“Yeah,” I nod. “I’m surprised you don’t.”
She blinks, the wheels clearly turning. “I… how doyouknow, and I don’t?”
“Because it’sEthan.”
Her mouth parts. “I’m confused…”
“I love you so much, Aria.” I step forward and pinch her cheeks until her lips pout. “And how oblivious you are. You’re so cute.”
“Sienna.”
“Come on.” I loop my arm through hers again and pull her up the beach. “Let’s get back to your wedding!”
“But Sienna?—”
The only response I offer is a bright smile as I keep tugging her along.
Chapter Forty-Eight
Milo
Seated at a table with Ethan,I cradle a glass of scotch. A quiet smile plays on my lips as I watch the room. My gaze keeps drifting back to Sienna every few seconds, like a compass that only knows one direction.
She’s in the middle of the dance floor with Aria and their parents, the four of them moving in a loose circle. Laughter bubbles up from the group every few seconds, drawing fond glances and smiles from other guests.
Sienna looks radiant—alive in that bright, uncontainable way that always steals my breath. My chest tightens with something warm and deep just from looking at her.
Ethan nudges my shoulder. He’s leaning back in his chair, tux jacket off and tie loosened, wearing the contented smile of a man who just married the love of his life.
“You’re staring again,” he says, amused.
“Can you blame me?”
He chuckles. “Not even a little. But damn, Reyes… I’ve never seen you look at anyone that way.”
I take a slow sip of my scotch, letting the music and laughter swirl around us. “She’s chaos and light and everything I didn’t know I needed,” I say at last, my voice low. “She makes melaugh. She makes me think. And the way she looks at me sometimes… like I’m someone worth staying for… it messes with my head in the best way.”
Ethan nods slowly, his expression softening. “That’s the real thing, Reyes. The kind that makes you want forever, even when it scares you. Aria did the same to me. One day I was just happy to be around her. The next, I couldn’t imagine my life without her.”
I let out a short breath, almost a laugh. “You know what’s funny? When you were telling me those stories about her, I genuinely thought she’d be too much for me…”
He grins. “And now?”
I glance back at the dance floor. Sienna spins Aria, and they're laughing so hard they nearly fall over. Her eyes meet mine across the pavilion, and she gives me an almost-shy smile that makes my heart stutter.
“Now I realize she’s not too much,” I say quietly. “She’s exactly right. It’s like we were made for each other. I don’t really know how else to explain it.”
I pause, the words feeling both heavy and true.
“When I told you last night that I think I’m falling in love with her, I lied.” I meet his eyes. “Iamin love with her. I know it’s fast, but it doesn’t feel that way. It feels like I’ve been waiting for her my whole life and didn’t know it until now.”
Ethan’s grin softens into something deeper, almost proud. “Then tell her, Reyes. Life’s too short to wait for the perfect moment. Don’t let it eat at you. Tell her before it’s too late.”
Before I can respond, the DJ announces the first dance.
Ethan claps me on the back, then stands. “That’s my cue. Wish me luck.”
I watch as he walks toward Aria, takes her hand, and guides her to the center of the dance floor. The lights dim, a spotlightshines on them, and Paul Anka’s “Put Your Head On My Shoulder” begins to play.
