𝗥𝗢𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗦, ʟᴜᴋᴇ ʜᴜɢʜᴇs

twenty-four

CHARLOTTE-ALEXANDRIA Charlotte-Alexandria stretched her limbs, feeling a slight soreness from the previous day. She peered over at Luke, who was still on his back, small snores escaping his mouth. She sighed contentedly, resting her head against his chest. His hand, warm and familiar, found its way to her lower back as his eyes squinted open.

"Good morning," he muttered, reaching to push a few stray curls out of her face.

"Hi," she whispered back, a smile tugging at her lips.

He leaned down, placing a soft kiss on her slightly chapped lips. She traced the bridge of his nose with her finger, watching as his eyes fluttered closed for a moment.

Sitting up, Luke reached over to his nightstand, fumbling through the drawer. "I got you something," he said quietly.

Her curiosity piqued, Charlotte-Alexandria propped herself up, her curly hair framing her face like a halo. "What did you get me?" she asked, still rubbing her eyes to shake off the remnants of sleep.

He pulled out a small blue velvet box, handing it to her with a sheepish smile. She looked up at him through her lashes, her heart skipping a beat. "Luke..." she began, carefully opening the box. Inside was a delicate gold pendant with both of their initials intertwined.

She stared at the necklace, her fingers gently brushing over it. Luke watched her, nerves creeping up as the silence stretched on. "Alex, baby, give me something," he urged, his voice tinged with worry.

Charlotte-Alexandria chuckled softly, placing her hands on either side of his face and pulling him into a tender kiss. "I love it," she murmured against his lips.

Relief washed over Luke, and he grinned. "Want me to put it on?" he asked.

"Please," she replied, handing him the necklace. She gathered her hair, holding it up as he clasped the necklace around her neck. He leaned in, pressing a kiss to her shoulder, causing a shiver to run down her spine.

Just as they were basking in the quiet intimacy of the moment, the sound of loud footsteps and boisterous laughter echoed from downstairs. Luke groaned, dropping his head to her shoulder. "The guys are awake," he muttered.

Charlotte-Alexandria laughed, sliding out of bed. "We should probably join them before they come looking for us."

After getting dressed, they made their way downstairs, hand in hand. As they entered the kitchen, they were greeted by a chorus of voices. Dylan, Mark, Ethan, Mackie, and Adam were gathered around the kitchen island, while Jack, Quinn, Trevor, Cole, and Alex lounged on the couch, watching the commotion.

"Well, well, well, look who finally decided to grace us with their presence," Dylan teased, a wide grin on his face, holding Shrimp in his arms, stroking the pudgy dog.

"Morning, lovebirds," Mark added with a smirk.

Charlotte-Alexandria rolled her eyes playfully. "Good morning, guys."

"Did you sleep well?" Trevor asked, winking at Luke, who shot him a look that said, "Don't start."

"Better than you with that snoring," Luke shot back, earning a round of laughter from the group.

As they all settled in for breakfast, the kitchen filled with the sound of friendly banter. Charlotte-Alexandria found herself in the middle of it all, feeling the warmth of the Hughes family and their friends. The light-hearted teasing continued, with everyone chiming in, making the morning feel like one big, chaotic family gathering.

Ethan, between bites of his toast, leaned over to Luke. "So, when's the wedding?"

Luke nearly choked on his coffee, while Charlotte-Alexandria turned a deep shade of pink. "Eddie!" Luke protested, glaring at him.