Months melted into each other like ice cream on a summer day. Elena settled into her college routine, forging new friendships with the transfer students who had joined after her own friends had decamped for the bright lights of New York. Though she missed Cassie, Piru, and Milley dearly, video calls and frequent texts kept them connected.

Oliver and Sky had returned to the city after completing their project, their penthouse apartment a welcome sanctuary after the long months away. Oliver, however, found himself yearning for Elena’s presence in a way he hadn’t anticipated. He managed occasional visits to LA, each stolen weekend a whirlwind of stolen kisses and shared...