“Just curious,” I said with a shrug, offering a small smile. “You look quite young.”
“I know,” he said with a grimace. “I hear it all the time.”
I laughed softly. “Don’t worry about it too much,” I said, my voice light. “It feels like a big deal now, but trust me—when you’re older and still look young, you’ll be grateful for it.”
“I doubt that,” Michael said with mock seriousness. “I’ll just look like an old man with the face of a child. It’ll be creepy.”
The absurdity of his comment caught me off guard, and I couldn’t help but laugh. To my surprise, Alexander joined in, a rare and genuine sound that made my heart flutter.
Michael beamed, clearly pleased with himself for drawing such a reaction from both of us. The warmth in the room was palpable now, and for the f
