Yours The evening air was cool as Ava and Mia finally found the Hawthorne brothers on a quiet balcony overlooking the glittering city.
Away from the laughter.
Away from the endless conversations.
Away from the suffocating expectations.
Lucas swirled the amber liquid in his glass while Ethan leaned lazily against the balcony railing, staring at the city below.
“There you are!” Mia exclaimed as she and Ava approached.
“We’ve been looking everywhere for you two.” Lucas chuckled.
“Were we really that hard to find?” “You disappeared,” Mia complained.
“We thought someone kidnapped you.” Ethan finally turned toward them, the corners of his lips lifting into a rare smile.
“We were trying to run away.” His tone was so dry and serious that, for a second, neither girl knew whether he was joking.
Then Ava laughed.
Mia joined her immediately.
“You two are unbelievable,” Mia said between laughs.
“It was only for five minutes,” Lucas defended.
“Try fifteen,” Ava corrected with a smile.
“Still not enough.” The four of them stood together for a few more minutes, enjoying the quiet.
Eventually, Ava glanced at the ballroom.
“I think we should head back.” Lucas nodded.
“So should we.” Ethan looked at Ava.
Then, to everyone’s surprise, he slowly opened his arms toward her.
Ava blinked.
“…Mr.
Hawthorne?” He looked at her expectantly.
“Well?” She stared.
“What?” “Aren’t you going to help me?” She looked around, certain he couldn’t possibly be talking to her.
“…Me?” “Who else?” “But…” “I think my legs have officially resigned.” Mia burst into laughter.
“He’s serious!” Lucas rubbed the back of his neck.
“I may have let him drink a little more than he should have.” “A little?” Ava repeated.
Lucas smiled sheepishly.
“Maybe two glasses.” Ethan tilted his head.
“Ava.” She sighed dramatically before stepping closer.
The moment Ethan rested part of his weight against her shoulders, Ava’s eyes widened.
“Oh my goodness…” “He weighs a ton!” Mia laughed so hard she had to hold onto Lucas.
“You wanted him.” “I did not!” “You look adorable together.” “I’m being crushed!” Ava turned to Mia with narrowed eyes.
“You know…” “What?” “You have one too.” Mia slowly looked beside her.
Lucas smiled innocently.
“…No.” Lucas raised an eyebrow.
“Yes.” “No.” “Absolutely.” Mia sighed.
“…Life is unfair.” The four of them left the venue together, drawing more than a few amused glances from the remaining guests.
— By the time Ava managed to get Ethan to his suite, she felt as though she had just completed a marathon.
She finally pushed the bedroom door open.
“Almost there…” Ethan quietly followed her without complaint.
She guided him to the bed.
“Okay…” “You can sit now.” Instead…
He continued looking at her.
His usually composed expression had softened completely.
His eyes seemed gentler than she had ever seen them.
Ava smiled awkwardly.
“What?” No answer.
She sighed.
“You really are tired.” Carefully, she helped him sit on the edge of the bed.
“There.” She brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
“You should get some rest.” As she turned to leave- Warm fingers wrapped gently around her wrist.
She stopped.
Slowly looking back.
Ethan was watching her.
Completely awake.
Completely aware.
“Ava.” His voice was quiet.
Almost vulnerable.
“Yes?” “Stay.” Her heart skipped.
“…Mr.
Hawthorne-” “Ethan.” She hesitated.
“…Ethan.” A small smile appeared on his face.
He gently tugged on her hand.
Not enough to force her.
Just enough to ask.
Ava slowly sat beside him.
Neither of them spoke.
The silence felt strangely comforting.
After a long moment, Ethan finally broke it.
“Do you know…” He laughed softly at himself.
“I’ve been trying very hard not to like you.” Ava looked at him in surprise.
“But every day you make it harder.” He looked down at their joined hands.
“I don’t know when it happened.” “I only know…” “When I don’t see you…” “My day feels incomplete.” Ava’s heart pounded so loudly she was certain he could hear it.
“I thought I was imagining it.” He smiled faintly.
“But I wasn’t.” He lifted his gaze.
“And now…” “I don’t think I can pretend anymore.” He slowly raised one hand.
His fingertips gently brushed against her cheek.
“So tell me.” His voice was barely above a whisper.
“Why can’t you be mine?” Ava’s breath caught.
She couldn’t answer.
Not because she didn’t want to.
Because no one had ever looked at her the way Ethan was looking at her now.
“There are so many things in my life that people think belong to me.” “The hotels.” “The airline.” “The restaurants.” “The Hawthorne name.” He shook his head.
“They’re my family’s.” “I’ve helped build them.” “I’ll protect them.” “But none of them are truly mine.” His thumb gently brushed across her cheek.
“But you…” “I want you.” His eyes searched hers.
“I’ve never wanted anything as much as I want you.” “I want to know your smiles.” “I want to know your bad days.” “I want to hear your voice every morning.” “I want…” He smiled helplessly.
“…you.” Ava felt her eyes sting.
No expensive gift.
No grand promise.
Just honesty.
Raw.
Beautiful honesty.
“Ethan…” He slowly leaned closer.
Then stopped.
Only inches separated them.
“If you don’t feel the same…” “I won’t come any closer.” The decision…
Was hers.
Ava looked into his eyes.
Then slowly closed the distance herself.
Their lips met softly.
Tentatively.
At first it wasn’t hurried.
It wasn’t desperate.
It was gentle.
But for some reason Ethan seemed to want more and so did Ava.
Her hand slowly found the back of his neck.
His hand rested carefully against her check and the other hand moving slowly into her legs.
They pulled even closer.
Ava hand seemed to find its way through Ethan’s hair as the continued to kiss.
Time seemed to disappear.
When they finally pulled apart, neither of them spoke.
They simply rested their foreheads together.
Smiling.
— The next morning…
“AHHHHH!” Ava’s scream echoed through the apartment.
Mia nearly dropped her hairbrush.
She rushed into Ava’s room.
“What happened?!” Ava was sitting on the edge of her bed with both hands covering her face.
“Oh no.” “What?” “I kissed him.” Mia blinked.
“…What?” “I kissed Ethan.” Silence.
“…WHAT?!” Mia’s eyes grew so wide they looked ready to fall out.
“You?” “Yes!” “The Ava Carter?” “Yes!” “The same Ava who said romance was a waste of time?” “Yes!” Mia grabbed both of Ava’s shoulders.
“Tell me everything.” Ava buried her face in a pillow.
“It wasn’t supposed to happen.” “But it did.” “It just…” She groaned.
“…happened.” As she recounted every detail from the previous night, Mia listened with an expression that grew more dramatic by the second.
By the end…
She was grinning from ear to ear.
“You kissed Ethan Hawthorne.” Ava hid behind another pillow.
“Stop smiling.” “I can’t.” “It isn’t funny.” “Oh, it absolutely is.” “Mia!” “You’ve liked him.” “I have not.” “You kissed him.” “He confessed first!” “And you kissed him!” Ava groaned loudly.
“I don’t even know what came over me.” Mia laughed until tears formed in her eyes.
“Oh baby!
Love did!” She said clutching her two hands into a fist and placing them above her face with a smile.
“I honestly thought you’d stay single forever.” “So did I.” The room fell silent.
Ava slowly touched her lips.
Her heart began racing all over again.
She smiled without realizing it.
Mia noticed immediately.
“There it is.” “What?” “That smile.” Ava quickly looked away.
She could deny it all she wanted.
But one thing was becoming impossible to deny.
For the very first time in her life…
Someone had found a way into the heart she had guarded for so many years.