XAVIER’S POV

I don’t remember the last time I laughed this much. Today had been different—refreshing in a way I didn’t know I needed. Melissa had this energy about her, like she was carrying a pocket of sunshine that spilled over everyone around her, especially me. She cracked jokes in the middle of the shoot, teased me when I struggled with certain poses, and fussed about my hair like a mother hen, then giggled when I rolled my eyes at her.

It wasn’t just the shoot; it was the ...