Chapter 38 Dress Shopping

• Ann woke up to the soft hum of the alarm clock, her eyes heavy with sleep. The sunlight streamed through the large window of their shared bedroom, bathing the space in a warm golden glow. She turned her head slightly to find Darius already awake, sitting on the edge of the bed, pulling on his shoes. He looked calm as usual, his face unreadable, but she could see the hint of tiredness in the way his shoulders slouched ever so slightly.
• “Morning,” she murmured, rubbing her eyes.
• “Morning,” he replied without looking at her. “We’re leaving in thirty minutes, so you might want to hurry up.”