All The Summers After | TSITP | Sequel

Something Borrowed, Something Paris.

Paris in late June felt like it was showing off.

The sky was bright and clean, streaked with lazy clouds; the streets were busy but not frantic, everyone moving with that unbothered summer energy. Cafés spilled out onto sidewalks, flowers hung from balcony railings, and somewhere nearby, a street musician played something soft on a guitar.

Conrad and Lydia walked side by side down Rue Saint Honoré, fingers laced together, sunglasses on, completely in their own little bubble.

"This is insane," Lydia said, but she was smiling.

"What is?" Conrad asked.

"Us," she said. "In Paris. Shopping. For our best friends' wedding."

He squeezed her hand. "Yeah. It's a little insane."

"And we're about to make it worse," she added, eyeing the storefronts.

He followed her gaze and let out a soft whistle.

They were standing outside one of the sleekest watch boutiques in the area, glassy windows showcasing rows of gleaming timepieces.

"Still sure?" he asked.

"Absolutely," she said, no hesitation. "It's Jeremiah. If anyone's going to wear the most extra wedding gift ever, it's him."

They walked in together, the bell over the door chiming softly.

————

The boutique smelled like leather and polished wood and money.

A well-dressed salesman appeared almost instantly, offering them a polite smile. "Bonjour. How can I help you today?"

Lydia smiled back. "Bonjour. We're looking for a wedding gift... for my almost brother-in-law."

Conrad shot her a look. "Almost?"

She shrugged. "Emotionally, it counts."

The salesperson nodded like he understood all of that. "Any thoughts on style?"

"Classic," Conrad said. "Something he'll wear forever. Something that feels like... him, but levelled up."

The man led them to a glass case, carefully lifting a tray out. "We have a few Rolex pieces I think might suit."

Lydia's eyebrows lifted. "We are really doing this," she whispered.

"We talked about it," Conrad said quietly, eyes scanning the watches. "And we both agreed. He deserves something... big."

She hummed. "He deserves the world."

The salesperson laid out three options: one with a black dial and stainless steel, one with a navy face and silver, and one in champagne gold tones.

Lydia pointed to the navy one almost immediately.

"That's him," she said. "Fun, but still..." she squinted. "Grown."

Conrad leaned closer, studying it.

Navy dial. Clean indexes. A subtle date window. Rolex. Timeless.

"He's going to freak out," Conrad said, a small smile curling his mouth.

"He better," Lydia said. "Do you know how many times he brought me food when I couldn't get out of bed one summer? Or forced me to go outside? Or refused to let me disappear?"