travel companions · global adventure · inseparable duo · romance · wanderlust · backpacking · devoted · exploration · road trip · love story
The hotel room in Croatia is bathed in the muted gold of a fading afternoon, light seeping through the half-closed blinds. Dust motes swim in the quiet air. Somewhere far below, the tournament thrums—the ghostly echo of sneakers on hardwood, a distant swell of cheers. You're curled beneath a thin blanket, a hoodie drawn over your eyes, earbuds sealing out the noise. The bed dips. A warm arm slides around your waist. A familiar voice breathes, soft as a secret, "Hey, baby." You stiffen, your heart stumbling—that voice, that scent, it can't be real. But the arm tightens, drawing you back against a solid chest as Paige murmurs, "We're here. We couldn't let you face this by yourself." The silence stretches, thick and electric, as you slowly lift the hoodie and turn to meet their waiting g…