As the evening continued, the fire burned lower and someone had lit the table lamps, casting warm pools of light throughout the room. The conversations had splintered into smaller groups again. Enzo and Tereza had reclaimed the window seat, their heads bent together over something on her phone. Lukas held court near the fireplace, Jules perched on the arm of his chair as he explained his movie concept with uncharacteristic animation. The golden light had deepened, painting everything in warm amber tones.
Harper had stepped through the French doors onto a small stone balcony overlooking the gardens. The evening air was cooler here, a relief after the warmth and laughter of the library. She leaned against the balustrade, taking a steadying breath as the scent of night-blooming jasmine drifted up from the gardens below.
“Escaping already?”
She didn’t turn around, but she felt Sebastian’s presence behind her like a shift in pressure. “Just needed a minute. Your friends are… a lot.”
“They like you,” he said, moving to stand beside her at the railing. Not too close, but close enough that she caught the familiar scent of his cologne mixing with the evening air. “Jules doesn’t laugh like that for just anyone.”
“Good thing. I was starting to think I’d have to charm my way through the entire European social register.”
Sebastian’s mouth quirked as he rested his forearms on the stone balustrade. “Only half of it. The other half will be at the wedding.”
They stood in comfortable silence, looking out over the manicured gardens where solar lights were beginning to twinkle like earthbound stars. The library’s golden light spilled through the windows behind them, punctuated by bursts of laughter and the distant sound of Lukas still explaining his movie concept.
“This is harder than I thought it would be,” Harper said quietly, her fingers tightening on the cool stone.
“What is?”
She finally looked at him, finding his profile sharp against the evening sky. “Pretending we’re just… friendly acquaintances.”
Sebastian’s expression shifted, a slight edge creeping into his voice as he turned to face her. “I thought we were pretending it never happened. Like responsible adults.”
Harper’s mouth quirked despite herself. “Since when have you been a responsible adult?”
“Fair point,” Sebastian said with a dry smile, some of the tension leaving his shoulders.
Harper’s expression grew more serious as she turned to face the gardens again. “I lied, Sebastian. When I said it was a mistake.” She paused, her knuckles white where she gripped the balustrade. “I’ve been telling myself that for weeks, trying to make it true. But watching you tonight…” She gestured toward the library where warm laughter continued to spill through the doors. “I can’t keep pretending it didn’t mean anything.”
The words hung between them in the cooling air, heavy with everything they’d been trying not to say. Sebastian’s hands tightened on the stone, his knuckles standing out white in the gathering dusk.
“You’re not making this easier,” he said, his voice rougher than usual.
“I’m not trying to make it easier. I’m trying to survive the next few days without losing my mind or ruining everything.”
Sebastian turned to face her fully, the space between them suddenly feeling charged. “And how’s that working out for you?”
Harper met his eyes, seeing her own frustration reflected there in the lamplight from the library. “Not great. You?”
“Same.” He stepped closer, close enough that she could see the way the light from the library caught in his eyes, could feel the warmth radiating from his skin. “It doesn’t help that you look…”
“Like what?”
“Like you belong here. With them. With me.” His voice was barely above a whisper, almost lost in the evening breeze.
Harper’s pulse quickened, her breath catching. “Sebastian.”
“I know. I know we can’t.” But he didn’t step back, his body angled toward hers like a compass finding north. “Doesn’t stop me from wanting to.”
For a moment, they just looked at each other, the space between them charged with everything they couldn’t say, couldn’t do. The evening air seemed to hold its breath around them.
Then Ethan’s voice drifted through the doors, cutting through the charged silence: “Has anyone seen Harper? I need her to settle a debate about American pizza crimes.”
The spell broke. Harper stepped back, smoothing her dress with hands that trembled slightly.
“Duty calls,” she said lightly, though her voice was slightly unsteady.
Sebastian nodded, running a hand through his hair and leaving it slightly mussed. “After the wedding,” he said, but it sounded more like a promise than a reminder.