Bill looked radiant when Ashley saw him, calm and confident, everything she loved about him on full display. His presence steadied her. That was until his gaze shifted past her shoulder toward her parents, and something subtle but unmistakable changed in his expression.
His smile faltered, just slightly. It was the smallest break, easy to miss, but Ashley caught it. The moment passed quickly, replaced by composure, yet the brief hesitation lodged itself in her mind, unsettling in a way she couldn’t immediately explain.