Claire buries her face in her hands beside him, laughing helplessly while the crowd lets out a chorus of playful boos and teasing shouts.
“You clearly didn’t look hard enough,” I call back, turning toward him with a grin. “They were near the back wall. They even had dick tattoos.”
Ryan’s eyes go wide. “You’re lying.”
“Nope,” I shake my head, barely holding back a laugh. “Milo wouldn’t let us get them… which is honestly a shame. We could’ve totally rocked matching dick tattoos.”
Milo lets out a low chuckle beside me as Ethan snorts loudly into the microphone, trying and failing to keep a straight face.
“Now that’s something I would’ve loved to see,” Ethan says, grinning. “Blackmail content until the day we die.”
“Fuck off, Cole,” Milo mutters beside me, though he’s smiling.
“Love you too, Reyes!” Ethan shouts back, pounding his chest with his fist.
Aria rolls her eyes and keeps talking. “We’ve had so much fun watching all of you over the past few days. The photos. The videos. The complete and utter chaos. It’s honestly been one of our favorite parts of the trip.” Her smile softens as she glances around at everyone gathered under the pavilion. “But now it’s time to announce who will enjoy a private sunset catamaran sail tonight.”
A chorus of excited cheers follows.
“Can we get a drumroll please?” Ethan shouts.
Immediately, hands begin pounding against tables.
The sound grows louder and louder until it becomes a rolling thunder of noise.
Under the table, Milo’s hand finds mine again. The simple touch sends a rush of warmth through me. His thumb strokes slow circles over my knuckle—a quiet, steady rhythm that somehow calms my nerves even as my stomach flutters harder.
Aria leans closer to the mic, her excitement bubbling over. “All right, everyone, stand up!”
The crowd hesitates.
“No, seriously. Stand up,” she urges. “Come on, get on your feet! Let’s give this a proper announcement!”
“You heard my soon-to-be-wife!” Ethan claps his hands and gestures for everyone to stand. “Everybody on your feet!”
Chairs scrape across the floor as the entire wedding party rises. I slip my hand from Milo’s, suddenly unsure what to do with myself. My fingers fidget with my dress’s hem.
“And the winner is…”
Aria lets the silence stretch just long enough for everyone to hold their breaths.
“Sienna and Milo!”
The moment our names ring out, a delighted squeal escapes me, and I launch myself straight into Milo’s arms before I can even think. He catches me instantly, like he knew I was going to do it.
His hands slide beneath my thighs as I wrap my legs around his waist, laughing breathlessly. Then he spins me. Once. Twice. The world blurs into flashes of sunlight and ocean blue.
One of Milo’s hands remains firmly pressed against the hem of my sundress, keeping it in place as he spins us. The thoughtful gesture sends a different kind of flutter through my chest.
When he finally slows, he carefully lowers me back to the ground. Neither of us lets go right away. His arms stay wrapped around my waist. For a moment, we’re both smiling too hard to speak.
Then Aria appears beside us, carrying an envelope. “You two absolutely earned this,” she says, pulling us both into a hug. She leans in, lowering her voice so only I can hear. “And honestly? You deserve each other.”
The words hit harder than I expected.
“I love you,” I murmur, hugging her tighter and kissing her cheek. “So much.”
“I love you,” she says, kissing my cheek in return. “To the stars, around the moon, through the atmosphere and back.”
