**Part 3**

Daniel’s text arrived ten minutes later: *Found a spot. Be there in five.*

Emma read it, then set the phone down again. She still hadn’t let go of Ryan’s hand.

“Five minutes,” she said quietly.

“Yeah.”

She looked down at their joined hands, then back up at him. “If he walks in and sees this, he’s going to know.”

Ryan nodded. “He will.”

“And he’ll have questions.”

“Probably a lot of them.”

Emma was quiet for a moment. Outside, another group of travelers rolled their suitcases past the café windows. She traced her thumb slowly over the back of his hand, like she was thinking.

“I don’t want to hide it from him,” she said finally. “But I also don’t want the first time we talk about this to be in the middle of the airport with my brother standing there.”

“Then we won’t,” Ryan said. “We can let go when he gets here. Tell him later. When it’s just the three of us. Or just the two of you. Whatever you want.”

She studied him. “You’re really okay with that?”

“I’ve kept it quiet for five years. I can keep it quiet for one more night if it makes this easier for you.”

Emma’s expression softened. She glanced toward the entrance, then back at him. “I told him to take his time because I wanted a few more minutes. Not because I was scared of him finding out.”

“I know.”

“I just… wanted this part to be ours first.”

Ryan felt something warm settle in his chest. He lifted their hands and pressed a light kiss to her knuckles, right there at the table. It was small. Careful. But it still made her breath catch.

“It is ours,” he said.

Her eyes stayed on him. For a second she looked like she might say something else, but then her gaze flicked past his shoulder. Ryan turned just enough to see Daniel walking toward the café, scanning the tables, car keys still in his hand.

Emma didn’t pull away immediately. She held on for one more second, her fingers тιԍнтening around his, then slowly let go as Daniel got closer. When she sat back, the sleeves of Ryan’s jacket were still pushed up past her wrists.

Daniel reached the table and stopped, looking between them. “You two look way too calm. Should I be worried?”

Emma glanced at Ryan, the corner of her mouth lifting just slightly.

“No,” she said. “We’re fine.”

Ryan met Daniel’s eyes and managed a small, steady smile. “Flight was delayed. We’ve just been talking.”

Daniel dropped into the empty chair with a sigh. “Talking. Right. And neither of you killed each other. I’m impressed.”

Under the table, Emma’s foot brushed lightly against Ryan’s. Just once. A quiet reminder that the last few minutes hadn’t been a dream.

Ryan kept his face neutral as he answered Daniel, but his hand stayed open on his thigh, still warm from where hers had been.

“Yeah,” he said. “Surprised me too.”