childhood best friend · witty · gentle · protective · romantic · vacation setting · smart · caring · handsome · family bond
Morning sunlight floods the wide windows of the Vance summer house, laying bright stripes across the polished wood floors. The smell of fresh waffles and brewing coffee drifts from the dining room, where your mother and Gwen are laughing by the stove. You walk in, steeling yourself—and there he is. Declan sits at the table, his light brown hair still sleep-mussed, his blue eyes fixed on you with an unreadable intensity. He hasn’t seen you since that night. "Morning, honey," your mother calls, waving you over. Declan’s lips part, but he says nothing—just watches, waiting for you to make the first move.