a moment. Then Sarah said, “I’ve been thinking about your offer.”
He tensed. “Oh yeah?”
“I don’t like you treating me as if I’m just other another business deal.”
“I didn’t mean to.”
“Well, that’s how it felt.”
“Aw, come on, I’ve never been good at expressing my feelings. You know that.”
“But I want you to tell me how you feel. I need to hear you say it.”
“You don’t need me to spell it out for you, sweetheart. You know how I feel.”
“But I don’t. How could I unless you tell me? I mean, you wouldn’t do a business deal without spelling it out, would you? Look, I’m not saying that I want you gushing sweet-nothings every five minutes, but if you could just tell me how you feel. Not what you want. How you feel. That’s all I need, Dylan. Just to know.”
“I find it hard to do that.”
“Why?”
The breeze tousled his curls. “I don’t know. We just don’t really do that in my family.”
“That’s not true. I’ve heard Adam telling Amy he loves her. And Ivan told Joseph. You’re just uptight.”
He halted and gasped. “Uptight!”
She chuckled. “Yeah, you are. Why can’t you just do something for the sake of it? Be in this moment. Find some joy for joy’s sake.”
“What are you saying?”
“How can I put it any clearer, Dylan? Just tell me how you feel about me. Why can’t you?”
Dylan set his face to determined and he suddenly grabbed her by the upper-arms. “Right, if you really need to know – I love you, okay? I never got over you. I regret encouraging you to leave every single day. You left a hole in my heart, and you’re the only one who can fill it. I’m miserable without you, Sarah – you’re like the other half of my soul. I need you back in my life. I want you back in my life, because when you’re around, my life is fucking complete. Now that I’ve found you again, there’s no way I’m ever letting you go. Not ever. Okay? Does that spell it out for you? You’re like the sunshine in my life. I love you, I love you, I fucking love you!”
Sarah stared at him in shock. Dylan had never said anything like that before. She opened her mouth to splutter out a reply, but he suddenly pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately like a 1950s Hollywood hero.
With clashing tongues and desperate lips, the kiss encompassed all the feelings that had been repressed over the years since they’d parted at the airport. But now Dylan had the force of adulthood behind him, making this kiss the most tremendous thing Sarah had ever encountered. It was angry, loving, and passionate all in one. The world spun drunkenly as she sank into the strong arms supporting her trembling body. He continued to kiss her hard and possessively – showing h
er how much he cared, now that he’d told her so openly.
Eventually, he eased away and gazed into her eyes. There was a sparkle in them that she’d never seen before. A sparkle of love, and maybe… liberation.
Dylan’s serious face cracked into a smirk, and he laughed. Sarah laughed, too. Then she was suddenly aware of their audience – Ivan and Joseph. The two started to whoop and applaud. Sarah shyly crumpled into Dylan’s arms and he held her close.
“I love you, okay?” he said into her ear.
“Me too, Dylan,” she said, now terrified to admit it herself.
Ivan smirked. “Adam’ll be pleased to hear he’s won your ten-grand bet, Dylan!”
Dylan laughed freely, like a child. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll call him later and tell him to spend it on something sensible.”
Joseph grinned. “He’s already decided to give it to a charity of Amy’s choice. Adam knew – we all knew – he would win!”
Dylan pulled Sarah close and kissed her on the side of the head. “Yeah, truthfully – as soon as I saw her – I knew too.”
They were still standing very close to the water’s edge, and it was possible that at any moment an extra big wave would drench their feet. But suddenly Sarah didn’t care. The sky was alive with the threat of a storm. They were about to get soaked either by the ocean or by the weather. Ivan and Joseph stood beside them and Sarah realised that they looked peaceful too. She guessed they’d just been having an open conversation about how much they’d missed each other – just as she and Dylan had. There was an unspoken bond between them all now. Lost loves reunited. They smiled silently as a joyful feeling of affection bubbled around them. Something was different now – better somehow.