“He is,” I replied firmly. “We balance each other.”
“Wait—you still haven’t told your mom you’re engaged?” Kayla blinked at me like I’d grown a second head.
We were seated in the estate’s backyard under the dappled shade of a tree. Between us sat a mannequin head with human hair positioned on a small table.
Kayla had taken it upon herself to teach me to braid since I couldn’t. A skill she insisted was “fundamental”. Her fingers moved with ease, demonstrating a simple three-strand plait for the fifth time.
“Not yet,” I admitted, wincing as I tangled the strands between my fingers.
“Girl. Why are you playing with your life? Are you second-guessing—”
“No... it’s not that.” I released the mangled braid, letting my hands fall to my lap. “It’s just...”
The truth was, I was terrified of what my overreactive mother would say. How would she react when I finally worked up the courage to tell her? Would she accept the man I loved?
“I planned this trip to Greece behind her back. I accepted this job without consulting her, and now I’m engaged to a guy she’s never met.” Like... how am I even supposed to ease into thatconversation? “She’ll view me differently for sure... maybe love me a little less.”
My parents had gotten married young and had me soon after. But I had no idea how Mom would react to my whirlwind romance. She never said what she expected from me relationship-wise, but somehow it felt like I already failed the test.
I remembered how devastated she’d been when her best friend Ashley became my stepmother, transforming overnight from Mom’s closest confidante to a woman who treated me with contempt. Ashley had been sleeping with my father while I was still undergoing cancer treatments.
That trauma had shaped Mom’s every protective instinct. Now here I was, having fallen for Kat’s ex, essentially inserting myself into another woman’s story. The irony wasn’t lost on me.
Kayla’s hands moved deftly, creating a perfect plait while maintaining eye contact with me. “From what you’ve told me about her, I’m sure she’ll be supportive... eventually.”
“Maybe I shouldn’t tell her,” I countered, reaching for my iced tea. “Or maybe I can tell her after the wedding.”
“Are you crazy?” Kayla laughed. “She’ll kill you for sure.”
“You’re right.” I sighed, returning to the mannequin head. “But I’m not telling her tonight or tomorrow.”
Kayla shook her head, watching as I attempted the braid again. This time, my fingers moved with more confidence. “At least she’ll be impressed by the new skill you’ve learned. Because that one’s almost as good as one I’d have done.”
We chuckled just as Chrys appeared through the garden archway, with Zeus trotting beside him. Zeus immediately bounded over to me, while Chrys’s presence set my nerve endings afire.
“Is my fiancée going to braid my hair next?” he asked with a straight face.
I scoffed, not even bothering to visualize how ridiculous that image would be. “Maybe next time.”
As Kayla looked on, Chrys lowered his head and pressed his lips to my temple. “I made us reservations for dinner. We could discuss which hairstyle would suit me best.”
His teasing smile left me momentarily speechless, making Kayla roll her eyes dramatically at our exchange.
I took my time getting ready for our date, choosing one of the dresses Kayla had gifted me—a silk emerald slip dress that draped perfectly against my curves. Her taste in clothes was exquisite, making me feel almost juvenile for my previous clothing choices.
When Chrys came to my room, his eyes lit up, and I knew I’d hit my mark. His gaze traveled slowly from my face to my bare shoulders, lingering with unmistakable appreciation.
Dinner was at a small restaurant overlooking the sea, the tables illuminated by hanging lanterns. The setting was relaxed and our conversation flowed easily.
Over dessert, Chrys reached across the table for my hand. “Angel, I was thinking we needed our own place. I spoke to a realtor, and we could start looking next week.”
I paused with a spoonful of honey-smothered crème caramel on the way to my mouth. “Why? What’s wrong with the estate?”
“I want to be able to sleep next to you at night,” he confessed, his thumb tracing circles on my palm. “Having you down the hall is killing me.”
Suddenly, the dessert was too much. Too sweet. Too everything.
“I want that too, but getting a place is serious.”
