KIAN’S POVAs we pack up the remnants of our picnic, I catch Leslie giving me a curious look. “You’re not hiding more surprises, are you?”I grin, knowing exactly what’s coming next. “Actually, there is one more thing. But it might be a bit...out of character for us.”She raises an eyebrow, intrigue
“Did owning a company make you so damn competitive?” she teases, nudging me.“Who knew you were so good at dodgeball?” I retort, grinning. “Gosh, you would have been a nightmare to your classmates in high school.” She laughs, and it’s the kind of laugh that feels like it’s reaching right into my he
LESLIE’S POVWe stroll along the nearly empty street, our fingers entwined, and I can’t help but notice how natural this feels, walking with him in the quiet night air. My cheeks ache from smiling so much; I feel like a teenager again. “You’re keeping me guessing tonight, you know.”Kian looks over
“It was…a process,” I begin slowly, feeling his hand warm in mine. “The first year was the hardest. After I left I had to figure out who I was without you, without our history, without my father and every crafted part of my past.” Whenever I think of my father, my heart aches. I want to ask Kian ho
LESLIE’S POVTonight feels like a delicate balancing act of past and present. Kian’s beside me, his hand brushing against mine as we walk toward Madam Annie’s front door. The warmth of the dim porch lights casts over us as we stand in front of it without knocking immediately. We’ve talked about thi
He skips them most of the time because of Mallory and I know by the look in his eyes that he is here because Kian came. He doesn’t miss out on anything he considers fun. “I’m genuinely surprised you’re here.” Kian says and Cole snickers.“Don’t look at me like that, I’m family too.” He then sniffs
KIAN’S POVThe dishes clink softly, echoing through the small, cozy kitchen as I lean against the wall, watching Leslie. She’s laughing with Madam Annie and Mallory as they wash up, the three of them sharing inside jokes I’ll likely never understand. Each giggle and exchange between them is intimat
KIAN’S POVThroughout the drive back to her place, I find myself looking forward to the final thing she wants to show me. The night we just had is an indication that whatever Leslie wants to show me will be just as amazing as dinner with her family. We arrive at home and she leads the way, turning
CHAPTER 18 [ Intern Sophie] ~SOPHIE~ Until a few days ago, the sound of my alarm filled me with nothing but thrill. All it does now is make me bury my head into the pillow with pure irritation while rethinking every single one of my life choices. “Turn that off and get your ass in the shower, So
CHAPTER 17 [The Path Of Heartbreak] ~TRAVIS~ “You asked to see me, sir.” Sophie Summers. I could never get used to her presence, not even when I was the one who requested it. “Sit.” I ordered, barely looking at her. Knowing how defiant she can be, I expected some sort of retort but she quiet
CHAPTER 16 [ A Tangled Mess] ~SOPHIE~ I pushed the door open with a sigh, the familiar weight of the day’s events pressing on me. My head still throbbed, a dull reminder of last night’s recklessness. As I stepped inside the apartment, the soft scent of lavender and the comforting hum of the refr
CHAPTER 15 [Not Her Type] ~SOPHIE~ "Who’s this, Sophie?" Sebastian’s voice slithered through the hallway, his smirk widening when his eyes landed on Travis. "Your new boyfriend?" I was still trying to gather myself together after running into Travis so suddenly. I had questions about how he was
CHAPTER 14 [The Man Who Was Never Mine] ~SOPHIE~ The nausea hadn’t subsided. I sat at the edge of the bed in my childhood room, staring at the peeling wallpaper and the dusty, forgotten trinkets that once made this space my sanctuary. It had been hours since I’d woken up with the hangover poundi
CHAPTER 13 [In Her Absence] ~TRAVIS~ The absence was the first thing I noticed. It wasn’t the missing coffee on my desk—although I’d gotten far too accustomed to finding it there, piping hot and prepared just the way I liked it. Nor was it the lack of a sticky note, usually plastered on the edge
CHAPTER 12 [A Return To The Shadows] ~SOPHIE~ The dull throb in my head woke me before anything else. It pulsed behind my eyes like a relentless drumbeat, making it impossible to open them fully. I groaned, rolling over and burying my face into the pillow, hoping to escape the nausea curling in m
CHAPTER 11 [Kill-Joy] TRAVIS I wasn’t sure what annoyed me more: Sophie Summers’ audacity or the fact that I had actually turned around and come back. Sitting in the backseat of my car, I stared out the tinted window at the pub just across the street from my company. I had never step foot there bu
CHAPTER 10 [The Sophie Effect] ~TRAVIS~ If chaos had a face, it would undoubtedly wear Sophie Summers’ unrelenting smile. For the past few days, she had inserted herself into every corner of my life at my textile company, leaving me to wonder how someone so seemingly innocent could wreak such calc