Ice & Prejudice

Chapter 78

Ria's POV:

After my shift at The Ruby, I couldn't stop thinking about Nikolai sitting in that booth, grinning like the smug asshole he was. The way he talked to me, like I owed him some explanation, like he had the right to demand answers, infuriated me. He was challenging me, daring me to prove I'd moved on. And I had nothing-no one. Yet.

That panic sat heavy in my chest as I clocked out, heading to my car. If I didn't figure this out fast, Nikolai would never leave me alone. He'd keep pushing, keep picking at the lie until he tore it apart. I needed proof. Real, tangible proof that I'd moved on.

So, as soon as I got into my car, I pulled out my phone and downloaded the dating app Stacy had mentioned a few times over the years. I wasn't sure if this was the right thing to do, but I didn't have any other options. The app installed quickly, and before I knew it, I had a profile set up with the bare minimum of details-my name, age, and a single picture from last summer.

Not even five minutes later, my phone lit up with notifications. Several guys had already messaged me, but there was one profile that caught my eye immediately. Blake (22). His first message was kind of funny, something about how he'd seen fewer disasters on a hockey rink than he had on this dating apps. I laughed, despite myself. He seemed laid-back, confident, and the fact that he played hockey... well, that caught my attention too.

I didn't waste time. I messaged him back, asking if he could meet later today. I wasn't going to wait around-time was ticking. I had to prove to Nikolai I'd moved on, and Blake seemed perfect. He responded quickly, saying he was down to meet, which was a relief. At least that part was falling into place.

We arranged to meet at a random café I picked, far enough from campus so no one would recognize me but close enough for me to get back without a problem. My heart was pounding the whole drive there after my final social psych class that evening. I knew this was insane-what kind of person jumps into a fake date with a stranger just to make their ex believe they've moved on? But Nikolai had pushed me into this corner, and I wasn't about to back down. Why couldn't he just believe me and move on? I was doing this for his own good, for his own safety for fuck's sake.

When I arrived, Blake was already there, waiting outside with a bouquet of flowers in hand. He was tall, athletic, and honestly... really handsome. The flowers were a nice touch too. He smiled when he saw me, and I couldn't help but smile back, despite the chaos in my head.

"Hey, Ria?" he asked, handing me the flowers. "These are for you. I figured first dates should still be somewhat traditional, right?"

I blinked, a little taken aback by how thoughtful he was. He was exactly the type of guy I should be with. Kind, respectful, charming. But all I could think about was how different he was from Nik. There was no sharp sarcasm, no teasing edge. Just... nice. Even his appearance was completely different, which I suppose I might've subconsciously done on purpose.

His deep brown eyes were warm, kind. Let's hope this isn't going to be a Ted Bundy situation. His brown hair curly and dark. No smile lines of dimples, yet he had a comforting smile. Not a smirk or a grin, just a kind smile.

"Thanks," I said, smiling as I took the flowers. "That's really sweet of you."

We went inside the café, ordered drinks, and sat down at a small table by the window. Blake was easy to talk to, cracking a few jokes that made me laugh, and the conversation flowed naturally. But there was a nagging emptiness in the back of my mind, like something was missing. I knew it wasn't fair to compare him to Nikolai, but I couldn't help it.

As we talked, I realized I needed to come clean, at least about part of the situation. I wasn't going to drag Blake into this without him knowing what he was getting into. After a few sips of my tea, I leaned forward and cleared my throat.