Amber had given up on love, but sparks fly when she meets Steve, an old friend of her father’s, at a barbecue. When their passionate romance leads to marriage, everything seems perfect. But on their wedding night, Amber discovers that Steve has a disturbing secret that changes everything.
I arrived at my parents’ house and stared at the row of cars parked in the garden.
“What’s all this about?” I murmured, already bracing myself for any family surprises that awaited me inside.
A woman in her car | Source: Midjourney
I grabbed my bag, locked the car, and headed towards the house, hoping it wouldn’t be too chaotic.
As soon as I opened the door, the smell of roasting meat reached me, along with the sound of my father’s booming laughter. I went into the living room and looked out the back window.
Of course, Dad was organizing an impromptu barbecue. The whole yard was packed with people, mostly from his mechanic shop.
People at a barbecue | Source: Pexels
“Amber!” Dad’s voice cut through my thoughts as he flipped a burger, wearing the same apron he’d had for years. “Come on, grab a drink and join us. They’re the guys from work.”
I tried not to complain. “It looks like the whole town is here,” I muttered, taking off my shoes.
Before I could join in the chaotic family atmosphere, the doorbell rang. Dad threw down the spatula and wiped his hands on his apron.
A man entering a house | Source: Midjourney
“It must be Steve,” he said, almost to himself. He looked at me as he grasped the doorknob. “You haven’t met him yet, have you?”
Before I could answer, Dad had already yanked the door open.
“Steve!” she thundered, slapping him hard on the back. “Come in, you’re just in time. Oh, and this is my daughter, Amber.”
I looked up and my heart skipped a beat.
A man in a doorway | Source: Midjourney
Steve was tall and a little rough around the edges, in a robust and attractive way, with graying hair and eyes that somehow managed to be both warm and deep. He smiled at me, and I felt a strange fluttering in my chest that I wasn’t prepared for.
“Nice to meet you, Amber,” he said, shaking my hand.
His voice was calm and firm. I shook his hand, feeling a little self-conscious about how he must have looked after driving for hours.
“Nice to meet you too.”
A woman | Source: Midjourney
From that moment on, I couldn’t stop looking at him. He was the kind of man who made everyone around him feel comfortable, always listening more than speaking. I tried to focus on the conversations around me, but every time our eyes met, I felt a pull.
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