“Intentionally? Are you kidding me?” My voice is shaky as I process this. “Just get here, Abby.” “I’m on my way,” I say, hanging up. The room spins around me as I turn to face my team. “Guys, I have to go. There’s been a fire at my building. They think it was set on purpose.” Karl stands up, v
Abby I’m sitting in the sterile confines of the police station, the room buzzing with the noise of ringing phones and chatter. I can’t help but fidget in my seat as the detective shifts across from me, jotting notes down on a clipboard. “So, you’re absolutely sure you can’t think of anyone w
I can feel the knot in my chest loosening, the heavy weight of the day’s events lifting ever so slightly. “You guys are amazing.” Then, my eyes meet Karl’s. He’s carrying a loaf of what smells like very fresh bread and a wheel of cheese stolen from the pantry at the restaurant, and there’s a sof
Karl I need to breathe. Before anyone notices, I decide to sneak out of Abby’s apartment and away from the clean-up party, feeling like I’ve got a storm cloud hanging over my head. Kissing Abby was a bold move, a stupid one maybe, and now the walls in there are practically vibrating with tensi
“Hey Marcus, what’s up?” “Karl, glad I caught you. You have a minute? We need to discuss some pack matters.” “I’ve got a moment,” I say, feeling a knot of tension that I hadn’t noticed before start to unwind. “What’s going on?” “First off, the lumberyard deal went through. They’re asking if we
Abby The sun pours through the curtains, bathing my bedroom in a soft, golden light. As I slowly blink awake, I’m almost immediately filled with an overwhelming sense of gratitude. My friends, my little family, they all came together to help me last night. My apartment is almost back to normal,
I swallow. So this is it: the article. They had said it would be a surprise last night, and I didn’t know what that meant at the time. I couldn’t be there for the interview because of the fire, so I have no idea how it went. “Go on,” Ethan says. “Read it.” My heart hammers in my chest as I pick
Abby It’s halfway to closing time, and my desk is scattered with index cards. My computer is open to an email from Mr. Thompson outlining some of the potential questions I may be asked during the interview. I’ve written them down, along with my potential responses on the back of each card, so I
Abby Intrigued, I let Karl take my hand and lead me discreetly away from the reception, weaving through the tables and out a back door into the gardens. A mischievous grin plays on his lips as we giggle like teenagers, ducking behind hedges and scurrying across the lush green lawns. “Where are w
As the music shifts to a slow ballad, I feel a familiar pair of strong arms circle my waist from behind. “There’s my beautiful wife,” Karl’s deep voice rumbles in my ear, sending shivers down my spine. He spins me around to face him, our bodies swaying in time to the soft music. I gaze up at him
Abby The reception hall is cast in a warm, romantic glow, with twinkling lights and the warm flickering of candles on every table. Soft music plays as Karl and I make our entrance, hand-in-hand to raucous applause and cheers from our guests. I can’t stop smiling as we wave to our loved ones gather
Abby The afternoon sun streaming in through the tall windows of the chapel casts the stones in a warm golden light, giving everything a sort of ethereal energy. I stand in the hallway, my arm linked with Anton’s, as the wedding coordinator prepares everyone to walk down the aisle. “Are you ready
Abby As I sit in front of the vanity mirror with the hair and makeup artist circling around me, I meet my friends’ gazes in the reflection; Chloe, Leah, Daisy, and even Elsie are here as my bridesmaids, each of them looking more beautiful than the last. “The seamstress really did do a great job
Abby With a gasp of excitement, I pull the wedding gown out of its box and hold it up in the light. Everything is perfect; the way the beadwork catches the light, the silky texture, the shape. I can’t wait to try it on now that it’s been altered to fit my body. Quickly, I slip out of my clothe
Abby “Abby, why don’t you sit down?” Karl looks up at me from where he’s sitting on the sofa, a look of concern on his face. He pats the spot next to him, but I shake my head. “I can’t,” I say, continuing to pace back and forth in our living room. “I won’t sit down until I hear back about that
Abby As I chop, stir, melt, and saute, the others stand around me, watching intently. The pasta simmers on the stove, the air smelling like warm butter and spices. It’s enough to make anyone’s mouth water. But my focus isn’t on the rumbling in my belly, nor is it even on the lingering pain in my
As we continue searching, I keep thinking back on our last harrowing hunt for black truffles; those poachers nearly shot us. Even now, I can still remember the sound of the bullets whizzing past my head, and the thuds they made when they careened into trees. “We got really lucky,” I say. “If we ha