Hearts of Deception (Whychoose Romance)

2.

(Aria's POV)

I stared at my phone, my thumb hovering over the "Send" button for what felt like forever. My heart raced a little as I finally hit it, the text zooming off into the digital void.

"Hey, it's Aria from the cafe :)"

I tossed the phone onto my bed and let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. What was I even expecting? Some kind of witty, charming reply that would sweep me off my feet? The thought made me groan. I grabbed the TV remote from my nightstand and flicked through Netflix for some mindless show to distract me.

The sound of footsteps approaching my door was muffled, but I didn't need to look up to know who it was.

"Still overthinking it?" Kourtney's voice floated in before she even fully entered the room.

I groaned again, more dramatically this time, and pulled the blanket over my head. "Why do you know me so well?"

She plopped down on the bed beside me, tugging the blanket away from my face. "Because I've seen this exact scene play out about a hundred times before. Let me guess—cute guy, you finally texted him, and now you're spiraling, wondering if it was the right move?" She tilted her head, giving me a look that screamed I know I'm right.

I squinted at her. "Okay, fine. Yes, I texted him, but I'm not spiraling."

Kourtney raised an eyebrow. "So you're what? Casually hiding under a blanket at eight in the evening like a normal, well-adjusted person?"

I narrowed my eyes at her, but I couldn't help the small laugh that bubbled up. "Shut up. I'm not hiding. I'm—" My phone buzzed on the bed, cutting me off.

We both looked at it.

Kourtney's eyes gleamed. "Oh my god, it's him, isn't it?"

I snatched up my phone, my heart doing that stupid fluttery thing again. A new message notification lit up the screen.

Luca:
"Hey, Aria! It was really nice meeting you today. I'd love to take you out sometime if you're free."

I stared at the message, feeling my heart jump a little. It wasn't some generic "nice to meet you" text. He actually wanted to hang out. My stomach did an embarrassing flip.

Kourtney was practically bouncing on the bed. "What did he say? Don't just sit there, read it!"

I handed her the phone so she could see for herself. She read it aloud, her grin widening with every word. "Wow. He's straight to the point, huh? No games, just—'Let's go out.' I like him already."

I rolled my eyes. "You don't even know him."

"Please, I know enough," she said, tossing the phone back to me. "So, what are you gonna say? Don't overthink it. Just say yes."

I chewed on my lip. "I don't know. It feels too soon, doesn't it? We just met, and—"

"And what?" Kourtney cut in, exasperated. "You had great chemistry, he's clearly interested, and it's not like he proposed marriage. It's just a date. You've got nothing to lose."

I thought about it. Kourtney wasn't wrong. Luca had been easy to talk to, charming but not in a sleazy way. And it wasn't like I'd agreed to anything yet.

But then that familiar doubt crept in, the one that always showed up when things started to feel like they might actually go well. I'd been down this road before. Guys who seemed great at first but ended up disappearing as soon as things got real. Or worse, they'd pretend to be interested for a while, only to drop me when they got bored.