Dash Bolt was met at the entrance of his minimalist, efficient house by a very relieved Clover and a highly amused Ridge. Dash dropped his encrypted terminal bag on the polished floor of the foyer, the weight of the last forty-eight hours finally hitting him.
"Well, look who decided to grace us with his presence," Ridge said, leaning against the wall, a wide grin splitting his face. "Thought you might have relocated to Vesta's apartment permanently."
Dash rolled his eyes, peeling off his expensive, crisp shirt, which felt like a straitjacket after a day of high-stakes corporate drama. "I was dealing with a fugitive and a merger, Ridge. You were eating Mom's pancakes."
Dash turned to his mother. "Mom, tell him to stop. I'm complaining about his conduct."
Clover just chuckled, folding his shirt meticulously. "Oh, I saw your conduct, dear. You looked like a panicked CEO threatening his girlfriend with a hostile takeover just to get her out of bed. Ridge is right; you were a lost robot this morning."
"Not you too, Mom! I literally just saved us from a family disaster," Dash groaned, rubbing his temples.
Clover smiled, but her eyes held the tease. "A disaster that you brought home, dear. Now, come here and take this."
Dash frowned, accepting a small, velvet-lined mahogany box from her. "What is that?"
"Open it," she instructed.
Dash lifted the lid. Nestled inside, on a bed of faded crimson velvet, was a single, sparkling diamond ring. The diamond wasn't massive or ostentatious like the jewels Vesta's mother wore, but the setting was intricate and unique—a beautiful display of craftsmanship and heart.
"Gramp Bolt gave it to me before passing away," Clover said softly, her eyes distant. "He gave me two of them. One for Ridge's wife, whenever he finds her. And the other one for yours." She gave him a gentle smile. "He was always a simple man, but he knew the value of a promise. It's legacy, Dash. Even though you could afford something better, he kept this. The craftsmanship and the attention to detail—the care—was something very out of the world."
Dash ran a thumb over the cool metal, a genuine, deep emotion welling up. This simple ring, worth more in history than money, was the perfect symbol for his future with Vesta.
He smiled, looking at his mother, feeling the weight of the family's blessing settle on his shoulders. "Thanks, Mom. This is good."
Clutching the box, Dash gave his mother a quick hug, nodded to Ridge, and went upstairs to his room. Now, he had a promise to fulfill for Aura and Echo.
Dash sat on his desk chair, opened his laptop for background noise, and dialed a number on his private phone.
"Orbit Moon," Dash said simply when the call connected.
"Hey, Bolt. What's up? Security detail finally let you leave the house?" Orbit's voice was calm, measured, and just a shade tired—the voice of an academic who works late hours.
"The fortress is fine. Legal eagles are circling Silas. Listen, I'm calling you for a massive favor. Put Carnival on the line. I know he's with you."
A muffled argument followed, then a distinct, dramatic sigh. "Alright, he's on speaker. What is it, Bolt? I'm busy trying to convince this guy to stop building wooden coasters." That was Chase Carnival, sounding charming but perpetually exasperated by the inefficiency of his business.
"Gentlemen, listen up. I'm calling a Triple Blind Date for this weekend. Dazzle Dome. Brunch." Dash wasted no time.
"Wait, what?" Chase cut in. "I don't do blind dates, man. Especially not triples. That's chaos."
Orbit, ever the pragmatist, was more hesitant. "Who are these women, Dash? Is this a setup? Because I'm pretty sure the only women you know are either high-society drama or brilliant-but-terrifying engineers."
Dash leaned back, resting the Gramp Bolt ring box on his knee. "Look, they're Vesta's two best friends. They're good people, they're loyal, and they need a serious distraction after the last twenty-four hours. Chase, one of them, Aura, runs in your circles—big time fashion, graphic designer, huge social media following, and she's actually a fan of yours. I swear, she has a magazine clipping of your face."
Chase let out a strangled laugh. "Seriously? A clipping?"
"Seriously. And Orbit, you're taking Echo. She's the quiet one, the observant anchor of the group. She's stable. She's smart. She'll appreciate your knowledge of space tech and orbital dynamics. You need a distraction, and she needs a break from my psycho father's drama." Dash let the appeal hang in the air. "I need you two to be gentlemen, treat them well, and be cool. Consider it a personal debt to the Bolt/Steele alliance. I owe you anyway for that Anchor Drive suspension tweak."
A pause crackled over the line.
Orbit sighed, conceding to the logic. "Fine, Bolt. But if this quiet girl starts trying to debate the Big Bang with me or critiques my stellar classification model, I'm sending you the invoice for the fuel."
Chase chimed in, amusement clear in his voice. "And if Aura isn't wearing something appropriately dramatic for the heir of a theme park, I'm charging you full price for the VIP entry. But fine. I'm intrigued by the clipping."
Dash grinned. "That's what I thought. Chase's amusement park for brunch, then?"
"Yeah, sure, Bolt. Just send the details," Orbit confirmed.
"Brunch is on, but you're paying for the security detail, you maniac," Chase added before Dash cut the call.
Dash tossed the phone onto his bed. The logistics were settled. He looked at the ring box, then out the window, picturing Vesta. Everything was finally falling into place.
The weekend arrived in a bright, bustling wave of activity. Dash and Vesta were busy wrapping up the final logistics of the merger agreement, which was now moving forward with the sanctioned funds. Vesta had already shifted her temporary command center back to the original Pixel Play office, which was undergoing a joyful, celebratory remodel—her reward to the team.
But for a few hours, work was on hold.
At Vesta's apartment, the energy was less "corporate restructuring" and more "high-level military operation disguised as a styling session."
"Ves! No, the subtle sheen on that lipstick will clash with the matte finish of the Amethyst Velvet! You'll pull focus from the statement piece!" Aura Glam yelled from the bathroom door, applying a final, dramatic coat of shimmer to her cheekbones.
Vesta, who was attempting to match a belt to her simple, elegant A-line skirt, sighed, but smiled. "Aura, it's brunch at an amusement park. I think the roller coasters will pull focus from your velvet."
"Blasphemy!" Aura emerged, a vision of fashion-forward confidence. She was indeed wearing the coveted Amethyst Velvet jacket, paired with structured white trousers and large, retro sunglasses that made her look like a time-traveling heiress. "This jacket is the statement, darling. Everything else is the backdrop."
Echo Whisper, meanwhile, was wrestling with a delicate, embroidered skirt she'd bought at the mall, reluctantly following Aura's direction to abandon her usual monochrome palette. She held up a sandal with a chunky heel and looked utterly defeated.
"I feel like I'm wearing a lie," Echo muttered, spinning slightly to look at Vesta. "Dash is going to introduce me to Orbit, and I'm going to look like I'm preparing for a ballet, not a discussion about stellar classification models."
Aura marched over and slapped the shoe back on Echo's foot. "You look divine, Echo! You look approachable! Orbit Moon is going to see the sun in your eyes and forget about the moon for five hours. Now, let's go. We are fashionably late, which is just late enough to be dramatic."
The three girls finally tumbled out of the apartment and into Aura's car—a vibrant, custom-wrapped pink vehicle. It was an iconic piece of Aethelgard traffic, but it managed to be fun without being trashy: the pink was a perfect shade, the headlights had faux-glamorous eyelashes that winked when the brights were on, and the subtle, sparkling stickers created a perfect balance of playful but very pleasing design—a true extension of the Aura Glam brand.
At the closed entrance to the Dazzle Dome amusement park, where two security guards stood at attention, three men waited by a velvet rope. Dash Bolt wore a sleek, dark leisure shirt and trousers, his usual uniform of understated wealth. Chase Carnival was already dressed like the theme park royalty he was—a tailored, deep green jacket that matched his eyes, and shoes that were undoubtedly more expensive than Dash's car. Orbit Moon was neat and tidy in a well-fitting, subdued grey suit, looking slightly anxious but academically composed.
Dash took one look at his two friends and shook his head, a grin playing on his lips. "You guys clean up nice. You look like you're trying to prove a point to an investment committee, not meet some girls for brunch."
Chase adjusted his cuff. "When you're the face of a half-billion-credit enterprise, Bolt, every moment is a point. Besides, you said one has my clipping. I have to respect the effort."
Orbit smoothed his lapel. "And I refuse to look unprofessional when discussing astrophysics with a stranger. Behave. They will be here any minute."
The security guards straightened as Aura's pink car, winking its eyelashes, purred to a stop at the curb.
The three men were instantly, visibly stunned. The chaos of Aura's car was nothing compared to the coordinated glamour that emerged.
Aura, Vesta, and Echo walked toward them, bathed in the morning sun, radiating confidence and style. Aura's Amethyst Velvet was a splash of vibrant purple, Vesta's elegant skirt added a playful femininity, and Echo's soft dress made her look like a classic work of art.
Chase immediately spoke, completely forgetting his composure. "Who's that disco ball?"
Dash, already smiling, replied, "She's your date. Try to keep up."
The three girls, having seen Dash, quickened their pace and immediately shared the chaos of their morning.
"Dash, your mother's chauffeur's timing is impeccable, but Vesta almost had a fashion emergency, and Echo tried to change her outfit five times! We had no time for coffee!" Aura lamented.
Dash interrupted the flurry of complaints with a loud, theatrical voice, using the opportunity for the introductions he knew would get him yelled at.
"Gentlemen, allow me to introduce the three women who saved my sanity this week. First, the two others: this is the Sloth," he pointed to Vesta. "The next one is the Disco Ball," he indicated Aura. "And the other one is the Sneaky Fox."
Vesta groaned, pulling her arm back. "Oh, Dash!"
Aura immediately shouted, "Hey! I am a Glam Doll, not a disco ball!"
Echo, usually silent, narrowed her eyes. "Sneaky fox? That's a bit on the nose, Dash!"
All three girls, laughing but genuinely annoyed, descended on Dash, showering him with playful slaps and shoves, demanding he take it back.
"Okay, okay, ladies, stop! I apologize!" Dash said, dodging their blows with exaggerated dramatic effort. "Let me introduce you properly before you cause a scene at Chase's heavily fortified theme park."
He smiled, pulling Vesta back to his side. "First, this is Vesta Steele, my girlfriend. This one is Aura Glam, and she is Echo Whisper." He then turned to his friends. "Echo, Aura, this is Chase Carnival, Aura's date, and this is Orbit Moon, Echo's date for today."
Chase, who had been watching the playful melee with a fascinated smirk, immediately stepped forward, his eyes locked on Aura's Amethyst Velvet jacket. "Aura. It is a pleasure. And I see you dress with the courage of a theme park owner on opening day."
Aura beamed, immediately forgetting her annoyance at Dash. "Chase. And you wear green very well. It screams financial stability."
Orbit, meanwhile, offered Echo a polite, if slightly formal, handshake. "Echo. It's good to meet you. Dash mentioned you were quiet, but I gather that's just a tactical advantage in conversation."
Echo gave him a small, genuine smile, appreciating his dry wit. "Only when the subject matter is frivolous. I suspect yours is not. For example, why is this park closed today?"
Chase threw his hands up in a gesture of exaggerated surrender. "There they go! Orbit, you're the astrophysicist, not a theme park mechanic! I closed it because triple blind dates involving clipping-wielding fashionistas and Bolt's security detail require maximum security and zero witnesses."
Dash watched the four of them connect instantly—Aura and Chase trading sharp, fashion-centric compliments, and Echo and Orbit slipping into quiet, intellectual banter. He nudged Vesta, who was already beaming.
"See? I told you my friends were the best," Dash whispered to her.
Chase clapped his hands. "Alright! Since Aura and I have already established that her jacket is an acceptable dynastic statement, let's proceed. The Carnival Cruiser awaits. It's an antique dining car I've positioned on a stationary track, right next to the world's most terrifying wooden coaster that Orbit hates."
"It defies all principles of structural integrity, Chase!" Orbit muttered under his breath, already walking alongside Echo and discussing the physics of G-forces.
Dash, Vesta, Orbit, Echo, Chase, and Aura passed through the closed entrance, the drama and danger of the previous day fading slightly behind the velvet ropes of the Dazzle Dome. The triple date was officially underway, headed for a brunch full of high fashion, higher intellect, and highest hilarity.