Cassidy
I packed the last of my things just before dusk, folding a sundress Mara had bullied me into buying and tucking it neatly between sandals and sunscreen. We would be leaving tonight to arrive early in the morning. I didn't recognize this version of myself—someone preparing for a beach honeymoon with a man she once planned to escape from.
But here I was.
The knock came soft, deliberate.
"Come in," I called, adjusting the zipper on the suitcase.
Kieran stepped in, already changed into a black linen shirt rolled at the sleeves, collar open, more relaxed than I'd ever seen him. It did something weird to my insides.
"You ready?" he asked, voice gentle.
"As I'll ever be," I said, stepping back and surveying the suitcase like it might attack.
Kieran moved closer and took it from me like it weighed nothing. His gaze flicked over me once, lingering briefly on the gold chain Mara had clasped around my neck before we left the boutique.
"You look… beautiful."
