Chapter 4 – Heatwaves and Hesitations

POV: Esme / Joel Bill’s birthday was already buzzing by the time Esme stepped into the backyard. Henry’s place looked like it belonged in a magazine: string lights crisscrossed above the patio, a cooler full of drinks nestled in the shade, and the barbecue already smoked with promise. Laughter bounced off the pool water like sunlight. “C’mon!” Sarah shouted from the deep end, flailing one arm and dramatically splashing. “You said you’d swim!” Esme laughed, slipping off her sandals and tugging her sundress over her head, revealing the forest-green bikini underneath. “I’m coming, I’m coming!” She waded in, the heat of the day giving way to the cool relief of the water. Sarah immediately splashed her, shrieking in delight, and they fell into an easy rhythm of games and laughter. For a few moments, Esme let herself sink into that rare feeling: peace. Lightness. But when she glanced toward the patio, she froze—not from nerves, but from the sudden awareness of being watched. Joel stood near the grill, beer in hand, spatula idle. His gaze had landed on her—just for a second—and then slid away, almost guiltily. Esme’s heart gave a traitorous flutter. She turned back to Sarah, forcing herself to focus on the splashing girl instead of the man with the quiet eyes and the weathered hands. Joel hadn’t meant to look. Not really. He’d just been flipping burgers and checking the cooler when Esme walked out and— Damn. She laughed, hair curling damp around her cheeks, water trailing down her skin in slow, glinting lines. Her bikini clung to her body, hugging curves that made Joel’s chest tighten. Her waist, the soft slope of her hip, the long line of her legs beneath the water—he noticed all of it. More than he should’ve. And still, there was something else. A quiet strength behind the softness. She looked at ease, like she belonged in the sunlight. Like she’d fought through fire and come out steady. He quickly looked away and focused back on the grill, jaw tightening. She was Henry’s daughter. And she was young. Too young for him. Right? “You’re staring,” came a voice at his elbow. Joel blinked and turned to find Bill grinning around a toothpick, eyes sharp. Joel grunted. “I’m flipping burgers.” “Uh-huh,” Bill said. He leaned in slightly, voice lowering just enough to stay between them. “Listen, I’m not gonna give you the whole protective uncle speech. But that girl’s been through hell. You probably know that already.” Joel didn’t answer. Just kept his eyes on the grill. “She’s not fragile,” Bill added. “But she’s still healing. So… if you’re gonna look at her like that, just make sure you’re not looking to forget your own pain.” Joel’s jaw flexed, but he nodded once. The warning was fair. Maybe even earned. As Joel navigated his feelings for Esme, he couldn't shake the sense that he was walking a thin line between care and attraction. He knew he had to be careful, not just for himself, but for Esme's well-being and her trust in him. Esme, sensing Joel's gaze, felt a shiver run down her spine. She knew she had to be careful around him, too, but she couldn't help the way she felt. As she swam and laughed with Sarah, she caught Joel watching her again, and this time, she held his gaze for a moment, a spark of connection flying between them. The party continued, with laughter and music filling the air, but Joel and Esme's connection remained a quiet, unspoken thing, waiting to be explored.