The Sway and Slide of Love

Dylan had brought another gift for Rosie-a fluffy, white bunny plushie.

This time, Rosie didn't refuse it. After getting Noelle's permission, she thanked Dylan and hugged the bunny tightly to her chest.

Dylan smiled at her before turning his attention to Noelle. "How have you two been lately?"

"We've been doing well."

"That's good. I saw the news today. It's great that everything's been cleared up. Does that mean your work can move forward smoothly now?"

Noelle nodded. "More or less."

"Awesome!" Dylan said with a nod.

But soon, the conversation between them lulled into silence. Before coming here, Dylan had planned to say a lot to Noelle. Yet now, he suddenly didn't know how to begin.

In the end, it was Noelle who broke the silence first. Is work not keeping you busy?"

"Oh, it's been manageable lately," Dylan replied. "The last quarter's projects wrapped up nicely, so I've got a bit of a break these days. Otherwise, I wouldn't have had time to come see you. Actually, I was about to ask you are there any fun places to visit around Stormridge?"

He couldn't make himself any more obvious if he tried.

Even though Noelle naturally picked up on his hint, she still answered honestly, "Not really."

It was the truth.

Stormridge was a small, third-tier city, mostly populated by long-time residents and elderly folks. Children sent to live with relatives were a common sight, but young adults were few and far between.

As for tourist attractions? There were none to speak of.

So, the idea of Dylan coming here for vacation was almost laughable.

"How about we go to the neighboring city instead?" he suddenly suggested.

Rosie, who had been quietly eating, immediately looked up at the mention of a trip.

Dylan smiled and continued, "I've already looked it up. There's a beach resort over there that's perfect for families, Rosie's just recovered from her illness, so she shouldn't be doing anything too strenuous. This would be just right for her."

It was clear that Dylan had done his homework. He pulled up the resort's

promotional material on his phone and handed it to Noelle.

Noelle glanced at Rosie before taking the phone. The resort's photos looked inviting, but the idea of going on a trip with Dylan Noelle wasn't sure about that yet.

"Don't worry. book two separate rooms," he added with a smile. "I won't overstep any boundaries. I just want to take you and Rosie out for a relaxing time. Besides, you know my relationship with my family has been quite strained because of the ineident with my dad.noveldrama

"In fact, my mom hasn't spoken to me in years. So, I honestly have no idea where

to go for this vacation."

As Dylan spoke, a wry smile crossed his face.

Noelle pursed her lips and finally said, "Let me think about it."

...

When she got home, Noelle went online to look up the resort herself. The reviews were mostly positive, and many guests had brought their children along.

There was even a small beach where kids could play in the sand and splash in the water. For Rosie, who was still recovering, it did seem like a good option.