“Cabo was chaos,” Carolyn says between bites. “One night, I seriously thought Tyler was going to get arrested.”
Sophie snorts. “He probably should have. Him and Landon were unhinged the entire week.”
I smile as I pick at my noodles. “Checks out.”
Carolyn leans back, nudging Sophie with her foot. “Tell her about the golf cart.”
“Oh my god,” Sophie groans. “Tyler tried to race one of the resort shuttles. On a golf cart. With Landon in the back, filming it like he was a war correspondent.”
They’re laughing, loud and easy. I’m laughing too, but the sound feels smaller in my mouth.
“And you?” Carolyn says, nudging me now. “Where were you while we were drinking bad tequila and getting sunburnt?”
I shrug. “Ashby. For part of it.”
“So you went back home.” Sophie confirms.
“Yeah.”
“And for the rest of the time?” She prods.
“Cape Cod,” I say. “We stayed at one of the Caldwells’ houses.”
“Plural,” Carolyn says, dramatically. “Of course.”
Sophie grins around the rim of her wine glass. “Please tell me your parents met Nathaniel. I need a full report.”
I offer a noncommittal smile. “Briefly.”
There’s a beat of silence. Carolyn glances at Sophie, who arches a brow.
“Briefly?” Sophie echoes, dragging the word out like she’s trying to read between the lines. “Was it…bad?”
I am immediately taken back to our last night there. My mother’s silence. My father’s disbelief. The terrifying calm in Nathaniel’s voice, like he was peeling their power away one syllable at a time.
“Let’s just say it was enough,” I reply, keeping my voice light. “You know how my parents are.”
They don’t press further, but they’re watching me a little more closely now.
I set my drink down. “Anyway. It was a quiet break. Peaceful.”
Carolyn watches me for a moment, something thoughtful flickering behind her expression. Then she reaches for another dumpling, her tone shifting to teasing. “So…am I allowed to ask if you’ve officially defected to the Caldwell penthouse?”
Sophie perks up. “Wait—hold on. Did you actually move in?”
I nod, a small smile tugging at my mouth. “Yeah, I did.”
Sophie lets out a gasp. “You mean youlivethere now? Like, full-time? In that stupidly gorgeous shrine of glass and marble?”
“I do.”
Carolyn clutches her chest in mock betrayal. “You traitor. I can’t believe we lost you to the clouds.”
I roll my eyes, but I’m still smiling.
Truthfully, I hadn’t expected Nathaniel to let me come here alone—not without some resistance, at least. But he surprised me. Just said he had to pick up something important and didn’t elaborate. No protests. No pointed glances.
Maybe moving in with him really did settle something inside him. Or maybe agreeing to let him pick me up afterward was the compromise he needed. That small reassurance that I’d still choose him at the end of the night.
