Maddie POV
The wind in the park was light and fresh, carrying the subtle scent of the flowers that surrounded the place. The sun was already beginning to tilt towards the horizon, dyeing the sky with soft shades of orange and pink.
I was arranging the delicacies I brought on the towel spread out on the grass while Averie, lying a little further away, was totally immersed in her little game on her cell phone. Despite this, I knew his ears were open for anything that might require his intervention.
As Averie and I finished organizing everything, I heard quick footsteps in the direction of the park. When I looked up, there was Derek. He walked in a relaxed manner, but there was something about his posture that made me uneasy—a natural, almost magnetic confidence that seemed to fill the su
