Alex stood up, and the sand cascaded off him following Sophie's new pastime of burying him. He walked to the water eyeing Jen jumping with each wave. She was crazy staying in the water so long. As he walked toward her, she met him at a respectable distance.

"I was waiting for you to come in to rinse off."

"You're crazy. It's freezing out here."

She just laughed. "Go get warm. I'll be right there."

"I want to hold you against me and let the waves hit us," he said in a low voice.

"Me too. Next summer."

His heart soared. Did she realize the impact of her comment? That was the most long-term comment either had ever made ─ not that he didn't have long-term thoughts every day. He just didn't know she had them too.

Back on the beach, he dried off and let the sun warm him. He was talking to Peter about baseball when Peter said he was taking the twins to the game in Portland.

"There're fireworks!" Sophie added.

"Lucky you!" Alex said.

"We have an extra ticket. Megan can't go because our babysitter is busy."

Jen said to Megan, "I'll babysit if you want to go."

"You!" Alex said, "Can you even change a diaper?"

"It's been a while, but I babysat a lot. Have you changed a diaper?"

"I used to watch my half-brothers."

Megan snapped, "Stop fighting. Neither of you really want to."

Both answered, "Yes, I do."

Avery said, "Oh yes! I want to watch them!"

Jen said, "You guys can have drinks on the beach and watch the fireworks while I stay with Abbie."

"You're sure?" Megan asked, looking at Peter.

Jen answered, "Definitely!"

Peter shrugged. "Abbie's a trooper. She'll survive."

They left the beach to clean up so they could be back at Megan's by five. Alex felt excited about watching Abbie together.

While she was walking out the door, Megan said, "Don't kill each other. You remind me of a divorced couple I used to know!"

"What did she mean by that?" Jen asked.

"I don't know, but they ended up happy." Alex smiled.

He had an advantage with Abbie at the beginning because she knew him. Avery and Tom watched while Alex and Jen vied for her attention. Alex secretly thought the competition was fun.

Avery said, "Do you think they have a nanny cam?"

Alex wanted to kiss Jen, but was afraid to. Jen smelled it first and picked Abbie up. Unfortunately, she wanted Alex, so he had to go upstairs too. He watched. Jen was not as adept as Megan when she changed a diaper, but she definitely accomplished the job. She even managed all the snaps that went along with her little pajamas.

Alex imagined that Abbie was their child and whispered. "Watching you take care of her is sexy."

"You're crazy."

After Jen proved she could care for her, Abbie warmed up to her. She allowed Jen to read to her rock her and put her down to sleep following the routine that Megan had described. Alex watched and again imagined Jen as the mother of his child.

When they went downstairs, Jen told Avery the show was over and encouraged them to go out to get dinner and have fun at The Beach House.

Tom suggested they walk up to The Landing and bring dinner back. Alex said he'd stay and offered to pay, but Tom insisted they were all set. Once they left, Alex told Jen to follow him. He knew the layout of the house and stepped into the laundry room.

"Do you think they have nanny cams?"

He pulled her into his arms. He had been longing to hold her. Who knew babysitting could be so erotic? Actually, he and Cara having sex on the couch when they babysat at his father's. He kissed her and desperately wanted to tell her he loved her but stopped himself. He promised himself he would wait until she was free. They stayed hidden until they heard the others at the front door.

Later Jen convinced him to go to the beach to see the fireworks. He walked with Tom and Avery missing her. When they walked back from the beach, the others were home from the game. He didn't know where Jen was, so he sent a text they were going home.

She called him about thirty minutes after he arrived home. "I must have been with Megan when you came back. She wasn't in a hurry to kick me out."

"She knows you're leaving. We all miss you."

"You won't."

He was glad she changed her flight. Again he resisted the urge to speak the words always on his mind. He went to sleep thinking of the next day when Jen would be in his arms again.

In the morning, Tom cornered him while Avery was showering. "Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

"What do you mean?"

"Sneaking around. I'm afraid that you'll get hurt again."

"Me! You and Avery have been inseparable since the day you found her drunk in a bar."

"Hey, we love each other," Tom said defensively.

"What makes you think we don't?"

"She's New York and you're Maine. Why do you think that will ever change?"

"Because I'm willing to become New York if I need to."

"Are you crazy? You'll never be happy!"

"I will if I'm with Jen. Don't worry, she and I will find a way." Alex assured him.

He wanted to be annoyed with his brother, but Tom had raised his concerns out of love. Tom waited until Avery was not around. Somehow he suspected if Avery had concerns they would be that he could hurt Jen, but Alex had no intentions of doing that.

Alex was more than ready for his guests to leave after four days. He worried that maybe he was meant to be alone, but he knew being with Jen was different. He and Jen were happy just being together.

They picked up Jen as if Alex was taking them to catch their plane. Instead, Alex and Jen said goodbye to the others and went back to Alex's house. As soon as they arrived, Jen said, "That weekend was exhausting!"

"I feel the same way. I want my bed back and I want you in it."

Jen brought her things upstairs and changed the sheets. She was collecting the sheets and towels when Alex found her.

"I'll do that."

"I don't mind. I'll need some clean clothes too."

"I'm fine if you chose not to wear any."

Jen shook her head and laughed. They made the bed together and cuddled up on the fresh sheets for a nap. She slept in his arms better than she'd slept since she arrived in Maine.

After waking they stayed in each other's arms and talked. Jen told him she only wanted to stay with him. "Can't we just let my parents know? They will probably be thrilled."

"It's more than just your parents. What about Peter and Megan and let's not forget Kristi!"

"You're right. I'm just tired of pretending here. In New York, it's another story. Sterling will never understand."

"Let's just focus on now. You're here and that's making me very happy."

Later after he finished showing her just how happy he was, they ordered a pizza and each settled down to work. Jen was completing her designs for the Holts' who were buying Alex's house. Her vision improved by being in the house.

Alex went to work and Jen stayed busy. She checked in with Lexi who told her Trevor was working in the office. He didn't have any appointments that week either. Jen told her she'd be staying away.

When Alex came home on Thursday he said, "There is a heavy box outside with your name on it. Have you started ordering for this house already?"

"No, it's something I bought. Can you bring it in?" She opened the box to reveal a variety of pots and pans and other kitchen items. He looked at her with a cocked eyebrow. "I told you I wanted to cook for you. I'm tired of eating out."

"But we don't have any food."

"We do. I took an Uber over to South Portland and back. I knew I wouldn't see anyone I knew."

"You really planned all this for me?"

"For us. I'll get started."

"I want to watch."

"Watch! You can help." She teased and kissed him. "I hope you aren't a picky eater. I never thought to ask."

"No, I'll eat anything you make for me." He kissed her back.

Jen felt as good cooking as she had when she started drawing. She was rediscovering her true self. She and Megan always helped both their mothers cook. Megan's mother, Marie was a great cook and loved teaching the girls from the time they were little. Jen wondered if she had taught Sophie and Nick yet.

Alex praised her dinner and even volunteered to clean up. They cleaned up together and Jen put all her purchases away. "You know it's all going to be packed up in a few weeks?"

"We'll save the box."

She needed to meet with the Holts'. She offered to go to Boston, but they insisted they would come to Maine that weekend. She made Alex sound so accommodating when he agreed to let them meet at his house.

The meeting went well, and she had the green light to go ahead with her designs. Alex, who was present when they met, explained that she hired him to make the changes and agreed to get started before the closing. She called Sterling to give him an update. She would work in Maine the first of August.

Sterling asked, "How many days do you need?"

"Two or three, but maybe I should take a little vacation while I'm there and take the rest of the week off."

"Jennifer, we never take a vacation, especially after you disappeared for two weeks in March."

"Sterling, don't even bring up what happened in March. I know we rarely take vacations, but that's something we should change. I work twelve hours a day more often than not. You know what my billings are. I deserve a break."

"We'll discuss it later." He dismissed her.

Jen had already decided she was not telling anyone she was in Maine when she worked at Alex's house. July flew by, and she was busy. It was not unusual for design projects to be scheduled while the clients were vacationing. Still, she traveled all but one weekend when Alex came to New York.

She had settled into her new apartment which nobody knew about. She enjoyed being alone, so she was free to talk to Alex most of the evening. The last Friday in July he used men from his crew to move his limited belongings to the ugly house which wasn't as ugly anymore.

On the phone the night before, Alex said, "I'm tired of moving from house to house. Once the house on The Point is done, I'll never have to move again." He paused and said, "Sorry. I mean unless I have to."

Jen understood what he meant about the house on The Point being his final house. She had also decided long ago that if - when they decided it's time to be together, she would never ask Alex to live in New York. Deep down, she wanted to raise her children on The Point. She needed to go away to discover that. When she was growing up, she wanted to get as far away as possible, but she never meant she didn't want to visit. All those years of being prevented from returning showed her how much she missed that stretch of land she grew up on.

She fought with Sterling, but he allowed her not to schedule any other appointments for that week. She agreed to work from Maine as she would be busy for the rest of August. It was a minor victory. She arrived on Friday evening and rented a car which she drove to the new house. When she arrived Alex greeted her by gathering her into his arms and holding her. They were content that way until they both needed more of the other and sought it out.