But no amount of fussing could disguise the truth. I knew deep down this wasn’t a question of an ill-fitting dress—it was my own body that was the problem, soft and ugly and— “Hannah? You okay?” “Fine!” I squeaked out, my head spinning as I hastily unzipped the dress and tore it off over my head
Hannah Dinner was every bit as awkward and tension-filled as I had anticipated—and then some. Zoe sat across from me, her posture rigid and her gaze fixed resolutely on her plate as she nibbled at her food in silence. It was clear from the tight purse of her lips and the furrow in her brow that
“Oh, but I am,” Drake said, leaning forward on his elbows. “It sounds exciting, and besides, you know what they say about a good scare—it gets the blood positively pumping.” At that last word, he slid his gaze over to Zoe. Her cheeks reddened and she shifted uncomfortably in her seat. A beat of si
Hannah I stood there, frozen in Drake’s arms as the chaos around us dissolved into normalcy—or at least, something akin to it. The warm amber lights bathed the room, revealing the haunted house for what it truly was—nothing more than an intricate set, complete with masked actors and special effe
Hannah Noah was silent for a long moment, his expression utterly unreadable in the dim glow of the parking lot lights. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and even. “We don’t need to talk about love right now, Hannah.” I let out a bitter laugh, shaking my head in disbelief. Of course he w
At the far end of the room, a middle-aged woman with kind eyes and a gentle smile stood beside a whiteboard, scribbling something down as she nodded along to whatever was being said. As my gaze swept over the group, a few of the women noticed my presence and fell silent, their expressions morphing
Hannah The next day, my phone buzzed with an incoming call as I was brushing my hair out in front of the mirror. Picking up the phone, a knot of dread instantly formed in the pit of my stomach as I stared at the name flashing across the screen. Emma. The last time we had spoken, things hadn’t
Me? She was envious of me? I didn’t believe it. I opened my mouth to protest, but Emma held up a hand, effectively silencing me. “Please, let me finish,” she begged. “It wasn’t until recently that I realized how toxic and damaging that mindset was—not just for my self-esteem, but for my overall
“Almost done…” she murmured, leaning in with a touch of gloss for my lips. I couldn’t help but laugh at how serious she looked, as if I were some delicate art piece she was trying to perfect. Finally, she stepped back with a smile. “There. Now, the dress.” Amber was already at my side, helping m
Hannah The next morning, I woke with a flutter in my stomach that had nothing to do with morning sickness. Sunlight filtered softly through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room. I blinked up at the ceiling, letting that first realization sink in. It was the day of our wedding. In le
Hannah Mornings had gotten louder since Melody learned to walk. And she wasn’t just walking—she was trying to run, arms flapping and her chubby legs barely holding her up as she went. This morning, she seemed to be hell bent on dashing down the hallway as Noah tried to brush his teeth and I hunted
I laughed, hoping it sounded more natural than I felt. “Hey, I can spoil you once in a while if I want. Just because it’s a Thursday doesn’t mean I can’t surprise you.” We chatted about our day as we ate, filling each other in on all the usual things. But every so often, his eyes would flicker to
Hannah My hands shook a little as I straightened the delicate flower crown over Melody’s soft hair, adjusting it so the petals framed her tiny face just right. She blinked up at me with those wide, innocent eyes, slapping her hands contentedly on the top of her high chair. I smiled as I ran my f
Hannah By the time we stepped out of the ring, it felt as if my entire body was on fire. Every muscle seemed to be taut, every heartbeat one thump away from shifting. I couldn’t tell if I wanted to run circles around the building or maybe tear up the walls like a caged animal. What was wrong wit
Hannah For what felt like the hundredth time that morning, I sidestepped Drake’s punch with ease, narrowly dodging his hook. Training with him had become an obsession of mine lately. He’d pushed me in ways I hadn’t expected, helping me learn how to use my speed and endurance instead of relying on
Noah pushed himself harder, letting out a playful howl as he gained on her, the hunt pulsing through his veins like a drug. She glanced back, her ears twitching, and he saw her eyes flash with excitement before she put on an extra burst of speed. It became a game of cat and mouse, each of them pus
Noah For the millionth time that morning, Noah’s gaze drifted from the stack of papers on his desk to the stretch of forest that was visible through the office window. The afternoon light filtered through the trees, casting that familiar, deep green hue over the landscape. Just seeing the expans