We grew closer, more in sync with each other.
Even our first night together felt right, honest, intimate, deeply connected.
Maddie was passionate, gentle, and completely unfazed by my prickly nature; the same edge that had driven others away didn’t seem to bother her at all.
Honestly, I felt like the luckiest guy alive.
Moving in together felt like the natural next step.
It brought us even closer, gave us the chance to deepen our connection, to build something real,
a life we could be proud of. With our careers beginning to take shape and our bond becoming stronger, I finally felt like I had something solid. Something that might actually last. For the first time since losing my dad, I felt like I had some control over my life. With Maddie, I wasn’t drifting anymore.
I’d found my anchor. My safe harbour.
But the warmth of those memories can only hold me for so long. Reluctantly, I pull myself back to the present.
As the images of those early days with Maddie begin to fade, I brace myself for whatever comes next.
After hearing so much about him, after envying him, resenting him, almost hating him, for the hold he still seemed to have on Maddie… It feels surreal to think I’m actually going to meet Sebastian. That I’ll be sharing a flat with him.
That I’ll have to be polite.
And considering I’ve never exactly been known for my acting skills, the thought of pretending to be friendly while living under the same roof isn’t exactly thrilling.
The whole situation makes my skin crawl.
I just hope this awkward arrangement doesn’t last too long and that it doesn’t end in complete disaster.
MADDIE
I wake to the gentle brush of Remi’s fingers on my shoulder. Stretching like a cat, I turn towards him and meet those mischievous hazel eyes, half-hidden beneath heavy lashes and a tousled mop of ash-blond hair.
God, he’s beautiful.
Whenever we go out, I can feel people watching him, guys and girls alike. His athletic frame definitely draws attention, but it’s his sharp mind and soft heart that truly set him apart.
Remi is one of the most intelligent, thoughtful people I’ve ever known.
He may come across as distant at first, a little aloof, but beneath that quiet, slightly gruff exterior is a heart as tender as they come, and I find it utterly endearing.
I lean in to kiss him good morning, smiling as I wrap myself around him.
“Good morning, my love.”
He smiles back, as warm as ever, though there’s a flicker of worry in his eyes.
“Morning, Mads. Ready to take flight?”
He’s trying to play it cool, to keep it light, but I know him too well. I can hear the tension in his voice, feel it in the way he holds himself, and it only makes me love him more.
He’s doing this for me. Putting on a brave face so I won’t carry guilt with me when I go.
Remi’s never actually saidI love you, not in those exact words, but I’ve never needed to hear it. It’s in the way he looks at me, the way he listens, the way he quietly reaches for me when I can’t sleep.
It’s in everything he does.
I reach up to stroke his cheek and smile.
