Alexandria's POV
Vanessa was trouble.
The kind of trouble that smiled sweetly while pushing you toward decisions you couldn't undo. I knew this. I had always known this. And yet, here I was, walking into a hotel bar with her and straight into the line of sight of the man from the cinema.
The city air felt colder after the warmth of the bar, crisp enough to bite at my cheeks. My heels clicked against the pavement as we walked, Vanessa keeping pace beside me like she had somewhere else she wanted to drag me.
She didn't speak at first, which was suspicious. Vanessa was never quiet unless she was building up to something.
When we reached the corner, she finally said, "You're thinking about him."
"I'm thinking about going home," I replied.
"You're thinking about going home and thinking about him at the same time." She smiled in that infuriatingly knowing way. "You were staring at each other like you had a secret."
"Vanessa…"
"Alex," she cut in, "you cannot tell me that man is not a walking opportunity."
"I barely know him."
"Which is perfect. You don't need to know his childhood pet's name. You need him to look good in a suit and make you forget your cousin's smug face for one weekend."
Her words hit harder than I wanted to admit. My cousin's face and the image of her wearing my wedding dress had been burned into my mind since the day I found out.
We passed a glowing bakery window, the scent of fresh bread and sugar drifting into the night. Vanessa stopped suddenly and pulled me inside.
"What are we doing?" I asked as the bell over the door chimed.
"Sugar therapy," she said, heading straight for the counter. "Also, somewhere warm to talk about why you're going to say yes to this insane plan."
"I'm not saying yes."
She ordered two oversized chocolate croissants and a pair of hot chocolates piled high with whipped cream. When we sat at a small corner table, she pushed one toward me like it was a peace offering.
"You're scared," she said simply.
I blinked at her. "Of what?"
"Of liking him. Of letting someone new in when the last one blew your heart to pieces."
"That's not it," I said, though I wasn't sure if I believed it.
She tore a piece of croissant and popped it into her mouth. "Fine. Then explain why you haven't dated anyone in six months and why the first man who makes you smile like that just happens to be off-limits in your head."
I stared at the swirl of cream melting into my drink. "It's not that simple."
"Nothing worth it ever is."
We finished our pastries in comfortable silence. When we finally stepped back into the night, the city felt a little softer, the noise less sharp.
Vanessa looped her arm through mine again. "You don't have to decide tonight. But if you don't at least consider it, you're going to regret it when you walk into that wedding alone."
I didn't answer.
Because the truth was, I was already considering it.