All Chapters of In Love With My Son's Best Friend: Chapter 171 - Chapter 180

JUNE’S POVGraduation dayMy cap refused to stay in place. I pinned it down for the third time. Then I straightened the tassel once more while I studied my reflection in the bathroom mirror. Marlene called from the living room that we were going to be late if we didn’t get moving.Still, I kept staring at myself.The cap sat on my head. The gown hung over my frame. The hood rested across my shoulders in the exact colors of my program.I had done this all on my own. Franklin had never touched it. My parents had stayed out of it. Nobody else had carried any part of the load.I stepped out of the bedroom. Adrian let out a low whistle right away. Marlene already had tears on her face—she’d been crying on and off since she woke up—and Ashley balanced on Luca’s hip, waving a little flag he must have grabbed earlier.“Look at you,” Luca said. His voice stayed steady, but his eyes told a different story. “Doctor Holloway.”“Not officially yet,” I answered. “The actual degree comes after I wal

LUCA’S POVMy pulse hammered so hard I thought the whole crowd could hear it. I stood facing Adrian, Marlene, and the others who had stayed after the ceremony, forcing a steady breath into my lungs. Ashley, perched on her dad’s hip, played with his collar, totally unaware he was about to propose.The velvet box stayed tucked in my pocket. I brushed my fingers across it again for the tenth time, letting its solid shape settle my nerves. You can do this, I reminded myself. The toughest part already lay behind me.That toughest part had happened three months earlier in June’s living room after she went to bed early. I’d asked Adrian and Marlene to stay a little longer. They traded a quick look before Adrian met my eyes.“You’re about to ask her, aren’t you?”I managed only a nod because my throat had closed tight. Marlene’s eyes filled immediately. Adrian stared at me for a long beat, then extended his hand.“Take care of her,” he said. “She’s been through a lot. Don’t add to it.”“I won

JUNE'S POVForever Starts NowThree months had passed since I walked across that stage and became Dr. Holloway. Residency at St. Mary’s no longer left me feeling out of place in my white coat. Early mornings stretched into late nights, but the work had finally clicked. It felt like exactly what I was built for.Luca opened his bar at the same time—as my fiancé. The little place on the corner of Fifth and Main had rich wood paneling and warm lighting. He’d spent weeks perfecting the cocktail menu, so every drink always hit just right. He called it The Anchor. When I asked why, he smiled and said it was a place where people could feel safe. Where he finally felt safe himself.Business was better than he’d expected. Positive reviews poured in, and regulars kept coming back. Every evening he walked through the door smelling like citrus and whiskey, that quiet pride lighting up his face.We’d settled into our new third-floor apartment in a brick building—fifteen minutes from the hospital a

JUNE’S POVThe party lights were still glowing in the backyard as my new husband swept me up along the flower-lined walkway. My wedding gown’s lace spilled across his jacket. Cheers and songs followed us—Adrian hollered, Marlene sniffled happily, Ashley yelped—but Luca never slowed down. He carried me straight to the small stone cottage at the far end of the property, the one Marlene had decorated with extra peonies, candles, and a chilled bottle of champagne on the nightstand.Our first night as a married couple.Husband and wife.Those words still felt brand-new on my tongue, just like the simple gold band circling my finger. We’d picked it out together because it matched us—solid and real.He kicked the door shut and eased me down so my back pressed against the cool wood. We paused, staring at each other in the soft lamp light. His eyes were still puffy from the ceremony. Mine probably were too. Heat flared between us now, built from every touch and glance out in the yard.“Mrs. Br

JUNE’S POVOur plane touched down on the runway just as the sun started to set.I kept my cheek pressed to the little window, watching the coastline slide into view below us. Turquoise waves met golden sand while palm trees swayed in a breeze I could almost feel through the glass. Luca sat beside me, seatbelt already off, fidgeting like he always did when he got excited.He brought it up again, for what felt like the hundredth time. “Two weeks straight. Just you and me.”“You keep saying that like you still can’t believe we’re actually here.”He leaned in and kissed my temple. “I can’t. Pinch me so I know this is real.”I gave his arm a firm pinch.“Ouch. I meant something softer.”“You left that part out.”Once the plane stopped, we grabbed our luggage—one suitcase each, plus the small duffel with sunscreen, that book I’d been putting off for ages, and the champagne we’d picked up at duty-free.The second we stepped outside, warm humid air wrapped around me, thick with salt. It felt