Three weeks of late nights, dinners, and hours lost in the back room of the coffee shop and I want her so badly I can hardly see straight.

I can't focus on anything. I hear her laugh in my dreams. Part of me is sure she must be a figment of my imagination. I couldn't have designed a better match if I tried...

Physically, she's enough to make my head spin, but it's so much more than that. She's passionate and warm, even with her guard up. When I get her to let the walls down for a while, she's everything. Aside from hobbies and interests, we can talk professionally for hours. She's curious and eager and even sexier, she knows her shit.

She would absolutely love Australia.

I'm lost in thought when she plops down in the seat beside me. Her slouched posture and heavy sigh are unusual.

"Everything alright?"

She sighs again, "yeah." Her mouth drops into a pout, "no... I don't know."

"What's wrong?" I don't mean to chuckle but her little pout is adorable.

"Today is just... a bad day. I didn't sleep well then the hot water is broken in my building so I had to take an icy shower. Then a guy in my sedimentology class spilled coffee on my feet." She kicks up her brown stained shoes.

"I-" my phone ringing cuts off my attempt to make her feel better. "It's Dr. Allen, I should take this."

Howling wind blows through the speaker into my ear, "Connor?" He's practically yelling.

"Dr. Allen?"

"There was an issue with the base computer. We need to reset all of the cameras. Can you drive out to a few of the beaches? If we split it up it won't take as long."

"Of course, text me which locations you want me to handle." As I hang up I grab her hand. "Come to the beach with me... or to several beaches, rather. I have to reset the cameras for Dr. Allen. You're having a bad day, the beach will help."

She thinks for a second and jumps up. "Let's go. The beach can only make this better."

As we drive, she flips through the giant book of CDs.

"Pick one," I eject the current CD and hand it to her.

"This is a heavy responsibility. The passenger seat DJ..." she studies each disc carefully.

After a few minutes, she hums and slides one into the player.

The Black Keys starts to blast through the speakers and she sways, singing along to the songs. I have to force myself to watch the road ahead. She already seems much happier than she was just fifteen minutes ago.

The cold wind whips through the air as we arrive at the first beach. As I reset the camera I show her all of the pieces. The weather monitor, the different sensors, and the solar pack they are attached to.

"This is amazing! How long are you going to be collecting the data?"

"Dr. Allen wants to get a whole year's worth. I can show you the charts if you want to see them, I mean..."

"I would love to see them." She tugs her sweater around her body tighter.

"I have another jacket in my truck, let me grab it for you."

"Thank you," the pink tint on her cheeks is probably from the cold but I'm going to pretend it's not...

The reset only takes about ten minutes but that's all it takes for the ocean breeze to sink into our bones.

"We can grab a coffee," I suggest when we get back to the car. I still have three more cameras on my list.

"Alright," her mood has shifted drastically. There is a quiet happiness about her now. The beach fixes everything,

"Hey, Evie," I clear my suddenly dry throat. "What are you doing tonight?"

"Nothing," her tone is suspicious.

"My friends are having a game night. Would you like to come with me?"

"Ok."

"Ok?" I jerk my head around to look at her.

"Hey! Eyes on the road!" She points ahead. "Yes, I'll go..."

Her eyes narrow as she looks at the huge, stupid smile on my face. We're going to go to that concert together.