Karl “Come on, let’s dance.” Shana’s hand slips into mine, her fingers delicate and warm as she pulls me away from Abby. I’m still at a loss for words, both stunned and unbelievably proud of Abby standing up against Emily and her little gang of mean girls. But as soon as it was over, Shana pulle
I raise an eyebrow, surprised by her words. Without meaning to, I stop dancing for a moment. “Why would you say that?” I ask, feeling my heart as it pounds in my chest. Shana, however, doesn’t miss a beat. Instead, she pushes me to keep dancing. Her eyes twinkle with a secret, and she leans in clo
Abby I can’t stay here any longer. Watching Karl and Shana dance together is more than I can bear. The music, the laughter, and the way they move together on the dance floor—it’s like someone just thrust an invisible dagger into my heart. So, I slip away from the crowd, pushing through the sid
Abby With Anton’s words of encouragement still fresh in my mind, I take a deep breath, gather my composure, and push through the door back into the party. The music and chatter rush back over me like a wave, and I feel a sense of deja vu wash over me. It’s as if I never left, as if I never took
Time seems to slow as we approach one another, but neither of us stops. My heart is practically pounding out my chest. We finally meet in the middle of the dance floor, and for a moment, neither of us knows what to say. The music envelops us, and the soft glow of the overhead lights turns purple t
Abby My heart races as I watch Gianna push Karl’s brother, Ethan, into the room in a wheelchair. The shock of her sudden appearance still hasn’t worn off, and I can’t believe she’s here, of all places, especially right now. Karl’s eyes meet mine, and I can see the confusion and surprise mirrored
Abby “Karl! Abby! Over here!” Karl and I exchange glances with each other before we decide to head over to the table where Ethan and Gianna are waiting. Despite Gianna’s presence, Ethan’s smile is a beacon of happiness, and I’m glad to see it. Although Ethan was in his coma for the majority of
It’s no different than the night that Karl threw the party at our old home, and seeing someone treat the food—which my team and I so painstakingly prepared—like it’s not even worth tasting is hurtful. The contrast between her and Ethan is striking, and I can’t help but wonder about her true intentio
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