Chapter 1 - The Weight of Shadows

Evie had spent most of her life trying to shrink.

Not in the literal sense—though Lord knew she’d tried. Diets, exercise plans, miracle supplements that promised results but only delivered disappointment. No, the kind of shrinking she had mastered was quieter, harder to see. She walked with her shoulders drawn in, sat at the edges of conversations, laughed softly so as not to take up too much space.

But that wasn’t who she was.

Not really.

Deep down, Evie was a wildfire. She had a sharp wit and a heart too big for her own good. She loved fiercely, even when people didn’t deserve it. She was the kind of person who teared up at old couples holding hands and went out of her way to rescue stray animals. She believed in kindness, in second chances, in the kind of love that didn’t care about appearances.

And yet, despite all that warmth, all that fire, the world had done its best to smother her.

She had grown up in Atlanta, where she had been surrounded by family, familiarity, and a sense of home—one she hadn’t truly appreciated until she left. Moving to Los Angeles had been the biggest change of her life. She had expected to feel out of place in some ways, but she hadn’t expected just how much it would get under her skin.

LA was all glitz, all polish, all perfectly toned bodies in designer activewear sipping green juice on their way to Pilates. Everywhere she went, she felt like she was taking up too much space, moving too slowly, standing out in a way she never had before. Back home, she had been different, sure. But here? Here, she felt wrong.

And the men? They were the worst of all.

Evie had never been in a real, serious relationship. She wanted to believe in romance, in the kind of love that made you feel safe and cherished. But in her experience, guys didn’t stick around for girls like her. They flirted in secret, kept her at arm’s length, played with her feelings when it was convenient for them. Some pretended they were interested just to see if they could get something out of her, while others made it painfully clear she wasn’t an option at all.

Each time, it hurt. But the worst part? She always let it happen.

She told herself she wouldn’t, that she wouldn’t let another guy string her along just because she was lonely. But she was human. She wanted to be wanted, to be seen.

She just didn’t know if she’d ever believe it if someone truly did.

With a sigh, Evie pushed through the crowded farmer’s market, letting the hum of life around her drown out the noise in her own head. She had come here to clear her mind, to lose herself in the world for a little while.

What she didn’t know was that fate had other plans…