**Zaire
I stood up, glass in hand, and didn’t say anything at first. I just let the noise die down. The string lights were warm against my skin, and every face in the room turned toward us, toward her.
Under the table, Kyra’s hand found mine. Small. Tentative. Like she already knew I was about to change everything.
"Kyra," I started, and my voice came out quieter than I wanted. I had to steady it. "I... I've been meaning to tell you this for a long time. And tonight, with everyone here, I think it's the right moment."
I took a breath. Looked at her. The lights caught in her eyes, and they were already wet. God, she was beautiful. Terrifyingly so. For once, I didn’t try to shove the fear down. I let it sit there and spoke anyway.
"I love you," I said, louder this time. Clear. "I've l
