Cold feet

Carson cocks his head, just watching Dalton for a moment. Did Dani even know how much this hulk loved her? 

"I kept wondering when you were gonna ask her," he admits. "Not that she'd tell me if she was engaged. She hates my guts right now. But I figured you were gonna pop the question for quite a while now." 

He gives Dalton a wry grin. "Don't tell me you got cold feet... Dani isn't all that scary is she?"

"Hey now..." Eli gives his sister a teasing glare. "Scarlet doesn't need any more reasons to laugh at me. I do well enough without falling off couches." 

Tal snickers. "You're getting better at dissing yourself, you know that?"

"Thank you." Eli gives a little bow. "But now, ladies and gentlemen, I'm running out of time for lunch. So I'm gonna go and I'll see you both..." He shrugs. "Whenever." 

"Yeah, yeah. See ya." Tal waves him out the door, quiet until he and Ryan are left alone once more. Looking down at her, he smiles, grateful for the bit of support she was giving him, while at the same time enjoying her touch as much as he always did. "So... shall we say... seven o'clock tonight?" 

Straddling his parked motorcycle, Alec looks out across the deserted beach on the lake. There was a chilly breeze - the most likely reason that no one else was here today. He was though... but his mind was very far away. It was filled with images of the past... images of him and Ryan enjoying each other's company as they spent hours just walking on the beach or sitting in the sand. Holding hands. Kissing. Driving in her car with no destination. Making out on the couch. Teasing. Laughing.

And now... it was all gone.

He'd known it before. He'd known that he'd messed up. He'd had no hope of gaining back Ryan's trust, let alone her heart. But over the last couple weeks, somehow, some hope had been reborn. And after today, it was as if he had just lost Ryan all over again. Only this time... this time his eyes were not blinded by pride. This time he could see that his mere presence put Ryan on edge. Upset her. Made her unhappy. Eli had been right. It was Tal she belonged with. Not him. Alec didn't deserve her in any way shape or form. He'd known it already but... today just seemed to drive home that fact. He was a worthless no-good, and he knew that if he wanted Ryan to be happy, then she should be with Tal instead.

Looking down at his hand, he unfolds a small note. On it was his own handwriting, and it simply said, "Ryan." And slowly, slowly, he tears the note into tiny pieces, clenching them tightly in his fist.

His eyes rise to the lake once more as the sun spread its rays across the rippling water. Then reaching out his hand, he opens his palm. The breeze swirls around him, picking up the scraps of paper and carrying them towards the sky, never to be seen again. Alec kisses his fingers and points them to the wind. "Goodbye, Ryan," he whispers.

Would he be able to move on? He had his doubts. But he wouldn't get in Ryan's way any longer. What they had shared... was no more...