“I have no recollection of such events.” Dante puts his hands up, but the telltale redness climbing his neck betrays him.
“Oh, don’t deny it; he’s your biggest fan,” Brooklyn insists. Like Dante, she radiates that magnetic Hastings DNA.
“Well, I’m his biggest fan as well.” I laugh.
A tall, brooding man steps forward. “Cameron Hastings,” he introduces himself, then turns to the vibrant woman with purple hair beside him, his eyes filled with unmistakable pride. “And this is Daphne.” The way he says her name makes my heart squeeze—it’s like watching someone describe their favorite constellation.
Daphne beams, adjusting the knitted bow tie at Cameron’s neck. “Hi! I’ve heard so much about you!” Her enthusiasm is infectious. Cameron never stops staring at her, tracking her movements like she’s the sun and he’s caught in her orbit.
“Your dress is absolutely gorgeous,” I say, admiring its intricate details.
“She made it herself,” Cameron interjects before Daphne can respond. His voice is so rich with obvious adoration that I blush hearing it. Daphne twirls, the handmade dress flowing around her like liquid starlight.
“Let me get us something to drink,” Dante murmurs, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. “Champagne for you?”
“That would be nice,” I say, still unsettled by the scrutinizing glances that seem to follow our every move.
“Be back in a sec. You good here?”
“Of course.”
As Dante weaves through the crowd, Leo and Selene approach, holding hands. “We’re so glad you could make it tonight,” Selene says, her voice carrying a maternal comfort that instantly puts me at ease. “Let’s rescue you from this chaos. I’m Selene. Thank you for coming tonight and for your donation.”
“It’s my pleasure.”
“Welcome to the madhouse,” Leo adds with a bear hug. “Dante hasn’t stopped talking about you.”
“So, about those premiere tickets…?” Frankie springs forward, earning an exasperated “Francesca!” from Selene.
“What?” She shrugs. “He’s being so cagey about it!”
“The whole family is welcome, and friends too. It would be my pleasure. This movie would not be what it is without your son. His help with my choreography was everything.”
“Yes, he’s mentioned,” Selene smoothly redirects. “We can’t wait to see you both on screen. And please, our home is always open to you. We’d love to have you.”
Watching Selene and Leo with their children, it’s hard to imagine them sending Dante away to boarding school. They seem so loving, so connected to each of their kids’ big dreams and adventures.
But maybe that’s exactly why Dante rebelled. Growing up in a family like this would be enough to make anyone feel like they needed to carve their own path and set themselves apart.
Before I can properly process the wave of belonging that crashes over me, the doors swing open to reveal four more figures.
I recognize Alec first; the entire room seems to shrink around him. Despite being the shortest of the brothers, he’s monumental in his own right. With Leo’s chiseled features and Selene’s chestnut curls, he’s the spitting image of both parents combined into something formidable. His tattooed arms fill out a crisp white shirt cuffed at the elbows, beaded bracelets andclimbing ropes wrapped around his wrists like badges of honor. His eyes command attention. Dark, watchful.
“Before you ask, Mom—yes, we are still going on the K2 expedition,” he announces.
Selene’s groan is pure maternal concern. “I can’t discuss this death-defying adventure of yours anymore. I’ve made my point clear.”
“We’ll be fine,” Alec says with quiet confidence. He automatically positions himself between his family and the crowded room.
“Totally got this,” a man beside Alec says. His shirt matches his friend’s, his own wrists adorned with similar climbing tokens. “Hi, I’m Finn, by the way!”
Alec acknowledges me with a measured nod, his assessment palpable, checking to see if I’m worthy of his baby brother’s attention.
“And I’m Ezra,” says a striking figure with dirty blond hair that sets him apart from his siblings, though the sharp Hastings features are unmistakable. “This is my fiancée, Hazel.”
The woman beside him is breathtaking. Intricate tattoos wind up her arms like living art, and her dark curls cascade past her shoulders.
“Oh gosh, congratulations!” I exclaim, spotting the ring.
