I nod, understanding her plight. Hangovers are no joke. “Try to eat some toast or something,” I say. “I know it doesn’t seem like it’ll help right now, but it will. You need something in your system to absorb that alcohol.” She nods, a grateful look in her eyes. “I will,” she mutters, her gaze fli
Abby “Could you two give us a kiss for the camera?” At the interviewer’s unexpected request for a kiss, my face heats up with a mix of embarrassment and surprise. “A… A kiss?” I mutter. My gaze flits to Karl, who looks just as taken aback. “Yes,” the interviewer replies with a chuckle. “A kiss
Abby Karl’s sudden appearance in the doorway of the cooking tent is a welcome distraction from the conversation that was bound to occur with Chloe. “Time to go home, everyone,” he says. “I’ve got a surprise for all of you back at the house.” The thought of a surprise gets everyone excited, and
Karl As I deal the cards, the clink of poker chips echoes in the dimly lit room. Anton, John, and I are gathered around a small card table, engrossed in a game of poker while the others are watching a movie in the adjacent room. The stakes are low, just a friendly match with chips and no real mo
Abby Chloe’s discerning gaze leaves no room for lying. I know that she knows something is going on between me and Karl, and this is just a test at this point to see if I’ll tell her the truth and keep lying. However, my heart pounds in my chest, and my voice falters when I try to tell her the tr
“Listen,” she says, rubbing her eyes. “I’m still wary about him, and you should know that. But I’ve seen the way he’s treated you this week, and I’ve seen how… well, how fucking happy you are. So I’m trying to understand, trying to see this side of him that you seem to see. I figure it’s the least I
Abby Feeling a little bit lighter, Chloe and I decide to make our way back to the party. “You’re really sure you’re okay with everything?” I ask before we leave the kitchen, my arms laden with snacks to bring back to everyone. Chloe nods and shrugs at the same time. “I’m trying to be,” she say
Abby As I enter Karl’s study to tell him about the mysterious car, I find myself stopped in my tracks. The scene in front of me is rather jarring, to say the least. He’s slumped in his chair, a half-empty bottle of what looks like his most expensive whiskey on the desk. He looks up, his eyes gla
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