THE NEW SHADOW

24. THE WEDDING

At the end of the season, summer arrived blazing hot. And Punta Cana burned even hotter. Salt-heavy air clung to the skin without becoming uncomfortable, while the endless sound of the ocean crashed somewhere in the distance like background noise that never demanded attention… but was always there.

The ride from the airport was almost silent. Not because anyone felt uncomfortable. But because everyone was… excited. Palm trees. Open sky. The blue of the ocean appearing between buildings like it was teasing them on purpose.

And when the resort finally revealed itself in front of them, nobody reacted dramatically. Just looks exchanged between them. Small smiles. A quiet “holy shit…” almost too soft to hear.

Everything looked taken care of. Too taken care of. Cold drinks waiting the second they walked inside. Soft towels. Staff members smiling with a kind of ease that somehow didn’t feel fake.

—Welcome.”

The ocean behind it all said everything without saying a word. The rooms didn’t disappoint either. Open balconies. Curtains moving lazily with the wind. Perfect beds nobody wanted to mess up… but everyone absolutely would.

All-inclusive. Food. Drinks. Time itself. Like the entire place had been designed so nobody would ever have to think about anything again.

Maria and Elena were already outside operating in full organization mode, moving from place to place with that unstoppable energy neither of them needed instructions for. Checking schedules. Confirming details. Making sure everything stayed exactly as it was supposed to be.

Inside one of the rooms, suitcases opened almost simultaneously. Clothes pulled out. Suits carefully hung up. Shoes lined perfectly against the wall. Accessories checked more than once.

Ilya opened his suitcase with precision. Everything looked organized. Or at least he thought so. He froze for a second. Checked again. Slower this time. More carefully. His brow tightened slightly.

—I forgot…” he muttered under his breath.

From across the room, Shane looked up instantly.

—Forgot what?”

Ilya looked at him.

—The gift.”

A beat of silence.

—What?”

Shane turned fully toward him.

—Rozanov, how do you forget the fucking wedding gift?”

Ilya raised one eyebrow but didn’t answer immediately.

—Oh my God…” Shane dragged a hand down his face. “Please tell me you’re joking.”

—I’m not joking.”

—Tell me you’re serious.”

—I’m serious, Shane. I forgot it. I left in a rush.”

—Ilya…” Shane shook his head as he walked closer. “You are genuinely hopeless.”

Ilya watched him approach calmly. No defense. No excuses.

And once Shane stood close enough, Ilya leaned in slightly. Just enough.

—Yeah,” he murmured quietly, “but I’m the hopeless case you chose.”

Pause.

—The one you want beside you for the rest of your life.”

Shane held his gaze, trying not to smile. Failed immediately.

—You’re impossible.”

—and still…”

He didn’t finish the sentence. He didn’t have to.

Shane exhaled softly.

—we’re going to have to improvise something.”

Then kissed him briefly.

—We always do.”

And that… was true too.

Somewhere else in the resort, Kip wasn’t nearly as calm. He adjusted the sleeve of his shirt for the third time even though it already looked perfect. He kept checking his reflection—not because he looked bad, but because he needed to convince himself of something.

A few feet away, Scott was doing exactly the same thing. Just with slightly less effort to hide it.

—we’re fine,” Scott said without looking directly at him.

Kip let out a soft laugh.

—Yeah. Totally. Completely fine.”

—You nervous?”

Scott hesitated.

—No.”

Another second passed.

—A little.”

Kip nodded.

—Me too.”

Not awkward. Just honest.

—it’s going to be okay,” Scott said this time with more certainty.

Kip looked at him.

And for the first time all day… you could actually see the calm settle back into him.

—Yeah,” he answered quietly. “It’s going to be okay.”

A little farther away, Kip’s father watched everything silently. He didn’t interrupt. Didn’t interfere. Just… stayed present. Carrying that expression that somehow said everything without words. Proud. Quiet. Deeply emotional.

Carter Vaughn arrived a few minutes after everyone else. No rush. Carrying that calmness that didn’t come from carelessness, but from habit. He rolled his suitcase down the open-air hallway of the resort, noticing more than he seemed to.

The distant ocean. Voices crossing in different languages. The breeze pushing the curtains around like the whole place itself was breathing.

He stopped outside his room, slid the card into the lock, and stepped inside. Dropped his suitcase near the wall without unpacking immediately. Instead, he walked straight toward the balcony. Rested one hand on the railing. Looked out at the ocean.

And smiled faintly.

—Not bad…” he murmured to himself.

Behind him, his phone vibrated.

Scott.

Carter picked it up casually. Read the message.

You made it?

He looked back at the ocean before replying.

Yeah. And if this all goes horribly wrong, at least we’ll die somewhere beautiful.

Three typing dots appeared.

Disappeared.

Returned again.

Carter set the phone down without waiting for the answer.

Finally, he opened the suitcase. Took the suit out carefully and hung it up. Stayed looking at it a second longer than necessary. And even without saying anything… something about him made it obvious. This wasn’t just a wedding. It mattered. To Scott. To Kip.

And somehow… to him too.

Later, the day slowly settled into place. Laughter returned. Doors opened and closed. Voices drifted through the hallways.

And then—

—you guys already started without me?”

The voice arrived before the person did.

Ilya turned first. And the moment he saw him, he froze for half a second.

—João?”

There he was. Leaning casually against the doorway with that familiar half-smile that never asked permission before entering a room.

—What are you doing here?”

João let out a short laugh.

Before he could answer, Shane was already raising his hand like he was confessing to a crime.

—My fault.”

Ilya looked at him.

—I talked to Scott a couple days ago,” Shane continued. “Last-minute thing. But we agreed not to tell you.”

A beat passed.

Then Ilya smiled. Really smiled.

He walked toward João without thinking twice and pulled him into a hug. Tight. Real.

—Welcome,” he said near his ear. “I think this party just got a lot better.”

Pause.

—but for the love of God, don’t dance samba tonight. You’ll make the rest of us look embarrassing.”

João laughed softly against the hug and held him back with the same firmness.

—that’s the plan.”

When they pulled apart, there was a moment. Tiny. Almost invisible. A quick glance exchanged between Shane and João. Nothing explicit. But clear. There had been intention behind the invitation. Not spectacle. Not pressure. Space. A place where João didn’t have to explain himself. Didn’t have to pretend. Didn’t have to squeeze himself into something that wasn’t really him. Like everyone else there… he could simply exist. Maybe Shane never said it out loud. But the intention was there. And João understood it immediately.

The breeze slipped through the balcony again, moving the curtains softly and settling over the room. The wedding hadn’t started yet. But somehow… everyone was already exactly where they were supposed to be.

When the moment finally arrived, the ceremony space wasn’t directly on the sand. It was built on a pale concrete platform, perfectly integrated into the landscape, like an elegant extension of the resort stretching toward the ocean. Tall, slender trees surrounded the area without blocking the view, letting the sunlight pour through warm and golden, almost unreal in its softness.

From there… the beach was only a few steps away. You could see it. Feel it. Hear it. The ocean wasn’t background noise. It was part of the ceremony itself. The breeze moved the white fabrics draped around the altar, positioned right at the edge of the platform where the concrete seemed to surrender to the sand. Everything had been designed carefully not to compete with the scenery around it.

The chairs were aligned with perfect precision—light wood, flawless white cushions. Along the sides, floral arrangements in shades of white and green: roses, lilies, small wildflowers that made everything feel naturally fresh instead of overly arranged.

Nothing ostentatious. But everything… perfect.

Before the ceremony officially started, the atmosphere wasn’t stiff. It was alive.

João was one of the first to arrive, lightly moving his shoulders as he walked like samba was still playing somewhere inside his head. He greeted a few guests with that relaxed confidence that always followed him naturally, adjusting his jacket with a smile before finally taking his seat.

Ilya was already seated when Shane slipped into the chair beside him and discreetly tugged at the fabric of his suit.

—You’re way too well-dressed for someone who supposedly hates events like this,” Shane murmured.

Ilya didn’t even look at him.

—You like me better this way?” he answered dryly.

Shane let out a quiet laugh under his breath.

A few rows behind them, Elena and Maria hugged the second they saw each other.

—I’m not going to cry,” Maria announced while already wiping away a tear.

—Liar,” Elena answered, laughing through eyes that were already shining.

Scott was already standing at the altar. Impeccable. But his eyes… said everything.

And then Kip appeared beside his father. The entire atmosphere changed. Not dramatically. Deeply. Elena covered her mouth instantly with both hands. Maria shook her head before the tears even fully arrived.

Kip was walking… but it genuinely didn’t seem like he was aware of anything except Scott.

When he finally reached him, his father held onto him for one second longer. One of those seconds that somehow carries the weight of an entire lifetime. He adjusted Kip’s jacket carefully with trembling hands… then let him go. The silence became absolute.

The officiant stepped forward. He wasn’t rigid. He wasn’t distant. He felt human. He looked at both of them first. Then at everyone gathered there.

—We’re not here today simply to witness a union,” he began softly. “We’re here because, in one way or another, all of us have witnessed a story that wasn’t easy… but was real.”

A brief pause.

—Love doesn’t always arrive at the right time. Or in the way people expect. Sometimes it arrives messy… uncomfortable… even confusing.”

The ocean filled the silence behind him.

—but when it’s real… it finds a way to stay.”

Another pause.

—Today we are not celebrating perfection. We’re celebrating choice. The conscious decision to stay… even when leaving would be easier.”

He looked at Scott. Then at Kip.

—and that… is what it truly means to love someone.”

Scott spoke first. No paper. No prepared speech.

—I’m not going to promise you a perfect life… because that doesn’t exist.”

He took a breath.

—but I can promise you something real.”

He looked directly at Kip.

—I promise I’ll never hide again. Not from the world… not from myself… and not from what I feel for you.”

Pause.

—I promise I’ll choose you even when it’s hard… because I know what it feels like to lose you.”

His voice lowered slightly.

—and I’m never going back there again.”

Kip was already crying openly now.

—I…” he laughed weakly through tears, “I still don’t understand how… how you even noticed me.”

He shook his head.

—I was nobody. A smoothie barista… just another person… nothing special… nothing that should’ve mattered to someone like you.”

His voice cracked completely.

—Sometimes I still feel like… like I don’t deserve this…”

And there it was. He broke apart completely.

Scott didn’t hesitate for even a second. He stepped closer immediately. Just enough.

—You deserve sunshine… even when you can’t see it yourself.”

Elena stopped breathing for a second.

Scott glanced toward her briefly… and winked.

That was enough.

Elena shattered completely.

Maria wrapped her arms around her without saying a word.

The rings changed hands.

Hands trembling.

Breathing uneven.

And when they finally kissed—

—THAT’S MY BOY, SCOTT!”

—THAT’S MY BOY, KIP!”

—WE LOVE YOU!”

—LONG LIVE THE GROOMS!”

The shouting exploded naturally. Loud. Messy. Full of life.

Carter Vaughn, drink already in hand, let out a sharp whistle completely at ease, completely integrated into the moment.

—THAT’S HOW YOU DO IT!” he yelled, raising his glass. “Now this is a wedding!”

The laughter came instantly after.

And somewhere in the middle of all that noise… all that joy that seemed untouched by anything… João stopped clapping for a moment.

Scott and Kip were laughing in front of everyone. Two men. Happy. Free. Not hiding.

João watched them and felt a small pressure in his chest. It wasn’t about Ilya. Not this time. This was something simpler… and maybe harder. He couldn’t picture himself standing there. Not yet. His eyes grew slightly wet. Then he turned his head and saw Ilya and Shane laughing a few feet away. Close. Comfortable. Real. He watched them for a moment. And this time… he didn’t look away.

The cheering around him exploded again—messy, loud, alive. And Kip’s father finally broke completely. Covering his face with both hands, utterly destroyed by emotion.

The transition into the celebration happened naturally. No abrupt shift. No forced formality. The same open space slowly transformed as the sun disappeared beneath the horizon. Hanging lights flickered on between the trees one by one, warm against the darkening sky. Round tables dressed in white linens, candles glowing softly between fresh flowers, created an atmosphere that felt intimate without trying too hard. Everything was still outdoors.

And the ocean… remained there. Always present.

The music rose gently in the background. A perfectly balanced mix—elegant salsa, soft merengue, smooth transitions into English classics. Nothing jarring. Everything flowed. A small group of Dominican dancers moved near the edge of the reception space, adding color and rhythm without ever stealing attention from the night itself. Some guests received tropical flower necklaces, ridiculous party sunglasses, tiny details that somehow broke the formality without ruining the elegance.

And the cocktails… Jesus Christ. The bar looked immaculate, staffed by three bartenders working almost nonstop despite the relatively small number of guests. Tropical drinks. Classic drinks. Signature creations nobody could pronounce after the third round. It became almost impossible to walk around without ending up with another glass in your hand.

Elegant appetizers kept circulating endlessly. Fruit tables. Small plates. Main courses arriving in waves. Everything abundant. Everything effortless. And in the center of all of it… Scott and Kip.

No more tension. No more ceremony. Just… living.

The music shifted again. Not suddenly. More like the atmosphere itself inhaled differently. Warm lights, ocean air, and a soft classical melody wrapped around the reception space. Not stiff. Not theatrical. Intimate. Meant to accompany the moment, not dominate it.

Scott extended his hand.

Kip smiled nervously.

—I can’t promise I won’t step on you,” he murmured.

Scott smiled softly.

—we’ve survived worse.”

And they started dancing.

They weren’t perfect. They weren’t polished. But there was something stronger than perfection there. Intention. Small laughs whenever one of them missed a step. Quiet glances that somehow said more than choreography ever could.

Scott rested his forehead lightly against Kip’s.

—If life ever becomes too much…” he whispered, “I want you to remember this moment.”

Kip looked at him carefully.

—that I’d still choose you again.”

Pause.

—and again.”

Kip swallowed hard.

—even if everything ended tomorrow,” Scott continued quietly, “I still wouldn’t change any of it.”

Kip closed his eyes briefly.

—I wouldn’t either,” he whispered back. “But I’d rather it never ends.”

His lips trembled faintly.

—and if there is an ending…”

He looked directly at him.

—I want it to find us together.”

Scott held him tighter.

A few feet away, Ilya watched silently. And for the first time in a very long time… he wasn’t thinking about winning. He was feeling. His eyes burned unexpectedly. And suddenly, an image appeared in his mind without warning:

Shane.
An altar.

People laughing.

A life together.

He swallowed hard.

Then leaned slightly closer toward him.

—When it’s our turn…” he murmured.

Shane glanced sideways at him.

—Our turn for what?”

—I don’t want a small wedding.”

Shane let out a short laugh.

—Oh, really?”

—I want something huge. Dramatic. Completely impossible to ignore.”

Shane shook his head, smiling helplessly.

—Of course you do.”

But Ilya wasn’t done.

—and afterward…”

He looked forward again.

—we’re having kids.”

Shane turned immediately.

—What?”

—A lot of them.”

Shane stared at him like he’d completely lost his mind.

—you’re sick.”

Ilya finally looked back at him.

—Wouldn’t you want kids with me?”

Shane held his gaze.

—First, let’s learn how not to destroy each other.

Ilya smiled faintly.

—Then kids.

Shane shook his head.

—You’re an idiot.

But this time…

he didn’t say no either.

—LONG LIVE THE GROOMS!”

The voice shattered the moment.

Carter, drink already in hand, whistled loudly from somewhere near the dance floor, fully comfortable, fully part of the chaos now.

—that’s how you fucking do it!” he shouted, raising his glass. “Now this is a wedding!”

Laughter exploded immediately afterward.

The music changed again. This time the energy lifted completely. Faster rhythms. More movement. More life. The DJ launched into a Latin mix that practically dragged people onto the dance floor against their will. And everyone gave in instantly. Kip’s father was the first one to start an improvised dance line, grabbing whoever happened to be closest.

—Come on! Move!”

Within seconds, a crooked chain of laughing people followed behind him, stumbling, spinning, completely abandoning dignity. Elena, on the opposite side of the reception, grabbed another guest and somehow started leading actual tango steps with terrifying elegance. Maria immediately joined the chaos.

—No, no, not like that!” she laughed, pulling someone into salsa steps that only made the atmosphere even louder.

Hips loosened.

Glasses lifted.

Laughter multiplied.

Everything alive.

Scott and Kip were no longer the center of attention. Now they were swallowed by everyone around them—friends, hands pulling them into dances, voices shouting over music, happiness without filters.

And somewhere inside that beautiful chaos…

Ilya grabbed Shane by the wrist.

—Come here.”

—What are you doing?”

No answer.

He just kept walking, pulling him away from the crowd toward the darker edge of the reception, where the lights started thinning between the trees and the night itself slowly took over.

—Ilya…” Shane looked directly at him.

—I want you right now.”

Shane let out a nervous laugh.

—you’re insane. People can see us.”

—we have a room.”

—it’s far away.”

Pause.

—I don’t want to wait.”

The silence tightened instantly.

—you’re impossible.”

—and you never say no.”

Shane looked at him… and didn’t answer.

Ilya didn’t move either.

—Shane.”

—What now?”

—I promise I’ll make you breakfast tomorrow.”

Shane frowned immediately.

—What? This is an all-inclusive resort.”

—I know.”

—and what exactly do you want in exchange?”

—Anything.”

Shane studied him carefully.

—you forget about the puppy.”

Ilya froze. Completely.

—No.”

—you wanted negotiations.”

—Ask me for literally anything else.”

Shane shook his head, almost laughing now.

—I genuinely don’t know why I’m so easy with you.”

Then he grabbed him by the neck and kissed him.

And Shane didn’t resist.

He simply let it happen.

The music kept playing. Hanging lights swayed softly in the breeze, casting moving shadows across smiling faces. Laughter blended with the constant sound of the ocean, with clinking glasses, with messy dancing that had long since stopped trying to follow rhythm correctly. Everything was alive.

Scott spun Kip through the crowd again. No technique. No perfection. Just… him. Kip laughed openly, freely, and Scott held him around the waist like—even in the middle of all this—he still refused to let go.

Around them, voices overlapped, someone shouted something nobody fully understood, and somehow everybody answered anyway. Because the words didn’t matter anymore. What mattered was that they were there.

A few feet away, Kip’s father was still laughing through wet eyes, dragged helplessly through another improvised dance line that no longer followed steps… only joy.

Elena and Maria danced shoulder to shoulder, like preserving this exact moment had become the only important thing left in the world.

João was a few feet away with Carter, laughing too. For a brief moment, almost without thinking, his eyes drifted toward Ilya, laughing with Shane. But this time, only a few seconds passed before João turned back to his conversation.

—that’s how life’s supposed to feel!” Carter yelled again, raising his drink.

And this time… nobody argued with him.

The music climbed louder.

Faster.
Freer.

And the dance floor answered immediately.

But somewhere inside all that movement… Scott and Kip found each other again. Like the world itself kept rearranging to place them face to face. Close. Still.

Scott rested his forehead against Kip’s once more. They breathed. Nothing else. No more promises. No grand speeches. They didn’t need them anymore.

Kip smiled. That smile. The one Scott had chosen… even before he fully understood why.

The music surged back around them. Hands dragged them toward the center again. Voices singing loudly. Bodies moving everywhere. Life itself happening all at once.

And as night completely settled over Punta Cana… As the lights burned brighter… As the ocean remained constant and eternal behind them… Scott and Kip kept dancing. Surrounded by everyone. But somehow… entirely alone together.

As if the whole world had reduced itself into one single thing: A moment.
A choice.

The wind moved through the hanging fabrics again.

The ocean never stopped.

And neither did the music.

But for them… Nothing else was necessary anymore.

The full book will be available on August 23, 2026 

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