“I’m just warning you,” my father continues, “it’s easy to get lost in a pretty face,”
Lauren isn’t just a pretty face; she’s a universe,I think to myself, and reducing her to mere physicality makes my stomach turn. “I said not to worry, Dad,” I respond, my tone sharper than usual, locking eyes with him.
My father looks at me challengingly, as if daring me to cross a line, but I don’t give him the satisfaction. Instead, I down the whiskey in one swift motion, feeling the burn.
We never had a close relationship with our parents. I’ve always suspected that my father sees the four of us more as a legacy for the company than as his children. He treats me like I’m just another employee, a subordinate, and I resent him for it. Growing up, I needed a father, not a distant boss. But that was never an option.
My siblings are watching me closely now. I’ve never raised my voice in this house, never openly defied my father, but for Lauren, I realize I’m capable of things I never thought I’d do.
“And you,” I say, pointing directly at Killian, “stop flirting with her.”
Killian raises his hands in mock surrender, wisely staying quiet. He knows better than to mess with me when I’m like this. Luca, sensing the tension, clears his throat and smoothly shifts the conversation to a new project he’s working on in Miami. It’s a smart move, one that will pull my father’s attention away from me and back to what matters most to him—money. I’ll have to thank Luca for that later.
Lauren and my mom finally arrive for dinner, their arms overflowing with an absurd number of shopping bags. I quickly step over to help, grabbing as many as I can to relieve them of their load.
“What’s all this?” I ask, setting the bags down on the kitchen table, and eyeing the pile of designer logos.
“Oh, you know how much I love Christmas shopping,” my mom says with a wave of her hand, casually downplaying the mountain of top-brand bags like it’s nothing.
I lean in close to Lauren, gently taking her arm, and ask in a whisper, “Are you okay?” I hadn’t realized just how much I’d missed her until she was standing right in front of me again.
Damn, I missed her.
“Yes.” She smiles softly, and for a moment, I just want to pull her closer. “Do you think I could take a shower before dinner?”
“That depends,” I say, suddenly serious.
She frowns. “On what?”
“On whether I can join you or not.”
Lauren gives me a playful shove, and I laugh a little too loudly, drawing my mom’s attention. Her eyes narrow as she watches us closely, but thankfully, she doesn’t catch what I said.
Dinner goes surprisingly well—no awkward questions, no suspicious glances, and thank God, no more winks from Killian aimed at Lauren.
When Lauren heads off to bed, I don’t exactly rush after her, but I walk quickly enough that my parents shoot me a couple of odd looks. I ignore them and catch up with her just as she starts up the stairs, a step ahead of me. She looks exhausted, clearly ready to turn in for the night.
“Lauren,” I call softly, and she turns, her tired eyes meeting mine. “If you want me to sleep in another room, that’s fine. I know the situation with my mom and the rooms wasn’t exactly funny for you. I can always bunk with one of my brothers.”
She listens closely, her expression calm, but then I see it—a flicker of something like disappointment in her eyes. My heart skips a beat, not from stress this time, but from pure excitement.
“Is there space somewhere else?” she asks, glancing over my shoulder as if already scouting out the alternatives.
“Yes, don’t worry,” I say, trying to force a casual smile, even though I can’t hide my own disappointment. Sleeping under the same roof as Lauren and not sharing a bed feels like torture.
She leans in and kisses my cheek softly. “Good night, Silas.”
And with that, she disappears up the stairs, leaving me standing there, trying to figure out what the hell just happened.
Lauren
The first thing I do when I wake up is head straight to the window. The view from my room overlooks the ocean, stretching out into a small beach that looks like it belongs exclusively to the Walkers. I open the balcony doors, letting the crisp morning air rush in. The cold stings my face for a moment, but the sun is just beginning to rise over the sea, casting a warm glow that softens everything. It’s a sight I can’t miss—one of those moments where the world feels still and perfect. No matter where I am, it seems like theWalkers are always surrounded by sunrises or sunsets, like they’re woven into the very fabric of their lives.
I grab a cream-colored sweater from the chair and pull it on, wrapping myself in its softness as I step onto the balcony. The waves break gently along the shore, seagulls circle in the air, searching for breakfast, and the salty wind brushes against my skin. I take a deep breath, soaking it all in. This feels like a moment I need to remember—one I’ll hold onto when I’m back in my tiny space, trying to heat up a frozen dinner and dreaming of places like this. I won’t always have this view at Christmas, though I wish I could share it with my sister and parents. Maybe, one day, I’ll have enough to give them a view like this. But for now, I just stand here, letting the beauty of the morning sink into my bones.
“Hey!” I hear Silas call from below.
I lean over the balcony to see him standing on the deck, holding up two cups with a grin. He nods toward the outdoor chairs. “Come have breakfast!”
