Archie’s POV
My glass of sparkling water was halfway to my mouth when Lincoln laughed—a light, unbothered sound that filled the heavy silence of my mother’s dining room.
"No, Mrs. Samuel," Lincoln said, setting his napkin down with total ease. "I don't have a girlfriend."
My mother leaned forward, her silver eyebrows rising in genuine curiosity. "A handsome young man like you? Why ever not?"
"Well," Lincoln said, leaning back in his chair and offering a small, casual shrug, "mostly because I date men."
The water went down the wrong pipe.
I coughed violently, covering my mouth with my hand as my chest heaved. I gripped the edge of the mahogany table so hard my knuckles turned white, my eyes watering as I fought to regain my composure.
Across the table, Lincoln’s smile faded instantly
