What If I Can't Forget You?

{6}

Ian's POV

I woke up pretty late, and rolled over, not wanting to leave my bed.

I remembered last night. The music, the crowd, the lights. Alex.

Alex.

I sat up, grabbing my phone and checking the time. 10:37. Too late for breakfast, but who doesn't love a nice brunch?

I called her number, strangely confident about myself.

"Hello?" Came her clear voice.

"Good morning, beautiful." She giggled.

"Good morning, Ian."

"How would you feel about brunch at Panera?"

"Brunch at Panera. Sounds fantastic!"

"I'll pick you up at eleven then? What hotel are you staying at?"

"The Hard Rock. See you at eleven, Ian."

"Can't wait."

Alex's POV

I hung up, earning a stare from Claire.

"Who was that?" She asked.

"Well," I said, placing my palms down on the bed. "I met a really cute guy last night, and he wants to take me to brunch."

She squealed, excited for me.

"When is he going to be here?"

I checked the digital clock on the nightstand.

"Oh, crap! Twenty minutes."

I threw on a green day tee shirt and light jean shorts, pulling my hair into a high loose ponytail. I put on light makeup and grabbed some cash from my wallet.

"Cutie" Claire pulled me into a hug.

"Aw. I love you, Claire Bear."

"So what happened with Jaime last night?"

"If I didn't know better, I'd say he looked jealous. But since we are," I did the finger quote gesture. "Friends, there's no way."

"There's no better feeling than making a boy jealous."

"Honestly, though." We laughed. "I have to go, Claire. See you in a few hours?"

"See ya, Alex. Love you. Stay safe. Use protection." She winked.

"Gross!" I laughed and headed for the door.

Ian was parked on the street in front of the hotel, and he scampered out to open the passenger door for me. He wore a grey pocket tee shirt and jeans with converse.

"Good morning, Ian!" I jogged up to him, pulling him into a hug. He smelled really nice, which was super hot.

"Good morning, lovely! Ready for some kick-ass American food?"

"Isn't that all that's left in this country these days?"

"Taco Bell doesn't count as American food."

"Hell yes it does! That shit has been so Americanized that even the Mexicans wouldn't know what it was anymore."

We playfully argued all the way to Panera, laughing and carrying on. I loved the way he smiled when he looked at me, and I felt like maybe he really did like me.

We bought coffee and bagels and found our way to a booth near a window. Panera was nearly empty; there was a girl engrossed in a book near the entrance and a boy captivated by his laptop near the counter. Otherwise, we were alone.

"So, Alex, tell me about yourself." He propped his head up on his hand, his elbow resting on the table. His eyes were curious and kind.

"Well, I'm from San Diego. I studied business at UC, and I lived there with my best friend Claire. And, um, the last month of my life has been, well, crazy."

"And I'd love to hear all about it." He flashed a stunning smile, listening intently.

"Well..." I went on. "One day, I convinced Claire to go to a Pierce The Veil concert with me. Long story short, her and Vic are dating and we are on tour with the band." He laughed.

"You wish. But really though, what's it like to stay in the same hotel as Vic Fuentes?" He smiled goofily, and I kept a straight face.

"Really, Ian." His smile faded.

"Really?"

"Really."

"Like, really really?"

"Really."

"Prove it."

I got out my phone, and pulled up a selfie of me and Jaime backstage in Palm Springs. We both wore a cheesy grin, and his cheek was pressed up against mine. It was my favorite picture of us, and it made me wish for him. It made me hurt.

Ian's jaw dropped.

"No."

"Yes. And that's the truth." I sat back, folding my arms across my chest. "It's also why I'm in Vegas."

"Damn." He rubbed his forehead, looking a little overwhelmed. "How long are you in town?"

"We leave tomorrow night, I think. But I've never been to Vegas, and I've always wanted to come and experience it all. It's too bad there's not enough time to see the town."

He looked up from his lap with a pout that soon turned into a smirk.

"Then I guess I'll just have to show you around."

He grabbed my hands, and we ran out the doors into the warm Nevada air to see what kind of trouble we could get into.