"I'm not a hoarder, but I really like to keep things... especially you." - Unknown

Ethan

The last guest had finally departed, leaving behind a pleasant chaos of scattered confetti, half-empty wine glasses, and the lingering scent of honeysuckle. Our mother, bless her heart, was already directing the clean-up operation with the efficiency of a five-star general. Phoebe, however, had declared herself officially off-duty and had collapsed onto the sofa with a dramatic sigh. I chuckled, grabbing a stray cushion and tossing it playfully at her.

“Tired, pixie?” I asked.

“Exhausted,” she moaned, catching the cushion and hugging it to her chest. “Planning a party is hard work. Even when someone else does most of it.” She grinned, glancing at me.

“Speaking of which,” I said, grabbing a bottle of water from the coffee table, “Katerina really did a fantastic job. Everything was perfect.”

Phoebe’s grin widened. “I told you she was amazing. Did you see her with Mom? They were practically joined at the hip, discussing flower arrangements and cake flavors like they were old friends.”

“I did notice they were getting along well,” I admitted. “Mom has excellent taste.”

“And Katerina has excellent execution,” Phoebe finished. “She’s a force of nature when she’s in her element.”

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I nodded, thinking back to the dance. The way she’d moved, so graceful and yet so… present. The way her eyes had sparkled when she’d talked about her work, her passion evident in every word. She was definitely a force to be reckoned with. And I was increasingly finding myself wanting to be in her orbit.

“So,” Phoebe said, her voice taking on a teasing lilt, “what did you think of her?”

“Think of her?” I echoed, trying to sound nonchalant. “I thought she was… interesting.”

“Interesting?” Phoebe scoffed. “That’s the best you can do? She’s intelligent, she’s beautiful, she’s funny, she’s clearly driven… and all you can come up with is ‘interesting’?”

I chuckled, knowing I was being teased. “Okay, okay,” I conceded. “She’s all those things. And… she intrigues me.”

Phoebe’s eyes widened. “Intrigues you?”

“Yes, intrigues me,” I repeated, a little more firmly this time. “There’s something about her, Phoebe. A quiet strength, a sense of… mystery. I want to know more.”

Phoebe beamed. “I knew you’d like her,” she said. “I told you, you two would hit it off.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, pixie,” I cautioned. “We had one dance. That doesn’t exactly constitute a whirlwind romance.”

“One dance is all it takes,” Phoebe said dramatically, placing a hand over her heart. “Especially when the chemistry is that obvious.”

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t deny that there was *something* between us. A spark, a connection… "Whatever it was, it was definitely there. And I was definitely going to explore it.

“So,” I said, changing the subject, “what’s the plan for tomorrow? Are we having a family brunch, or are we all going our separate ways?”

Phoebe shrugged. “Mom’s planning something, I think. But honestly, I’m just looking forward to sleeping in.”

“Sounds good to me,” I said. “Although…” I paused, a mischievous glint in my eye. “I might have to sneak out early and pay a visit to a certain event planner…”

Phoebe grinned, throwing the cushion at me again. “Get out of here,” she said, laughing. “You’re hopeless.”

I caught the cushion and grinned back. “Hopelessly intrigued,” I corrected. As I headed upstairs to bed, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of anticipation. I had a feeling that things were about to get very interesting indeed.

In the quiet of my room, I changed into something comfortable and flopped onto the bed. My mind, however, was still downstairs, replaying the evening's events. Katerina. Her laughter, the way her hand had felt in mine during our dance, the slight blush that had crept up her neck when I'd complimented her. And those eyes… those beautiful, emerald green eyes that seemed to hold so many secrets. I closed my own eyes, picturing her face, the cascade of purple and blue curls framing her delicate features. A smile tugged at my lips. I had a feeling I was going to be thinking about Katerina for a long time to come. And as I drifted off to sleep, her image was the last thing on my mind.