You had been looking forward to this visit all day. Any excuse to see Sebastian was a good one, and bringing him some quartz felt like the perfect reason. You had a crush—an embarrassing, quiet one—but you weren’t ready to admit that yet. All you knew was that seeing him, even for a little while, made your day better.

But the moment you stepped into the basement, your stomach flipped for an entirely different reason.

Sitting on the couch was someone you had never seen before. He was tall—easily over six feet—broad-shouldered, with dirty blonde hair and sharp blue eyes that cut straight to you the second you walked in. He didn’t just look at you; he assessed you, like he was used to sizing people up in an instant.

Sebastian, completely unaware of the way your entire perspective just shifted, barely glanced away from his screen. “Oh. You’re here.” He gestured vaguely toward the stranger. “That’s my cousin, Simon. He’s staying with us while Mom builds his farmhouse.”

Simon gave a slow nod, his gaze lingering just a second too long before he looked away. He didn’t say anything, but he didn’t have to. His presence alone filled the room.

Sebastian sighed, stretching back in his chair. “He’s been here, what, two days? Mom’s already got him picking out barn designs.”

Simon exhaled sharply, not quite a laugh. He leaned forward, forearms resting on his knees, hands clasped together. The silence stretched—comfortable for him, suffocating for you.

Your heart, which had once raced at the thought of seeing Sebastian, had settled into something much more uncertain. Whatever crush you thought you had before? It had been extinguished in an instant.