Evelyn smoothed her dress for what felt like the hundredth time, staring at her reflection in the hallway mirror. The soft cream fabric clung to her in the right places, flowing gently at the hips. She tried to calm the butterflies fluttering violently in her stomach, but no amount of deep breaths could hide the anticipation—and the nervous excitement—that hummed through her veins.
“Are you ready?” Liam’s voice broke through, smooth and low, sending a shiver down her spine.
“I think so,” she whispered, her hands tightening slightly on the clutch she held.
He smiled, that lazy, confident smile that made her heart trip, and offered his arm. She took it, feeling the warmth of him, the solid presence that had become her anchor in ways she didn’t yet fully understand.
The car ride to his pa
