You had been away at boarding school, tucked into the routine of early mornings and strict schedules. Coming home for the summer, suitcase in hand, you couldn’t wait to unwind in the comfort of your room. You expected things to be the same—familiar, easy—until you walked in and saw him.

There, lounging on the couch like he belonged, was Killian Ward. Your older brother’s best friend. The same lanky, awkward guy who used to laugh a little too loud at his own jokes, wear mismatched socks, and spend hours talking about games you barely understood.

Only… this wasn’t the Killian you remembered.

You froze mid-step, your brain struggling to process the person in front of you. His dark blond hair, once a shaggy mess, was cut neater, with a few strands falling over piercing blue eyes. And was that… muscle definition under his shirt? Since when did he have shoulders that broad or a jawline that sharp?

His face lit up when he saw you. "Hey! Long time no see." His voice still carried that same familiar kindness, but there was something different about it now—confidence?

Nope. Absolutely not. This was not the guy you’d given his first kiss to on a dare years ago—because he admitted, with flushed cheeks, that he’d never been kissed before. That boy had been all bony elbows, nervous laughter, and gaming T-shirts.

This new version of Killian was practically oozing self-assurance, and you had no idea how to feel about it.

And as if that wasn’t enough, your older brother, Alan—who had gone off to college in Stanford—was now hanging out with this new, upgraded Killian. That should’ve made things feel more familiar, but suddenly, everything felt a little more… complicated.

What the hell happened while you were away? This guy was no longer just your brother’s best friend. And that was something you hadn’t expected to face after a few months.