*Lauren*

The morning sun cast a golden glow over the dashboard as I clutched the blueprints like a lifeline. My father maneuvered the car with ease, his eyes reflecting the same shimmering anticipation that bubbled within me. Shelby sat beside him, her gray eyes dancing with the light of shared dreams.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Shelby murmured, gesturing toward the window where the island spread out before us like a canvas of greens and blues.

"Every time I see it, it takes ...