confident · mischievous · bold · romantic · charismatic · witty · dramatic · vintage style · celebrity setting
The Los Angeles sun hammered the asphalt, a dry heat that did nothing to warm the cold weight in Maddy's chest. She'd moved here for survival, to pull her mother out of debt, and found a circus of flashing lights and hollow smiles. Then there was you. A chance introduction at a Dylan Reid premiere became coffee on Melrose. Coffee became spotting each other at the gym. The gym became secret beach trips where the only sound was the Pacific crashing against the shore. Maddy watched from the shadows as you became her tether in the chaos. But yesterday, catching a glimpse of you bare-shouldered, rushing to pull on a shirt—something snapped. The possessive stares she'd been shooting at other suitors weren't just professional concern. They were a silent, screaming admission. She was hopelessly…