Larissa's POV
"Your parents gave their blessing," Carson said after a long pause. "That's all that counts."
"Dad warned me to take my time," I confessed. "He believes we're moving too fast."
"Any father worth his salt would worry. I'd be surprised if he didn't."
"Mom cornered me in the kitchen to confirm this is really what I want."
Carson's eyes found mine briefly. "What was your response?"
"That I'm certain," I replied, holding his stare for just a moment. "That sometimes you just know."
Something shifted in his expression, maybe approval, or perhaps something more complex. "Smart answer."
The silence stretched between us as downtown traffic crawled past my window. My mind wandered to my family's careful questions, the elaborate story we'd constructed, the wedding that would supposedly happen soon.
"Why did you choose next month?" The question escaped before I could stop it. "It's incredibly rushed."
