Winning Back His Ex's Wife's Broken Heart by Hayley

Chapter 104

Sarah pov.

I'll never forget the look on Richard's face when I told him he was in for a "casual" night.

He'd just come back from the beach with hair full of sand, and I'd told him to go rinse off and get ready for a surprise dinner. He'd arched an eyebrow, squinting at me in that way he does when he's trying to figure out if I'm joking.

"You? Planning a dinner? Who's helping you?" he teased, grinning.

I rolled my eyes, pretending to be annoyed. "I can plan a romantic dinner, Richard," I shot back, trying to look as serious as possible.

His laughter echoed through the room. "Alright, I'm trusting you! But if this involves takeout from that burger place down the road..." "Oh, you just wait," I said, shooing him off to get dressed.

Once he was gone, I took a deep breath and gave everything a last look.

I'd spent hours setting up this sunset dinner-just the two of us, on the beach, with candles and fairy lights strung up around a small table, and a local chef prepping fresh seafood nearby. I wanted this night to be special, to show him how much he really meant to me.

By the time Richard came down, the sun was just starting to set, painting the sky in shades of pink and gold. He looked around, a little stunned, and then his eyes landed on me. "Wow," he said, his voice soft. "You really did all this?"

I nodded, feeling my cheeks warm. "Surprised?"

He pulled me in for a hug. "More than surprised, Sarah. This is... perfect."

I smiled, breathing in the ocean air, feeling the warmth of his arms around me. I wanted to hold onto this moment, this feeling of peace and love.

salads waited, along with a bottle of sparkling water chilling in an ice bucket. "Look at you, going all out,"

laughed, rolling my eyes. "I told you. I know how to be

the sky continued to change colors, becoming deeper and richer as the sun dipped lower. We talked about everything and nothing, just like we used to. He told me about the time he tried to cook his mom breakfast in bed and set off the smoke alarm. "So there I was," he said, gesturing with his fork, "holding a burnt frying pan, the alarm blaring, and my mom looking at me like I'd just broken

so hard I nearly choked on my

ten," he shrugged, chuckling. "Back then, I thought I was a

more serious. I watched him as he spoke, his face glowing in the candlelight. There was something different about him here, something softer, more open. "Can I tell you something?" I asked, feeling a little

table, taking my

like we've been through so much.

he began, his voice steady, "we're here because we both chose to be here. I know things haven't always been easy. But I love you, and I don't plan on going anywhere." My heart fluttered, a warmth spreading through me. "I love you too," I whispered, squeezing

moment, the sounds of the waves and the flickering of the

after a beat, breaking the silence, "what's next for

I repeated, a little thrown

we go from here? What

horizon. "I don't know. I mean, I want us to keep doing things

serious. "Me too. I want us to be a team, no matter

I said, feeling a surge of confidence. "That we'll always make time for each other. No matter how busy things

smiled, lifting his glass. "To always

my glass against his, feeling a sense of contentment settle over me. It felt like a fresh start, a

sand cool beneath our feet. I leaned into him, feeling his arm wrap around me as we

best night," I said, glancing up at

me. "All thanks to you, Miss Romantic Dinner

I teased, giving him a playful nudge. "Not everyone

closer. "Oh, I appreciate it,