Roman’s POV.
By evening, the sky had shifted into strokes of orange and violet, the sun bleeding slowly into the ocean. Ariana and I walked along the beach, our feet sinking into cool, damp sand. The breeze carried salt, coconut, and something soft that felt like peace. Her hand was tucked into mine, small and warm, and I couldn’t shake the thought that I never wanted to let it go.
She tilted her head back, eyes fixed on the heavens. “The stars here look… different. Brighter.”
I watched her instead of the sky. “That’s because you’re happy.”
She glanced at me, a small smile tugging at her lips. “Am I?”
“You are,” I said firmly. “I can hear it in your laugh. See it when you look at me. I’ve been waiting to see that for so long.”
She squeezed my hand tighter. For a moment, she didn’t an
