#obx reader insert

The crisp air sent a shiver through you, causing you to retreat into the oversized hoodie that you had thrown on before heading down towards the beach, which wasn't the wisest choice, but you just had a feeling that the fresh air and rolling sound of the waves would provide a sense of peace that you'd been longing for. 

Having left the field of academia was a hard decision, but it really wasn't your decision. You had been ostracized from the other faculty in the department. 

When you first took the faculty position at the university, you'd been thrilled, and the rest of the faculty were so kind and welcoming, but as soon as they learned who your husband was, everything changed. It all started from a piece of mail with your married name on it and using your maiden name for all of your professional work, and It hadn't taken that long for them to confirm their suspicions. 

Rafe had made a name for himself outside of Cameron Development as he built and grew his own company, and after long nights and networking with the right people, his business flourished even more once he moved the main office to the city. He quickly became one of the most recognizable names. The fact that his wife was a prolific academic researcher wasn't a secret. Most of his associates just wondered whether you worked at the universities in the city or worked from home but respected your decision to not disclose that information, so your career was your own. You had worked towards it for years, and you didn't want everyone to think you only achieved success due to who your husband was, and despite your best efforts, that's what happened. 

Overnight, your colleagues in the department had reduced your degree and research into something bought with your husband's money, portraying you as this gold-digger just looking for something to do. They were brazen in the way they talked about you, sending smug looks of disdain as you walked by, and despite knowing that your research and teaching abilities landed you the job, and as much as you wanted to refute their claims, you couldn't help the doubt that had crept in. It sent your entire sense crumbling into a million little pieces that you weren't sure would be able to be pieced together again, and you hated it. You hated that they had this control over you, the control that led to you turning in a resignation letter. 

The head of the department knew that you had earned your place at the university, and despite her best attempts at remedying the situation and appearing to be impartial to the rest of the department about the tension, a remedy just wasn't possible, so when you handed her your resignation letter, she just gave you a small not and a look of understanding, saying that she was sad that she was losing a strong researcher like you and wished you well in your future endeavors and offered to write a letter of recommendations for any position that requested one. Of course, her kindness meant the world to you. It had been weeks of forlorn hopes that everything would blow over and that your once kind colleagues would once return to that initial warmness that they'd given you when you first started, but it never happened. 

Rafe had suggested a brief respite from the "real world," as he called it, suggesting that it would be nice to go back home to the Outer Banks despite the cold weather and changing leaves in North Carolina. 

The house the two of you had purchased in the affluent neighborhood for summers, when you were fortunate enough not to teach during the summer semesters, and when Rafe could work from the house. It was the perfect escape from the city and, the dream job you had to leave behind in the middle of the semester, and the opportunity to live a few homes away from your parents in Figure 8. 

Without Rafe, you probably wouldn't have thought about coming back during fall, but after one of the most poignantspeeches he's ever given you, you couldn't turn it down because he was right. The career that you'd worked so hard for wasn't over. You'd be able to receive positions at other universities or even a job in the private sector if that's what you decided, and that, for now, an escape was well deserved.

Leaving the city for a while also gave you an abundant amount of time to spend with your families. The tension between Ward and Rafe was still present, but it seemed that Ward, for once, was listening to his son. Understanding that Rafe was willing to put their differences aside for this being a peaceful trip for you.

It was only the second morning since arriving in the Outer Banks when you decided to throw on a pair of sweatpants and Rafe's oversized hoodie and make your way outside of the backyard door to head down to the beach.

As soon as you settled into the sand, you regretted not putting another layer on under Rafe's hoodie, but you snuggled into the hoodie more and took a deep breath of the crisp air and his comforting cologne that still lingered on his hoodie. 

You weren't sure how long you had been outside when you heard a familiar voice mumble behind you, "It's freezing out here, babe." Before settling in behind you and pulling you between his legs, arms wrapping around you.

You leaned your head back into his chest and said, "I just wanted to clear my mind a bit." before chuckling, "Who knew how cold the beach could get in fall."

Dipping his head down, he softly kissed your forehead, "Considering we grew up here, we both know how cold it gets out here…I also see you stole my hoodie."

"It's cozy," you defended.

"It's all yours, babe, you know that." he paused before lowering his voice, "Besides, it looks better on you anyway."

"You didn't have to come out here."

"I'm pretty sure it would be remiss of my husband's duties if I didn't follow my girl into the cold. Besides, I'd follow you anywhere."

"Anywhere?" you questioned.

"Anywhere."

"Even if I decided to set sail from here to Europe?"

"I'll be right there with you."

"Thank you for putting up with me during all of this. I know I've been a lot."

"You're never a lot babe. I know I just said it, but I'm always going to be right behind you," he said, pressing another kiss to your forehead. 

"And I'll always be right behind you."

"I love you."

"I love you more," he mumbled as he rested his head on your shoulder.

"Impossible!" you exclaimed.

The story of the beginning of your relationship had been told what felt like a million times, always coming up when the two of you met new people at functions. It was a story you didn’t mind telling because it was the beginning of all the endings for you. Still, it was also partially a lie because the story's beginning was very different from what really happened. 

The first time you met Rafe, you felt like a bumbling idiot who was talking in circles because how could you explain something that you didn’t understand. 

Magic was a fickle thing that didn’t always make sense, but you were always told that even though it caused unexpected things, it would bring you to what you needed. Turns out you needed to be in the Outer Banks.

The day it happened went just as every other day, except as you made your way to your friend's office, the world around you suddenly started swirling. It was unlike anything you’d ever experienced before. It was an all-consuming feeling that felt like an eternity, but the relief was replaced with confusion once the world stopped spinning. 

Instead of the dark wooden hallway, you were just in, you were standing on a dock moving beneath you from the angry waves, no doubt a product of the dark sky above you. 

Trying to take in your surroundings more to hopefully gain a better understanding of what was happening, but a particularly harsh wave caused you to fumble on the dock, you were about to fall into the water until a hand wrapped around your midsection. 

There was a sudden jolt as he pulled you closer to his body, and once he found some sense of stability on the shaking dock, he unhooked his arm from around you to take your hand and pulled you towards the land it was connected to.

Like everything happening around you, the feeling he gave you was new, and you weren’t quite sure what to make of it. 

The man started to speak, breaking you out of the thoughts swirling in your head. 

“I’ve been calling out to you for a minute... What are you out here?” he said. 

Staring at him, you weren’t sure what to say because what were you doing here? It’s not like you could tell him why you were standing on the dock because you weren’t even sure what you were doing here. 

Unsure of what to say, you decided to be honest, responding, “I’m not sure.”

Looking at you for a moment, a baffled look took over his face, and you could understand why. It wasn’t every day that a random girl was standing on an unsteady dock in the middle of what was going to be a strong storm. 

Still, with a questioning look, he asked, “What’s your name?”

It was a cardinal rule to not share personal information with strangers in situations like this, so you lied, offering a name you’d used a million times.

“I’m Bella.”

“Nice to meet you, Bella.” he paused, “But I’m gonna have to ask again, why are you out here?”

Unsure of what to say, you asked the same question, “Before I answer that, you never told me what your name was.”