Ever After Awaits (Layla) novel Chapter 143

Chapter 143: Layla POV

The sky is brushed in shades of lavender and burnt gold as we gather around the lit fire pit. It’s not dark yet, but the day’s shadows are longer and softer now. The flames crackle low in the center of the stone ring, casting a warm glow over everything–our faces, smiles, and the lazy curls of smoke that rise into the dusky air. A soft indie song drifts over to us from the Bluetooth speaker that’s sitting on the picnic table off to the side–mellow and just scratchy enough to feel like summer.

AJ’s burgers are a triumph–thick, juicy, and stacked high with everything from sharp cheddar to caramelized onions. I have no idea how he managed to make food that tastes this good over a grill and a makeshift camping kitchen, but no one is complaining. Everyone’s plates are loaded, various drinks are sweating in our hands, and there’s laughter around every flicker of the flames.

Hunter drops onto one of the vintage lawn chairs the guys grabbed from his truck bed earlier, which is sitting beside me, handing over a fresh spiked lemonade with a grin. “Saw you eyeing the cooler. Figured I’d be a gentleman about it.”

“You’re a menace, not a gentleman, Hunter Brooks,” I say playfully, taking the drink from him

anyway.

“Potato, potahto.”

To my left, Xavier stretches and passes me a paper plate with a stacked burger and a grilled–to- perfection corn on the cob, his fingers brushing mine as he holds it out to me. The contact is brief, but it zings like static all the way up my arm. He doesn’t say anything, but his eyes catch mine over the rim of his beer bottle, and they don’t let go for a full three seconds.

Beside him, Cade’s telling some outlandish story that involves a jet ski, a duck, and an unfortunate sunburn incident. His voice is animated as his hands paint the picture with exaggerated flair. Every few beats, he glances at me like he’s checking to see if I’m laughing yet. I am.

Then there’s AJ. Sitting on the large cooler just behind me, he doesn’t speak much, but when he does, it’s with that slow, intense cadence that makes everything sound like a promise. At one point, I feel the heat of him at my back as he leans forward, his breath ghosting my ear, as he says, “You didn’t eat enough during lunch. Finish that or I’m feeding it to you myself.”

I shoot him a look over my shoulder, but he just lifts a brow and returns to his drink like he didn’t just short–circuit my spine.

“Let’s play something,” Hunter says at one stage, wiping ketchup off his hand with a napkin. “Something classic.”

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Chapter 143: Layla POV

:

‘Like what?” I ask curiously as I take another bite of my burger.

Cade grins. “Never Have I Ever.”

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A collective groan rolls through the group, but no one actually objects. Drinks are lifted, everyone’s postures shift, and within seconds, we’re back in some twisted version of summer camp where all our secrets get spilled and the rules are made to be flirted with.

“Never have I ever skinny dipped,” I toss out, my voice deceptively innocent.

Cade lifts his drink. So does Hunter. AJ smirks but doesn’t move. Xavier–cool, calm, and collected as ever–takes a slow sip.

I arch a brow at him. “Really?”

“Technically, it was moonlight–dipping,” he says, and his voice is almost purr–like.

Hunter lets out a low whistle. “Details, please.”

Xavier just shrugs nonchalantly, but his burning eyes never leave mine. “It was cold. Not recommended without backup, though.”

My cheeks warm, but I hold his gaze. “Duly noted.”

Hunter leans forward, the firelight catching the edge of his devilish grin. “Alright. Never have I ever…” he pauses, his eyes scanning the group with exaggerated innocence, then, with a low chuckle, continues, “…fantasized about someone here,” before taking a sip from his beer can.

Complete silence stretches for a beat, then mayhem ensues.

Cade snorts and lifts his drink to his mouth immediately, muttering under his breath, “You’re a proper instigator, Hunt.” He sips his drink, then glances at me with that lazy smirk he gets when he knows he’s playing with fire.

Xavier, his aviators now pushed up into his inky black hair, raises his brows behind the rim of his bottle and takes the longest, slowest sip of the group–his eyes locked onto mine the whole time.

When he finally finishes, he exhales like it’s a confession and a challenge all at once.

Al, who’s started to saunter over to the other side of the fire pit, doesn’t even blink. He just raises his glass, downs half of it, and then wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. “Define fantasized,”

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Chapter 143: Layla POV

he deadpans, and the glint in his eye is pure trouble.

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Caught mid–bite of the last piece of my burger, I freeze like a deer caught in headlights. My gaze flicks between them all, then down at my drink that’s clenched between my knees. Slowly, carefully, I lift it and take a small sip. And every single one of them sees it.

Hunter, clearly pleased with himself, laughs and lifts both hands. “Well, hot damn. I didn’t expect a

full house.”

Setting my drink down next to my chair’s leg, I cross my legs at the ankles slowly, trying–and failing–not to grin. “You’re all terrible.”

Cade tips his drink in my direction and says, “You started it.”

AJ comes to my rescue and retorts, “Technically, Hunter did.”

Xavier, his voice low and amused, and his eyes roaming my body, confesses, “I regret nothing.”

Hunter mock frowns, and with a pout says, “All I’m saying is—if we ever go to war, I know where your loyalty lies.”

With a smirk on my face, I lean back in my chair and say, “If this is what friendly fire looks like, I might be in trouble.”

The next few rounds are full of laughter, fake indignation, and one or two minor truths that have the group howling. By the time the fire burns brighter and the sky has darkened into midnight velvet, there’s a looseness in everyone’s posture–a comfort that only comes when the day has been good, the food even better, and the company… Well, perfect.

The conversations drift into smaller pockets. Hunter leans over to poke fun at Cade’s jet ski story again. AJ tosses another log on the fire, sending sparks spiraling into the obsidian sky. And Xavier, quiet beside me, takes my hand and brushes his thumb over my knuckles in a barely–there touch that manages to steal my breath away.

Then, in a moment that feels carved out of something softer than time, Hunter speaks, “You know what I like best about this?” and his voice is lower now, more thoughtful, “No one here’s pretending. We all showed up as we are. Emotional bruises and baggage included.”

The fire crackles, but no one says anything for a beat. I glance around the circle and feel it—that warm, aching thing that starts in your chest and spreads outward–that feeling of safety and belonging.

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Chapter 143: Layla POV

And love. In all its different forms.

:..

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Eventually, plates are emptied, bottles drained, and the fire settles into a gentle roar. I collect the dirty dishes without anyone asking, stacking them in a wobbly pile and carrying them over to the nearby picnic table.

From this angle, I can see them all. Lit by firelight, relaxed, and laughing again as Cade mimics Hunter’s grilling style with ridiculous arm gestures. AJ’s smile is rare but real, while Xavier shakes his head, amusement tugging at his mouth.

I press a hand to the center of my chest, just above my heart, and let it rest there for a moment.

Then I whisper into the peaceful night, mostly to myself, “If this is what healing looks like… I never want to stop.”

And with a soft smile, I head back towards the fire and my guys.

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