Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 86515 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 433(@200wpm)___ 346(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86515 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 433(@200wpm)___ 346(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
But saying that out loud feels terrifying, not a situation I want to find myself in. It’s a sacrifice I don’t want to have to make if it can be avoided.
Birdie doesn’t answer right away. She takes a sip of her wine, eyes flicking briefly to her brother before returning to me. “Okay,” she says finally. “First of all, you’re allowed to feel conflicted. That doesn’t make you reckless or unprofessional. It makes you human.”
I huff out a soft laugh. “Dangerous territory for me.”
She smiles faintly. “Yeah, I’ve noticed.” Then her tone shifts—still warm, but firmer. “Second, I don’t think you need to solve this right now. You’re not at the point of choosing anything yet.”
“And hopefully I’ll never have to,” I say.
Birdie leans in. “My brother is a grown man. He knows what he signed up for, and you didn’t get this far by running every time things got complicated.”
I consider that, letting it settle.
“Take it one day at a time,” Birdie continues. “Do the work with integrity. Be honest—with yourself and with him. If a line ever actually gets crossed, you’ll know, and then you decide.” She lifts her glass in a small, decisive gesture. “But don’t preemptively burn it down out of fear.”
Yeah… that’s very good advice.
Across the deck, Crosby looks over at us, his gaze finding mine. He smiles—uncomplicated, open.
I lift my glass back toward Birdie. “One day at a time,” I echo.
She clinks her glass gently against mine. “Exactly.”
“So,” Arch says, turning from the grill, “what’s everyone dressing up as tomorrow?”
Across the deck, Crosby closes the grill lid with a decisive clang. “Juno and I are going as Neo and Trinity.”
Arch lets out a low whistle. “No one will be able to deny you two are a couple now.”
Crosby and I share a smile. We had decided to do it once the invitation from the Wildfire Family Collective—Cherry—went out to the entire team. While Crosby wasn’t excited about it, he decided it was important to go for team unity. There was no question I was going because while we’re dressing as a couple, I will be working, as this is exactly the behind-the-scenes stuff viewers will want to see.
Birdie’s mouth curves. “Clean. Iconic. Black leather solves everything.”
“We found some long leather coats at a thrift store. The glasses were a little harder, but thank God for Amazon.” I lift my chin at Arch. “And you?”
He straightens, flexes his muscles. “Thor.”
Birdie snorts. “Typical.”
“Full hammer,” he adds, waggling his eyebrows. “Yes, I will be the hottest thing there.” He then asks Birdie, “Are you going?”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Birdie lifts her glass. “I’ll be joining you all as Catwoman.”
Arch nudges Evan. “What about you, big man?”
Evan smirks. “I’m going as a documentary filmmaker, meaning I’m dressing comfortable in my normal clothes since I’m working.”
I shake my head, laughing softly. “You’re going to be surrounded by superheroes and villains and you’re going to show up in black jeans like it’s a Tuesday.”
“Exactly.”
My gaze drifts back to Crosby, who’s watching the exchange with quiet amusement, arms crossed loosely over his chest. I can already picture it—the house full, music low, people everywhere, and us in matching costumes.
At Cherry and Miller’s house.
That part alone feels loaded.
According to Crosby, Cherry’s already sent out no fewer than four reminder texts. One with the official invitation, one with parking instructions, one with a theme clarification, and one with rules.
Rules.
No duplicate costumes.
No “provocative interpretations.”
No fairy-tale characters—because she and Miller are already doing Rapunzel and Flynn Rider.
“She really put that in writing,” I’d said when Crosby told me.
“She really did,” he’d replied, deadpan.
This will be interesting… the first time Crosby and I show up somewhere together without pretending we’re only friends. He thinks the team already suspects we’re more, and I think he’s right. Arch had told him it’s written all over our faces whenever we’re together.
Still, it’s far different choosing to step into it openly, and there’s going to be lots of questions.
Crosby catches me watching him and lifts one brow. A silent question. You okay?
I smile back, small but sure. I’m good.
Yeah. I’m good and looking forward to the party. Even if part of me knows that once we walk through that door together, things won’t be quite so easy anymore.
But for now—here, under the string lights, with the chill held at bay and his presence steady at my side—it’s totally worth it.
CHAPTER 27
Crosby
Miller and Cherry live in a beautiful neighborhood. Wide, manicured streets lined with mature trees, every lawn trimmed to the same height, stone mailboxes and black iron fencing. Houses set back far enough to feel private but close enough that you know every neighbor is paying attention.
Cherry’s influence is obvious the moment we turn onto their street.
Miller’s place is large and modern, all severe lines and glass, two stories of pale stone and dark wood with so much uplighting, the house glows unnaturally. The entire front is decked out in Halloween decorations—pumpkins, witches, massive spiders crawling up the sides of the house. Cars already line both sides of the street—luxury SUVs, sports cars, a few rideshares dropping off guests in costume.