Serena’s POVThe cheers and clapping swell around us as Bill and I walk back down the aisle, hand in hand. I can’t stop smiling, and from the way his thumb brushes over mine, I know he’s feeling the same. The sun warms my skin, the sand is soft under my bare feet, and for the first time in what feel
Bill’s POVThe sand is warm beneath me, even as the day starts to cool. Serena’s hand is in mine, her fingers soft and familiar, like they were always meant to fit there. Collin is a few feet away, crouched in the sand and completely in his own world. He’s got a bucket in one hand and a tiny shovel
Stevie’s POVThe mic feels heavier in my hand than I expected, which is dumb because it’s a mic, not a damn kettlebell. I stand in the middle of the reception, the crowd staring at me like I’m about to announce the next lottery numbers. My palms are sweaty, but there’s no way I’m letting anyone kno
Serena’s POVThe lights dim, and the chatter of the reception quiets as the opening notes of "Crazier" by Taylor Swift float through the air. Bill takes my hand, his grip steady, and leads me to the center of the dance floor. The spotlight feels warm, but it’s nothing compared to the way he’s looki
Calvin’s POVThe whiskey glass feels cool against my hand, the amber liquid catching the light as I swirl it lazily. The clinking ice is oddly comforting, a quiet sound in contrast to the laughter and music filling the reception. I’m sitting at the bar, a little removed from the crowd. It’s better t
Stevie’s POVThere’s something about an open bar and a wedding dress code that just makes people lose their damn minds, and honestly? I’m here for it. After my speech, I’ve earned the right to let loose, and by let loose, I mean dance like a maniac and drink just enough to get tipsy, not trashed. Th
Stevie’s POVThe second we step onto the dance floor, I realize I’ve made a mistake. Calvin doesn’t just dance — he moves like he’s got something to prove, and my body is all too willing to keep up. His hand slides to my waist, firm and deliberate, pulling me close enough that I feel the heat radiat
Serena’s POVThe reception is in full swing, and I’m mid-laugh at one of Bill’s dry jokes when something catches my eye. I glance toward the dance floor, taking in the swirling crowd, and then I see it. I freeze mid-sentence, my smile faltering. “Why is Stevie grinding on Calvin?” The words slip out
Stevie‘s POV“Calvin, I can’t just say yes.”The words tumble out before I can stop them, hanging in the air between us. His eyes, which had been so hopeful, cloud over with something I can’t quite place—disappointment, maybe, or worry.We’re sitting in my apartment, the baby gear shoved into the co
Stevie‘s POVThe lens feels foreign in my hands at first, like it’s judging me for neglecting it for so long. I twist the focus ring back and forth, snapping shots of random things in my apartment: the pile of laundry I still haven’t done, the chipped paint on the windowsill, the vase of wilted dais
Serena‘s POVI can’t focus. Not on the new campaign proposals sitting in front of me, not on the email from our partners in Paris, and definitely not on the cup of tea I made an hour ago that’s gone cold on my desk.All I can think about is Stevie.Her face, flushed with anger, tears glistening in h
Calvin‘s POVThe buzz of my phone pulls me out of my focus, its vibration rattling against the glass surface of my desk. It’s another alert, no doubt tied to the leak at Etoile de Collin. The headlines have been relentless: “Scandal Rocks Global Launch,” “Is Etoile de Collin Losing Its Shine?”I don
Stevie‘s POVThe click of my camera is the only sound in my apartment. The blinds are half-drawn, letting in just enough light to paint soft streaks across the floor. I’ve spent the last hour taking photos of mundane things — a chipped coffee mug, the shadow of my old ficus, the crumpled blanket I t
Calvin’s POVThe call comes in just as I’m reviewing a financial report in my office. It’s Serena, and I can tell immediately from her clipped tone that something’s off.“Calvin, we have a situation,” she says, not bothering with pleasantries.I lean back in my chair, setting the report aside. “What
Serena’s POVI tap my pen against the edge of the conference table, staring at the open file in front of me. My head’s buzzing, not from caffeine—I haven’t had nearly enough of that today—but from the words staring back at me in black and white.“Are you sure about this?” I ask Grace, my PR director
Calvin’s POVI’ve been staring at her address on my phone for ten minutes, trying to work up the courage to get out of the car. It’s ridiculous. I’ve faced down corporate takeovers and boardroom ambushes without flinching, but this? This feels harder.Stevie’s apartment building looms in front of me
Bill’s POVThe sound of waves crashing against the shore is a far cry from the usual buzz of our daily lives. No conference calls, no meetings, no tantrums over spilled cereal. Just the ocean, the wind, and Collin’s laughter as he runs across the sand, a kite string gripped tightly in his little han