LOGINAbby Intrigued, I let Karl take my hand and lead me discreetly away from the reception, weaving through the tables and out a back door into the gardens. A mischievous grin plays on his lips as we giggle like teenagers, ducking behind hedges and scurrying across the lush green lawns. “Where are w
As the music shifts to a slow ballad, I feel a familiar pair of strong arms circle my waist from behind. “There’s my beautiful wife,” Karl’s deep voice rumbles in my ear, sending shivers down my spine. He spins me around to face him, our bodies swaying in time to the soft music. I gaze up at him
Abby The reception hall is cast in a warm, romantic glow, with twinkling lights and the warm flickering of candles on every table. Soft music plays as Karl and I make our entrance, hand-in-hand to raucous applause and cheers from our guests. I can’t stop smiling as we wave to our loved ones gather
Abby The afternoon sun streaming in through the tall windows of the chapel casts the stones in a warm golden light, giving everything a sort of ethereal energy. I stand in the hallway, my arm linked with Anton’s, as the wedding coordinator prepares everyone to walk down the aisle. “Are you ready
Abby As I sit in front of the vanity mirror with the hair and makeup artist circling around me, I meet my friends’ gazes in the reflection; Chloe, Leah, Daisy, and even Elsie are here as my bridesmaids, each of them looking more beautiful than the last. “The seamstress really did do a great job
Abby With a gasp of excitement, I pull the wedding gown out of its box and hold it up in the light. Everything is perfect; the way the beadwork catches the light, the silky texture, the shape. I can’t wait to try it on now that it’s been altered to fit my body. Quickly, I slip out of my clothe
Abby My heart feels like it's doing somersaults in my chest as I stammer out my words. “You’re—you’re Vanessa Greene. The Vanessa Greene.” “The one and only,” Vanessa says, her voice as soft as a gentle breeze. She offers her hand, and I feel the warmth of her skin as our palms meet. My hand
He smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Frederick. Pleasure.” “Same to you,” I respond with a smile. Frederick pauses, then licks his lips and speaks. “It’s making some waves, you know. Your reputation about your staff. You should consider yourself fortunate if it doesn’t affect you
Abby It’s been raining cats and dogs all morning, but I’m too excited to care. All I can think about is the anticipation buzzing in my chest as I make my way up the walkway to the upscale studio where the interviews for the cook-off are being held. “Hello,” I say from under my umbrella to a
Karl I was sitting in my apartment one night after work, flipping through N*****x with a glass of whiskey in my hand, when my phone buzzed on the coffee table. Picking it up, I let out a soft sigh. It was Marcus, and it was late. It wasn’t like him to call this late at night. We had only just spok







