Blair’s smile was mixed with shock—which, same—and also genuine happiness. “Wow. Yeah, of course that’s okay. I had no idea you two knew each other. So are you guys dating? Why didn’t you tell me, Cara?”
Still nothing. What was I supposed to say? Vera’s hand was touching me for the first time in months, and I couldn’t move, couldn’t breath, couldn’t think.
“It’s all still very new,” Vera supplied. I’m glad one of us had words in our vocabulary.
Blair looked down at her phone and frowned. “Shit, I’m sorry, babe. Drea needs me at the store. Raincheck? I can’t wait to hear more about… this.”
I nodded and stepped out of Vera’s space to give my best friend a hug. Blair said goodbye to Eloise and I turned to Vera, finally finding my voice. “How do you know Blair?”
She smiled. “We met when I did renovations on the bookstore and on her co-owner’s office.”
“Kaia. Yeah I know her. She’s sweet.”
“She really is.”
“Can I see you in my office, please?” I turned away, not bothering to wait for a response. I knew she’d be right behind me, anyway.
As I predicted, the second I turned around in my office, she was standing there with a soft smile. God damn her smile. I wasn’t sure what part of this she was happy about. The partwhere she embarrassed me and lied to Blair, or the part where she put her hands on me and could probably hear my intake of breath.
I closed the door and took a breath, squeezing the bridge of my nose to keep a migraine from forming. “I just have one question. What the hell was that?”
“What?” She shrugged.
I rolled my eyes. “Vera, you know what I’m talking about. Why did you imply that we were dating? Have I not been clear enough?”
“You need a date, don’t you?”
I groaned. “I’m not sure how that’s your business, but yes.”
“Well, I want to help.”
“Why? What do you get out of this?”
“Besides another night with you? I just want to help.”
I scoffed. “Oh, no. That is not happening. I don’t care how drunk you get me, that one night was all there will ever be.”
“I would never take advantage of you like that, Cara. Do you really think so low of me?”
I softened and shook my head. “No, of course not. I didn’t mean it like that, I just… What do you want, Vera?”
“I’ve already told you, I want to help. You need a date for the wedding, and now you have one. Problem solved.”
Problem not solved. This was an awful idea. Yeah, I needed a date, but literally anyone else would’ve been a better option. The second we arrived together, my friends would know it’s a lie.
Blair was in a rush and hadn’t had time to question it, but I could tell she wanted to. I’d been pretty adamant about not being interested in someone like Vera, and for her to now be my date out of nowhere would raise questions I didn’t want to answer.
But at the same time, I wanted them off my back. I wanted to take the easy way out, and agreeing to Vera would be easy.
“And what are you benefitting from this? If I said yes, what’s in it for you?”
“I get to spend more time with you. That’s all I want.”
“Why? Why do you want that so bad?”
“Because, princesa, I want to know more about you. I’m not asking for a relationship, or another spectacular night of sex. I just want more time with you. You get your friend off your back and a date with someone you know looks good in a tux and can lead you on the dance floor, and I getthat. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re relentless, you know that?”
