the widow.

"Thank you," she smiled at him, "No, it's a fine time, really." She waved off the concern, not wanting him to feel unwelcome. "Please, you can bring it in." Solana assured once more. "I can make us something to drink," she smiled warmly in his direction as she moved back up the steps to open up the door. "I really appreciate you bringing this by, Lucas." Solana meant it, too. She just only hoped that Lucas wasn't upset with her since revealing her relationship with Arlo. @lucaswilder

Solana's laughter was quiet, but her smile was bright. "I know, it's not that I didn't want to, but," she looked to Beckett who had woken up from their conversation. Solana nodded her head in response to Lexi's question, holding out her arms to take the newborn, "I didn't want to make it seem like I wasn't also excited to see this little man and you, of course." She had never been the type to want to seem like she was overshadowing anyone. "Plus," she adjusted Beckett in her arms after Lexi handed him off, "I'm still getting used to saying it. And being happy, if that makes sense." @lexiselliot

"They do seem to be a popular marine animal to like." She imagined it was because of their intelligence and cute noises, but it's not like she was conducting some survey. "I was just out this way and thought I'd stop in. I haven't been in some time." In fact, she hadn't thought she been at all this year. "Are you off soon so I can keep bugging you?" Solana questioned with a smile pulling the corners of her lips upward while she asked it. "Or should I keep wandering around the aquarium on my own?" @tylerxday

"No, not even a little bit." She said, shaking her head before another laugh pushed over her lips. Tanner always had a certain way of catching her off guard after she thought she had her figured out. "Nope, didn't even think about it." She adamantly shook her head. "I think it really would have been too weird for me. Both of my best friends?" Because at the end of the day, that was what they had started out as, all three of them. "Well," her laughter was quieter this time, "the two of us should take a killer vacation instead. I think you'd have way more fun with me anyhow." @tannerkohli

Lucas turned his truck outside of Solana's place and hopped out. His parents had sent him over with a bookshelf they wanted to give to her and he was tasked to drop it off. He rounded the truck and popped the tailgate down before he went to the door and knocked; wanting to make sure she was home before he started unloading it. He waited a moment after knocking and once the door opened, he smiled at her. "Hey, Solana. I got that bookshelf Mom and Dad wanted to give you."

Solana opened up the door only a few moments after she had heard a knock at the door. She was surprised to see Lucas standing at the door, but then she looked down at the watch on her wrist. She had been expecting him but the day had flown by quicker than she had anticipated. "Hey," she smiled in greeting for him. "Thank you." She was grateful to still be in the lives of the Wilder family after all the grief that had endured. She pushed the door further open. "Do you need help carrying it? I can't promise to be the best help, but I will certainly try." @lucaswilder

Arlo's hands pressed on either side of Solana's face brought him comfort. It grounded him in a way that he wasn't even sure made sense, yet, he wasn't sure he wanted to make sense of anything. As she spoke, admitting she wanted to do this with him he nodded, leaning forward so his forehead was now touching hers again before he kissed her again, this time with a little more passion than he'd done before. "I want to, too." he added once he'd pulled away. "I don't think I need perfect." he laughed. "Nothing about me has ever been perfect. I just need patience. Maybe a little more forgiveness sometimes." he added again, leaning forward to kiss her again, this time a little more softly. "Let's do it. Let's try." he shrugged. "I don't think I care enough about the 'risk' to be worried about that right now." @solanaxortiz

Solana melted into the kiss, her hands moving to hold onto his as they cupped her face. She was certain if she hadn't, she might have fallen over. The kiss ended far too quickly, but his words took her breath away. And then another kiss. Solana's lips curled into a bright smile as he pulled away once more. "Yes. Let's try." She let her fingers slip between her cheeks and his hands, pulling them away so that she could intertwine their fingers to one another. "I want you and only you." The words were barely above a whisper, but the distance between them was so minimal. @arlocontreras

Solana paused for a beat, "Okay well, I didn't want to make it about me," the smile on her lips grew. "I - well, maybe this won't come as a surprise because it doesn't seem to be a surprise to some people, but Arlo and I are dating." It had only been a few days, but the news fell from her lips with the kind of giddy excitement she never thought she'd feel again. "You are too kind," she said with a shake of her head, "but how can I deny the requests of a new mother." @lexiselliot

Solana enjoyed coming to the aquarium. There was something comforting about the low lighting as she walked between the fish swimming peacefully in their tanks. Solana had walked toward the dolphins, catching the tail end of the educational segment. She moved out of the way, only circling back once she knew all the kids had cleared out. "Hi, Tyler." She smiled warmly in his direction as she approached. "I caught the end of it. You're very good with the kids up there." She complimented him, smiling still. @tylerxday

"Yeah, no kidding. I didn't see it coming." Which was the truth. Yes, Solana had always loved Arlo. That was a given. He was her first love but at the time, they all knew Vance had been the safer of the options. She never regretted her time spent with Vance and knew that if it wasn't for the accident, they'd still be married but now having got a taste of Arlo in that way, she wouldn't be able to go back. Wouldn't be able to pretend it didn't exist in her life. "Oh my God, a threesome?" Solana squeaked, shaking her head. "We never talked about that, I swear." She found herself laughing this time. "What was the wager on that bet?" @tannerkohli

"Mm, you have a point." She frowned in his direction, but not because she was disappointed with his options. "There are a lot of things to go and do out there." It was about time she did a little more for herself and less for others, right? "I might drag you along to some of these things. Just until I get used the whole concept of fun again." Solana teased him, nudging him gently. "But that's what family is for, right?" @lucaswilder

The feeling of her lips pressed against his own was electrifying, and Arlo too felt like he'd stopped breathing. Her fingers curled against the fabric of his shirt sent a wave through him, his left hand that had simultaneously pressed against her side now pulling her closer as they kissed. And they stood there, lips pressed against each other for what felt like an eternity. His heart was no longer beating out of his chest, now comforted by the familiar smell of her shampoo, the way she seemed to fit against him like a puzzle piece. It was nearly overwhelming, and Arlo didn't want to stop. Yet he did, bringing the hand that was pressed to her side to her cheeking, both hands now cupping her face as he gently pulled away, eyes now open and searching hers. His forehead pressed against hers as he exhaled a shaky breath himself, smile growing. "You don't know how damn long I've wanted to do that." he whispered. @solanaxortiz

With both of his hands now cupping her cheeks, their foreheads met. The shakiness of his breath brought a smile to her lips. He had felt the same sparks that she had. "I think I have a pretty good idea." Solana's own voice was shaky in response. She worried that he would be able to hear the rapid beating of her heart inside her chest. Solana pulled back, only slightly so that she could look better into his eyes. "I want to do this with you, Arlo. I have loved you for as long as I can remember." The version of love had taken different shapes over the years, but it had always been there for her, in one way or another. "I can't promise that it will be perfect. Nothing ever is, but I want this. I want you." @arlocontreras

Solana laughed with a shake of her head. "Honestly, I know that I could." She paused for a beat, her pulse quickening as she worked up the courage to admit to Tanner on why she wouldn't do more than look. "Honestly, this is going to sound insane." At least, it felt insane to her, "But I have feelings for Arlo. Like Vance's best friend Arlo." They had always been three peas in a pod. "It's a wild notion, honestly. When I realized it, nothing had even happened between us." At this point, she doubted anything ever would, "but it was just that like click?" She shook her head. "I don't know that it makes any sense." @tannerkohli

"Yeah, that would be great." She smiled at him, her brow raising as he brought up the summer camps at Equestrian Estates. "Oh, that will be great. I do love the horses there." She'd been a few times, but not in quite some time. "Do you think I'm too old for a horse day camp?" She joked, knowing that she was. "Yeah? What kind of suggestions are you giving?" She raised her brow at him once more, almost as a challenge. She was curious to what Lucas would give her for ideas. @lucaswilder

It's us. A sentence that had always brought him joy suddenly made his stomach lurch at the mere thought of ruining everything he'd always known. His entire life. Even when he'd been traveling the world he'd always known that he had a home in Kismet Harbor as long as Solana was there. And just like when they were in high school, she'd welcomed Arlo back into her life like he'd never left. Partially because he'd never left, truly. Her admission just confirmed that he'd been living within her heart for a lot longer than he'd ever have known otherwise. "Sometimes I want to." he nodded, eyes shifting to meet her gaze for a minute, only to look away before he spoke again. The way his name sounded off her lips made him melt; she'd spoken his name so many times but something about this time made his heart flutter and he looked up, watching as she shifted closer. She spoke, words a whisper and Arlo felt like he stopped breathing. He shifted, trying to keep himself from hyperventilating before he let his hand move, press against her cheek, thumb brushing skin and he leaned forward. Slowly at first, his eyes focusing on her before he closed them and let his lips touch hers in one slow but swift motion. @solanaxortiz

For a moment, she forgot how to breathe. As his hand pressed against her and thumb brushed along her skin. She'd imagined this before, more times than she'd care to admit. But, it was decades ago, when it was easier to bury her feelings beneath their friendship. When his lips found hers, her eyes slipped close. The kiss was soft at first. There was history between them, years of shared memories, grief, and love. Solana let out a shaky breath, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt as she kissed him back. With their lips met, she leaned into him more, using her hand in his shirt as a balance. Something was unraveling in her because it felt less like something new and more like coming home. @arlocontreras

Hearing his name on her lips made his gaze shift, focusing on her for a moment. There was a heaviness in her voice, one that he hated because he just knew he'd been the cause of it. And he'd never wanted to be the reason Solana was ever crying; even if it was because he was finally admitting he loved her. Or more so that he'd never stopped.

The weight of the realization had felt heavier than it should, and while Arlo should've been relieved that Solana had never lost feeling for him, there was a part of him that felt even more guilty because she had chosen Vance. He'd been guaranteed to give her the life she'd deserved and even if he'd thought leaving town would make him forget it all, there was a reason moving back to Kismet Harbor had felt safe. Lana had just been the reason he'd stayed. She'd needed him for a lot longer than he'd even realized and in knowing that Vance was no longer here to protect her, Arlo made himself available because at the time he thought it was because that's what Vance would've wanted. But now he was wondering if it hadn't been Vance pushing him to stay because Solana needed Arlo in a way he hadn't realized at the time.

"What are we supposed to do with it?" he questioned, voice thick as he felt the tears forming in his eyes as he glanced back up at her. "I don't think I can not be with you, but there's a part of me that's going to feel guilty." he paused, looking back over at her. "I -" another pause. "I'm kind of scared that if we try it we'll regret it and I don't think I can handle losing you." @solanaxortiz

Arlo's question was one that she had been thinking herself since the admittance only mere seconds ago. So, it hadn't given her a lot of time to dwell on anything one way or another. Solana's tongue wet her lips, giving her another moment in her mind before she spoke. "I'm scared, too, Arlo. I-" Solana shook her head, "I don't want us to try and regret it either, but it's us." She kept her gaze steady on him. "I do think we owe it to ourselves to try." The brunette couldn't say that this is what Vance would want, maybe not if he were still around but they always told one another that they wanted the other to be happy. "Arlo," Solana moved closer to him, her pulse picking up as she did so, "I want to try." The words were barely above a whisper as she met his gaze, only then to have her dark hues flicker to his lips for a beat. @arlocontreras