RAMONI hadn't even realized how close I was standing to her until it hit me, her warmth, her scent, the way she wasn’t moving away. It was like the whole world had faded, and it was just us, caught in this moment.I leaned in, slow, testing, watching her reaction. She didn’t flinch, didn’t push me away.Her lips parted slightly, breath warm against my skin. I could hear it, soft, uneven, like she wasn’t sure what to do next. But she wasn’t stopping me.I took another step, just a little closer.She bit her lip, hesitating, shy, but still, she didn’t move back.So I didn’t either.My heart pounded, a steady, insistent rhythm against my ribs. I could feel her breath hitch, see the way her lashes fluttered as she struggled with whatever was running through her mind.Just a little more…My hand hovered near her waist, not quite touching, just close enough that I could feel the heat radiating off her skin. Close enough that if she wanted to step away, she could.But she didn’t.Instead, h
PHOEBEI paced in the living room, arms crossed so tight my nails dug into my skin. My jaw was clenched and my whole body was tense. Jasper was taking too damn long, and every second made my blood boil hotter. The moment he walked in, I was on him."What the hell was that?" I snapped, stepping right into his path.Jasper barely spared me a glance, rolling his eyes as he shrugged off his jacket. "What was what?"I scoffed, my patience snapping like a rubber band. "You know exactly what I’m talking about." My voice rose, shaking with anger. "Dragging Ramon out like some criminal? Talking to him like that? You humiliated me, Jasper!"Jasper scoffed, crossing his arms like he was the one who had a reason to be pissed. "Oh, I’m sorry. Should I have waited until after you threw yourself at him?" His voice dripped with sarcasm.My face burned. "You’re such a jerk!""You’re being reckless, Phoebe!" Jasper shot back, stepping closer, eyes blazing. "You don’t even know this guy! You’re acting l
PHOEBEI sat on the couch, arms crossed, my foot tapping against the floor. My chest was still tight, frustration bubbling under my skin. Granny watched me for a while before finally speaking."Alright, child, spill it. Are we still talking about your feeklings for Ramon? What's got you looking like a storm cloud?" she said, sipping her tea like she had all the time in the world.I let out a breath, shaking my head. "It's just... everything, Granny. Jasper. Billy. Ramon. I don’t know, I feel like I’m going crazy."She hummed, placing her cup down. "Boys can be difficult. But those two? They just love you."I scoffed. "Love me? They treat me like a prisoner. Like I can’t make my own choices. It’s exhausting!"Granny leaned forward, her eyes soft but knowing. "And what choices are we talking about exactly?"I groaned, rubbing my hands over my face. "Ramon. I like him, Granny. And they, especially Jasper, won’t even give him a chance. They act like he’s some criminal.""And is he?" she a
PHOEBEI groaned as my blankets were ripped away from me."Wake up, Pheebs."I cracked one eye open to see Billy standing over me, grinning like an idiot. Jasper leaned against the door, arms crossed, looking just as smug."Go away," I mumbled, reaching blindly for my blanket.Billy held it out of reach. "Not happening. We need your help."I flopped back onto my pillow. "It’s too early for this."Jasper checked his watch. "It’s almost noon."I peeked at my phone, groaning again. Fine. It wasn’t early. But still."What do you guys want?" I asked, voice thick with sleep.Billy plopped down on the bed beside me, slinging an arm around my shoulders. "We wanna do something nice for Mom. She’s been stressed.""And?"Jasper pushed off the doorframe. "We figured a family dinner might help."I blinked at them, surprised. "That’s… actually really sweet."Jasper rolled his eyes. "Don’t sound so shocked."Billy nudged me. "So, you in?"I sighed dramatically, stretching. "Guess I don’t have a choi
PHOEBEI gripped the steering wheel so tight my fingers ached.This neighborhood. This damn neighborhood.I swallowed, forcing the memories down. The last time I was here, things didn’t go well. I had no business coming back. But this wasn’t about me. This was about Ramon.I took a shaky breath and parked down the street from his house. My heart pounded in my chest as I stepped out of the car. I hated this place. The way it made me feel.But I wasn’t turning back.I managed to find his house, my feet feeling heavier with every step. My nerves were shot, and my stomach twisted uncomfortably. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but the last thing I wanted was another confrontation. Maybe I should’ve just called him instead of showing up unannounced.I hovered outside his gate, hesitating. My fingers twitched at my side, debating if I should knock or turn around and pretend this never happened.Then I saw him.Ramon.Shirtless.I froze.Sweat glistened on his skin as he worked out in his
PHOEBEI felt my face get even hotter, the warmth spreading down my neck. I looked away again, biting my lip, but it didn’t help. My heart was pounding so loud, I was sure he could hear it. My hands were shaking a little, so I clenched them into fists in my lap, trying to steady myself.“I’m sorry,” Ramon said, his voice softer now. “I just… I had to say it. I couldn’t keep it in anymore.”I swallowed hard, forcing myself to breathe. My whole body felt like it was buzzing, like I had too much energy but nowhere to put it.“I… I like you too,” I finally admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.Silence stretched between us for a moment. I forced myself to glance up, and when I did, I saw the shock on Ramon’s face. His eyes were wide, like he hadn’t expected to hear that. Like he was trying to make sure he wasn’t imagining it.“Wait… you do?” he asked, leaning in just slightly, as if he needed to hear it again to believe it.I nodded, still too nervous to meet his gaze for long. “Yeah.
SHAWNADamien and I stepped into the house, exhaustion pressing down on us like a heavy coat. Every muscle in my body ached, and all I wanted to do was collapse onto the nearest soft surface. But before I could even think about that, the rich, mouthwatering scent of pancakes and eggs filled the air. My stomach growled loudly in protest, reminding me that I hadn’t eaten much all day.Mom stood near the dining table, a soft smile on her face as she watched us. “You’re finally home.”I sighed heavily, dropping my bag onto the couch. “Yeah… it’s been a long day.”Her gaze swept over Damien and me, concern flickering in her eyes. “I can tell. You both look drained.”Damien let out a low groan as he pulled out a chair and sank into it. “That’s because we are.” He rubbed his temples tiredly. “Barely had time to eat today.”Mom walked over, gesturing toward the neatly arranged table. “Well, the kids made breakfast for you.”Damien’s head snapped up at that. “They did?” His voice held a mixtur
PHOEBERamon grinned as we walked toward the car, his hand slipping into mine like it belonged there. I rolled my eyes but didn’t pull away. He always did this, acted like he had some secret joke I wasn’t in on. It was annoying.“What?” I shot him a look.“Nothing.” His grin widened. “Just thinking.”“Thinking about what?”He tugged me to a stop, turning so he was facing me fully. “Thinking about how you get all flustered when I tease you.”I scoffed. “I do not.”“Oh, you do.” He stepped closer, eyes dark with amusement. “Like right now. Your nose is scrunching up. You only do that when you’re trying to act tough.”I huffed. “You’re ridiculous.”“And you love it.”I rolled my eyes again, but my heart was pounding. He was too close. The air between us felt too thick. “I tolerate it.”He chuckled, low and knowing. “Mm-hmm.”I turned away, but he caught my wrist, pulling me back. “Come on, Phoebe, admit it. You like it when I mess with you.”I lifted my chin. “You’re not that charming, R
RAMONI didn’t expect her to say that.“You want to invite my uncle to dinner?” I asked, blinking like I didn’t hear her right.Phoebe nodded, brushing her hair behind her ear. “Yes. I think it’s time. Everyone’s going crazy over him, and I just… I want to clear the air. If they meet him, maybe they’ll finally stop judging.”I rubbed the back of my neck, confused. “I mean, sure, I guess, but… I don’t know. He’s a quiet guy. He doesn’t do… dinners with strangers.”“Then ask him,” she said, giving me that look, half hopeful, half determined. “Please, Ramon. It matters to me.”I sighed and nodded slowly. “Okay. I’ll talk to him today. I can’t promise anything, but I’ll try.”“Thank you,” she smiled, squeezing my hand.Later that evening, I made my way to Uncle Richard’s place. He was outside on the porch, drinking tea like always, flipping through one of those thick history books he loved. I walked up and dropped into the chair beside him.He glanced at me over the top of his glasses. “Y
PHOEBEI slammed my door shut behind me, fuming. My chest felt tight, and my head ached. I couldn’t believe they all did that behind my back. Like, I couldn’t think for myself. Like, I didn’t know what I was doing.I threw myself onto my bed, letting out a long sigh as my face sank into the pillow. I wanted to scream. Maybe cry. But I didn’t. I just lay there, sulking in silence, trying not to overthink the whole night.A gentle knock came on my door about an hour later. I rolled over, expecting maybe my mom or dad. But to my surprise, it was my grandmother.“Can I come in, sweetheart?” she asked softly.“Yeah,” I muttered, sitting up.She walked in slowly, her warm smile softening the tension in my chest a bit. She sat beside me, her hand gently rubbing my back in that calming, rhythmic way only she could manage. Something about her presence always made the storm inside me feel a little less wild.“I heard there was a little storm downstairs,” she said lightly, trying to lift the moo
SHAWNAThe moment we stepped into the house, I knew something was wrong. The air felt thick, voices were raised, and all I could hear was arguing coming from the living room.“What’s going on here?” I asked, stepping in with Damien right behind me.Phoebe, Billy, Jasper, and Winnie all froze. The tension in the room hit me like a wall. Phoebe’s face was flushed, her arms folded tight across her chest. Winnie looked caught in the middle. Jasper had that tight-lipped, stubborn look, and Billy’s hands were resting on his hips like he was trying to keep himself from saying something worse.“Can someone explain this?” Damien asked firmly, eyes scanning all of them.“It’s nothing,” Phoebe said quickly.“It doesn’t sound like anything,” I said. “We could hear the shouting from outside.”“It’s about Ramon and his uncle,” Jasper muttered.Damien raised a brow. “Ramon?”Yes,” Winnie jumped in. “I told Billy and Jasper something earlier…about Richard, Ramon’s uncle. I recognized him from years a
PHOEBEI was tired. I just wanted to get home, take off my shoes, and crawl into bed. But the moment I walked into the house, I felt the tension hit me like a wall.Winnie was sitting on the couch.And my two brothers, Jasper and Billy, were standing next to her, arms crossed like bodyguards. The look on their faces said everything.“What’s going on?” I asked, closing the door behind me.Winnie stood up slowly. “We need to talk.”“I can see that,” I said, dropping my purse on the side table. “But what I don’t get is why you’re here… with my brothers.”“Phoebe,” Jasper started, “Winnie told us about the man you ran into at the mall. The one holding hands with that girl.”I blinked. “Richard?”“Yes,” Billy said, stepping forward. “She said he looked familiar and he happens to be Ramon’s uncle.”I froze, my heart suddenly pounding in my chest. “She told you that?”“Yes,” Jasper added with a serious look on his face. “And we think you need to be careful with this whole issue. It seems lik
RAMONMy uncle, Richard, stepped in like he owned the place, as usual. He looked around briefly and then narrowed his eyes at me.“She’s gone?” he asked.I nodded and moved to sit on the couch. “Yeah, just left.”He shut the door behind him and walked over, not wasting time.“What’s going on with Winnie?” I asked before he could even sit. “She recognized you at dinner. She’s not some random girl, you know. She’s sharp. You’ve been warning me about staying focused, but you’re the one slipping now. What exactly is happening?”My uncle paused by the chair, but didn’t sit. He rubbed his chin like he always did when he was buying time.“She just arrived,” he finally said. “I wasn’t expecting her to recognize me. It’s been years since I last saw her, and even then, she was still in school.”“So she does know you?”“Yes,” he sighed, finally sitting across from me. “Her father is one of my business partners. We’ve done deals together, some clean, some… not so clean.”I leaned forward, frownin
RAMONThe night started simply. After Phoebe told me everything that happened at the mall with Richard, I could tell it had been weighing on her. I wanted to take her mind off things, so I asked her out to dinner. Just something nice, somewhere quiet. I picked this cozy little restaurant I liked on the west side of town. Nothing too fancy, but it had a warm vibe, soft lights, and good pasta.Phoebe seemed excited when I picked her up. She smiled the whole car ride, playing with the radio, teasing me about my terrible playlist.“Ramon,” she laughed, “do you only listen to '90s rock ballads?”I chuckled. “Hey, don’t disrespect greatness. This is vintage mood-setting.”She rolled her eyes, but I could see the blush on her cheeks when our hands brushed on the gearshift. I liked her. A lot. And tonight, I just wanted it to be easy. Normal.When we got to the restaurant, Phoebe told me she’d invited Winnie to join us. I paused for a second.“She’s still suspicious of me, isn’t she?” I asked
PHOEBEIt was hard to ignore the odd tension in the air when we bumped into Richard and his… companion. Despite my initial surprise, I greeted him politely. “Hi, uncle Richard. Fancy running into you here.”He smiled, a bit awkwardly, as if he hadn’t expected to see us either. “Phoebe, Winnie, good to see you both.” His smile seemed genuine enough, but there was something in his eyes that made me think he was hiding something.Winnie, always the one to break the ice, stepped forward. “Hi, Mr. Richard. We didn’t expect to see you out here. Who’s the lovely lady?” Her tone was light, but I could tell she was curious, even more so after the awkwardness of the moment.Richard shifted a little on his feet, clearly uncomfortable. “Oh, just a friend,” he said quickly. “Nothing to worry about.” He didn’t even make eye contact with the woman beside him as he said it.Winnie didn’t seem convinced. “Are you in a hurry? We’ve barely seen you since… well, a while ago. We’ve missed the good chats,”
PHOEBEI blinked a few times, staring at Winnie like she had just told me unicorns were real.“What did you just say?” I asked slowly.“I said I know that man,” she repeated, still staring at the photo on my phone. “The one standing behind you two in that picture. Ramon’s uncle, right?”“Yeah,” I said, glancing at the photo again. “That’s Richard. Why?”Winnie raised an eyebrow, her tone serious. “He came to our house a while back. Twice, actually. He met with my dad.”I laughed, half out of shock, half because it sounded so ridiculous. “Winnie… your dad is basically a billionaire. Why would he meet with Richard? Richard owns like… nothing. He’s not exactly in your dad’s league.”Winnie didn’t even flinch. She stood there with her arms crossed, her brows slightly furrowed, clearly unamused. “I know what I saw, Phoebe,” she said firmly, her tone serious. “You think I’d forget something like that? The second I saw his face in that picture, I remembered. Same smile, same eyes, even the s
PHOEBEI was already waiting outside when Billy pulled up in the car. I had my sunglasses on, hair tied up in a loose bun, and my heart bouncing with excitement. Winnie had been gone for so long, it felt like years, not just a couple of months. She was finally coming home, and I couldn’t wait to throw my arms around her.Billy leaned out the window, one arm draped casually over the steering wheel. “Ready to go pick up your long-lost partner in crime?”I rolled my eyes but couldn’t hide the smile tugging at my lips. “Don’t act like you’re doing this for me. We both know you’re dying to see her.”He chuckled and shrugged. “Guilty.”I slipped into the passenger seat, and we took off, the windows rolled halfway down, letting the warm breeze hit our faces. The drive to the airport wasn’t that long, but somehow it felt like an adventure. We played music the whole way, some of our favorite old songs from high school, the ones we used to scream along to in his beat-up old car.In between vers