Chris felt like his whole body was vibrating with restless energy. One day. Just one more day and Ash would finally be back. He’d been telling himself to calm down, that he’d look crazy if anyone knew how giddy he felt, but nothing worked. Not even distracting himself with his favorite playlist or replaying Ash’s voice in his head.

“Chris, come on, let’s go already!” Tianna called, jingling the car keys in her hand. She was always the driver whenever they visited their big brother. Chris grabbed his bag and helped little Lila buckle up in the back seat before sliding in himself.

The drive felt long but the moment they pulled up to their brother’s house, Chris’s excitement doubled. The place looked like something out of a magazine — sleek, wide driveway, the garage neatly lined with cars that probably cost more than Chris could even dream of right now, and a garden trimmed so perfectly it was almost unnatural.

“Ugh, every time we come here I feel broke,” Tianna muttered, shaking her head.

Chris just grinned. He loved it here. It wasn’t only about the house, though that helped. It was the feeling of being in one of his favorite places, with one of his favorite people. And of course, seeing Caleb — his nephew — who came bouncing toward them the second they walked in.

“Lila!” Caleb squealed, attaching himself to her arm like a magnet. The six-year-old giggled, delighted.

Chris’s brother — Damian — stepped out, broad smile on his face, followed by his wife Elena, who was as effortlessly stylish as ever.

“Welcome, welcome,” Elena said warmly, ushering them in. The smell of food hit immediately, and Chris’s stomach practically sang. Elena had already laid the dining table with their favorite dishes. She even ordered extras, things tailored exactly to their tastes.

“Eat up, you’ll need the strength,” Damian teased as he sat down.

They all ate and chatted easily, Caleb and Lila in their own little world, Tianna gossiping about school, and Elena asking questions in her soft, thoughtful way. Then Damian turned his attention to Chris.

“So, little brother,” Damian started, eyes sharp but kind. “How’s the college prep going?”

Chris nearly choked on his drink. He straightened, forcing his expression into something calm. “It’s… it’s good. I’ve been checking out programs, thinking through my options. You know. Staying on top of things.”

The way the words rolled off his tongue almost felt rehearsed. He answered Damian’s follow-ups smoothly, like he’d studied the questions before coming. Which, to be fair, he basically had. He knew Damian could read people too well, and the last thing Chris wanted was to slip and reveal how much of his decision-making was tied to Ash.

Once dinner was done, Damian stood. “You know what, I’ll take you all to the office. It’s been a while since you visited, hasn’t it?”

Chris lit up immediately. The company was legendary, one of the most expensive and famous modeling agencies in the region: Étoile Modèle. Every time they went, it felt like stepping into another world.

“Fine by me,” Tianna said quickly, already adjusting her makeup in her phone camera.

The building was just as dazzling as Chris remembered — glass walls, sharp architecture, and the air of money and status everywhere. When Chris had told Ash earlier in the week that he’d be visiting Damian’s company, Ash had begged him: “If you see Lucien Hart, please, I need his autograph. And a picture. Please, Chris. That man’s style is gospel.”

And unbelievably, luck was on their side. Lucien Hart himself was in the building that day. Chris almost laughed at the coincidence as he got the autograph, and even a picture with him, promising to send it to Ash later.

But while standing there, something else caught his attention.

Someone else.

In the corner of the room, leaning casually against a chair with his phone in his hand, stood a guy Chris was almost certain had stepped straight out of a dream. Easily over six feet, curly hair that looked like it had been sculpted by the gods, light brown eyes that somehow stood out even across the room. His shirt sleeves were rolled up, revealing toned muscles that made Chris swallow a little too hard.

His gaze dropped to the chair nearby where a name tag was left behind: Adrian.

Chris’s heart thumped in his chest. Taking a leap, he walked over, clearing his throat. “Adrian?”

The guy paused, eyebrows rising. Chris’s stomach dropped — oh God, maybe he’d messed up, maybe that wasn’t even his name—

But then Adrian smiled, slow and almost surprised. “Wow. Didn’t think anyone would recognize me yet.”

Chris blinked. “Uh—what do you mean? Of course people would. Look at you.” He gestured vaguely, cheeks burning. “Someone’s bound to notice.”

Adrian chuckled, the sound warm. “I only just started modeling. You’re actually the first person who’s asked for my autograph. Guess I’ll remember this.” He scribbled his name on a slip of paper and handed it over. “Thanks for making my day.”

Chris took it, trying not to look like he was about to melt into the floor. As he walked away, he muttered under his breath, “Not only does he look good, but his personality too? Please.” He pressed the paper against his chest dramatically before quickly shoving it into his pocket. Still, in his mind, there was no contest. Adrian might’ve been a solid ten, but Ash? Ash was his everything — which, of course, made Ash the hottest guy alive in his eyes.

The rest of the tour around the company felt like rediscovering it all over again. No matter how many times they came, it was like stepping into something new. The walls carried secrets of beauty campaigns, the hallways buzzing with upcoming shoots.

By the time they returned to Damian’s mansion, Elena was waiting with bags lined up neatly in the hallway.

“These are for you,” she said, smiling as she handed them out — high-fashion branded clothes for Chris to take to college, handbags Tianna had been eyeing, dresses for little Lila, and even things for their parents and friends.

They packed it all into the car’s trunk, which was nearly overflowing. Tianna whispered to Chris, “Best. Part. Every. Time.”

Chris just laughed, though his thoughts kept wandering. Tomorrow, Ash would be back. And somehow, no mansion, no celebrity, no sparkling new clothes could compete with that.

By the time Chris and Tiana got home, the sky had already softened into evening. The car ride back had been long enough that both of them felt the weight of the day, but there was still that lingering buzz from everything that had happened. They pulled into the driveway, and together, they started unloading the trunk — arms full of bags, souvenirs, and odds and ends that had been stuffed in last minute.

Chris grumbled under his breath when one of the heavier bags nearly slipped from his grip, and Tiana smirked.

“Don’t drop that, or Mom’s gonna end you.”

“Why me? You carried nothing,” Chris shot back, huffing as he slammed the trunk shut.

“I carried my presence,” she said with mock pride, flipping her hair as she headed for the door.

Inside, their parents were already waiting. The warm smell of dinner hung in the air, but before food even came up, their mom immediately asked, “So—how did it go?”

They told her everything. Tiana carried most of the talking, exaggerating in places like she always did, while Chris threw in quieter details that made their dad laugh and shake his head. Their mom, though, only had one person on her mind once the stories started winding down—Elena.

She pulled out her phone right there in the living room and called her, her face lighting up in a way that made Chris raise an eyebrow. She thanked Elena endlessly for the thoughtful gifts she’d sent, admiring every little detail and even holding things up for their dad like he hadn’t already seen them. At one point, she sighed into the phone with this fondness that made Chris’s chest tighten a little.

If anyone asked, Tiana would say it plain: no one could convince her that their mom didn’t love Elena more than she loved her own biological daughter. And honestly, watching her mom beam like that, Chris couldn’t even argue.

Later, Chris slipped away upstairs, bags still scattered in the hallway. His room was dark except for the blue glow of his phone screen. He scrolled through the photos they’d taken earlier, and when he landed on the one with Damian Wilson and Lucien Hart, he smirked. He cropped it just right, typed out a teasing caption, and hit send to 

Ash:

“Guess your boyfriend’s hanging with Hollywood royalty now. Should I start charging for autographs or nah?”

Barely a minute passed before his phone lit up with an incoming FaceTime. Chris’s stomach did that annoying flip it always did, and then Ash’s face filled the screen—messy hair, tired but grinning like Chris had just made his whole week.

“Y’know what?” Ash said immediately, voice soft but filled with that unshakable conviction that always made Chris’s throat tight. “I can’t ever stop loving you. This is crazy.”

Chris blinked, laughing a little at the sudden confession. “What are you even—”

“I’m gonna boast about it forever,” Ash cut him off, shaking his head. “I told my friends my boyfriend is the little brother of the great Damian Wilson, but of course they didn’t believe me. Then I told them to Google it, and now they’re blowing up my phone like I just won the lottery.”

Chris rolled onto his bed, biting back a smile. “So basically you’re using me to flex.”

“Damn right I am,” Ash teased. “And now I’m all fly, thanks to my boyfriend.”

They kept talking, voices slipping softer as the night drew closer. Jokes turned into confessions, and then Ash’s tone dropped lower, the playful edge in his words making Chris bury his face into his pillow.

“By this time tomorrow,” Ash murmured, grinning lazily, “you’re probably bed-ridden already. Won’t even be able to walk straight, let alone work.”

Chris groaned, muffling his laugh against the pillow. “You’re actually insane.”

“And you love it,” Ash shot back.

Chris didn’t argue. He just smiled at the screen, cheeks burning, knowing Ash was absolutely right.