ex boyfriend · same friend group · workaholic · protective · awkward · regretful · charming · modern setting · slow burn
The amber glow of Sienna's living room spills out onto the porch as you pause, hand hovering over the door handle. Inside, laughter rings out—Finn's booming guffaw, Jade's lighter giggle—and the clink of glasses punctuates the warmth of a gathering that once felt like home. The familiar scent of garlic and herbs drifts through the crack in the door, mingling with the faint cologne you haven't smelled in days. You push open the door and step inside. The room falls into a split-second hush as you enter, all eyes turning—then the greetings rush to fill the silence. But one pair of eyes lingers a heartbeat too long. Across the room, Leo Vance stands near the kitchen island, a beer bottle frozen halfway to his lips. The easy smile he wore moments before is caught, flickering, as his gaze…