Brinley felt it before she heard it.
The subtle shift in the building. The way conversations lowered, smiles sharpened, attention tilted just slightly toward the front desk.
Her parents had arrived.
She looked up from her screen as her mother stepped inside, scarf perfectly arranged, eyes already scanning the space with the practiced curiosity of someone who noticed everything. Her father followed, hands in his coat pockets, posture relaxed but watchful.
"Hey, sweetheart," her mom said, her smile warm and immediate.
Brinley stood, rounding the desk to hug them both. "You made good time."
"We did," her dad said. "Figured we'd stop by and see where you spend all these hours."
Stop by. Of course.
Across the room, Jaxson noticed the moment instantly.
He didn't need an introduction to understand who they were. He saw it in the resemblance , the familiar set of the jaw, the way Brinley's smile softened around them. His shoulders tightened almost imperceptibly.
Parents meant permanence. Context. History.
And scrutiny.
He forced himself to stay exactly where he was.
Brinley gestured toward the office area. "I can give you a quick tour before my meeting."
As they walked past, her mother's eyes flicked briefly toward Jaxson. Not lingering. Not obvious.
But curious.
Jaxson caught it anyway.
Easy, he told himself. You don't get to react.
Later, in the break area, Brandon arrived with a stack of folders tucked under his arm, already half distracted.
"There you are," he said to Brinley. "Mom's been asking when we're locking in the venue dates."
Her parents exchanged a look.
"Wedding planning?" her mom asked, delighted. "Oh, we're late to that conversation."
Brandon laughed. "You're right on time. I'm trying to keep it simple."
Brinley snorted. "He says that like there aren't three spreadsheets involved."
Jaxson listened from a careful distance, jaw tight as Brandon's laughter carried easily through the space. The wedding talk stirred something sharp and unwelcome in his chest , futures being planned, roles already assigned.
Brandon glanced his way. "Jaxson, you still good to help with the rehearsal setup next month?"
There it was.
Public. Casual. No edge intended.
Jaxson nodded once. "Yeah. I can."
Brinley's mother watched him then , really watched him , assessing the way he held himself, the restraint, the familiarity that didn't cross lines.
Interesting.
Later, as the afternoon wore on, the building filled with the low hum of people who knew one another's business. Brinley could feel it the unspoken awareness of her parents' presence, of Brandon's upcoming wedding, of the quiet tension that followed her and Jaxson like a shadow.
Nothing had happened.
Which somehow made everything heavier.
When Brinley finally stepped outside for air, Jaxson was already there, leaning against the railing, gaze fixed on the parking lot.
"They seem… nice," he said carefully.
She smiled faintly. "They are. Protective. Observant."
"Yeah," he replied. "I noticed."
Silence settled , not awkward, but loaded.
"This is what I meant," Brinley said quietly. "About things overlapping."He nodded. "I know."
What he didn't say was how different it felt when jealousy had faces now. Parents. A brother. A wedding date circled on a calendar.
He didn't like the feeling , sharp, possessive, unfair. So he did what he'd been practicing.
He stepped back.
"I'll see you tomorrow," he said, giving her space instead of searching her face.
As he walked away Brinley watched him go, struck not by what he wanted , but by what he refused to take.
The lines in her life weren't just blurring anymore.
They were being observed.
And for the first time, the pressure wasn't coming from unresolved feelings alone , but from the quiet awareness that everyone around them could see the overlap too.