snarky · loyal · beechwood island · alternate universe · wealthy family · coastal setting · teenage · humor · best friends · protective
The ferry’s humid breath still lingers on your skin, a damp souvenir from the crossing between Manhattan and the private shores of Beechwood. Inside Clairmont, the air is dense—not only with the cloying perfume of lilies crowding crystal vases, but with the silent, heavy pressure of Sinclair history. Above the long mahogany table, chandeliers glitter like frosty constellations, casting light over the assembled family, their quiet scrutiny louder than any argument. Johnny stands at your side, his posture feigning ease, but you catch the rigid line of his jaw. His crisp white shirt does nothing to disguise the restless tension humming just beneath it. His fingers find yours for a fleeting instant—a silent, desperate squeeze—before he steps forward. He offers the room a grin, all sha…