Alison’s mind raced, replaying everything that had led them here. She wasn’t sure how it happened, how pretending had become so real. But the truth was, every fake smile, every staged moment—it had all been leading up to this, to something neither of them could ignore any longer. And now, standing so close to Noah, the air thick with unspoken words, she couldn’t deny what was right in front of her.
His arms wrapped gently but firmly around her waist, grounding her. His touch was warm, soothing, and steady in a way that made her heart skip a beat. She could feel the tension between them shift, no longer something heavy and fraught with confusion, but something new. Something hopeful.
Noah’s eyes met hers, his brow furrowed slightly as if searching for something in her gaze—reassurance, pe
