I eye him curiously, but don’t press further.
Aria leans in and pulls me into a sideways hug, squeezing me tight. “I’m so excited to watch your love story unfold,” she whispers into my hair. “You look happy, Sienna. It makesmehappy… and a little emotional that my twin has finally found someone worth staying for.”
I squeeze her back, my heart so full it almost hurts.I am happy. The kind of happy that feels too big for my chest, like it might spill over and change my whole life.
“Oh! Before I forget,” Aria says, startling everyone with her sudden burst of energy. “There’s a bonfire on the beach tonight. Should we all go? Make it a proper farewell to the island and a celebration of how perfect it’s been?”
Ethan nods right away, popping a piece of pineapple into his mouth with a grin. “Do you even have to ask? Of course we’re allgoing. I’m not leaving this place without one last night under the stars.”
A tiny pang twists in my chest at the thought of leaving. This island has changed everything. It’s cracked open parts of me I didn’t even know were sealed shut—the anxious, guarded pieces I’d carried for years. Here, the waves never stop whispering against the shore like a gentle lullaby. The air always smells of salt and sweet flowers, and time feels softer, slower, as if it’s giving us permission to justbe.
I’ve laughed more freely, loved more openly, and let myself fall harder than I ever imagined. The thought of packing it all up and returning to real life makes my stomach flutter with nerves.
“We’ve technically got two nights left under the stars,” I comment, which earns me a scowl from Ethan.
Milo leans in close, his warm breath brushing my ear. “Their night under the stars and ours are completely different,” he murmurs, his voice low and intimate, just for me.
A flush creeps up my back and wraps around my neck.
Looking at him, a gentle hope blooms in my chest that maybe the magic we’ve found here won’t just disappear when we leave. Maybe the best parts of this island, the calm, the joy, and the way I feel when I’m with him, will follow us home.
“You’re such an idiot,” I murmur, nudging his shoulder.
“Your idiot,” he responds, smirking.
After that, the afternoon drifts by in the sweetest way. We float on oversized inflatables in the pool, the cool water soothing our sun-warmed skin. Aria and I start a splash fight that quickly devolves into total chaos when Ethan and Milo team up against us. Water flies everywhere until we’re laughing so hard we can barely stay on the floats.
At one point, Milo catches me around the waist and pulls me onto his float. I end up sprawled across his chest, my chin resting on my hands as I justlookat him—dripping wet, smiling,and utterly mine in this moment. He brushes wet hair off my forehead, his touch impossibly gentle, and something deep inside me clicks into place.
Later, we head back to the loungers and trade stories. Mom tells the tale of me trying to run away at six to live in a treehouse. Dad adds all the embarrassing details I’d conveniently forgotten. Milo stays close the whole time, his hand finding mine or resting on my thigh whenever my leg gets restless.
Every touch feels like a quiet promise:I’m here, and I’ve got you.
I catch my parents watching us with soft, approving eyes more than once. Mom’s hand rests over Dad’s like she’s remembering their own beginning. Aria keeps shooting me little sparkling grins, practically glowing with secondhand joy.
By the time the sun begins to dip, painting the sky in breathtaking strokes of pink, orange, and lavender, I feel full—full of food, laughter, love, and a quiet new certainty blooming in my chest like a flower finally opening to the light.
As we gather our things to head back to the villa and get ready for the bonfire, Milo gently tugs my wrist, pulling me aside beneath a tall palm tree. The fronds rustle overhead as his hands settle on my waist, his thumbs brushing the warm stripe of skin where my shirt has ridden up. A pleasant shiver races up my spine.
“You okay?” he asks, his voice low and tender as he searches my face as if memorizing every detail. “With everyone knowing? I don’t want you to feel any pressure because of it.”
I nod, rising onto my toes to kiss him softly. “More than okay,” I whisper against his lips. “I’m happy. Scared… but genuinely happy. And I want them to know.”
A smile spreads across his face. “Good. As long as you’re sure.”
“I am,” I nod, sliding my hand into his. “Only because I know you’ll be there to catch me if I fall.”
“Always,” he murmurs, squeezing my fingers. “I’ve got you, baby. As long as you’ll let me.”
Chapter Fifty-Three
Milo
“Sienna? You ready, baby?”I knock softly on her bedroom door, my knuckles hovering just above the smooth wood.
Something crashes inside, followed by a muffled curse and her cheerful voice. “One second! Almost done!”
I lean against the wall opposite, a slow smile tugging at my lips. Less than five minutes pass before the door swings open, and the air leaves my lungs in a quiet rush.
