Abby After my workout, I head back to my room, feeling invigorated and a little sore in a satisfying way. The hot bath is calling my name, promising to soothe my tired muscles, and I eagerly slip into the warm water, letting out a contented sigh as I sink down into the bathtub. The steam rises i
Abby “Hey. Looking for a sous chef tonight?” Karl’s unexpected presence in the kitchen startles me, and my heart skips a beat as I turn to face him. For a moment, we just look at each other. His easy smile and the mischievous glint in his eyes make my cheeks flush with warmth. The proximity be
Over the next hour, I get to work scrubbing, shaving, plucking, and rinsing, followed by styling my hair and putting on my makeup. I opt for an understated shimmery eyeshadow since I’ll be wearing a mask, and a plum red lip—a color which, thanks to Elsie, is now my favorite on myself. Then, I care
Abby Karl leads me onto the dance floor, his hand warm against my back. The soft strains of classical music fill the air, and the elegant masks of the other guests twinkle in the dim light of the ballroom. As we start to move together, his hand wrapped securely around mine, I can’t help but feel a
“All I ever wanted was to make you feel like a princess,” Karl says as the twirl ends and I come close again, so close that our bodies are pressing up against one another. “Nothing short of that.” As the music swells around us, our movements become more fluid, more intimate. The world seems to fad
Abby “Can I sit with you?” Karl is standing in front of me, his mask in his hand, his hair tousled by the chilly wind. His brown eyes are full of concern, although I think he’s trying to hide it just a little bit. I nod, moving over to let Karl sit beside me on the cold metal bench. The night
Abby Karl and I glance over our shoulders one last time at the distant sound of the party before we burst into laughter. He takes my hand, pulling me along after him. The cold night air nips at our cheeks as we run together, my heavy dress held up in one hand to keep it from slowing me down. The
Karl When we’re finished, I stand up in the snow, feeling the exhilaration of our secret rendezvous coursing through my veins. My chest heaves as I catch my breath, and I reach out to help Abby to her feet. Her eyes meet mine, and we share a contented smile. There’s something about being out her
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