Andria's pov
stiffened, my heart lurching in my chest. I turned to find Ryder standing in the doorway, looking at me with an unreadable expression. I hadn't expected to see him here—of all the places in this big house, here he was.I forced a smile, trying to keep the surprise from my voice. "Oh, just bored of the party," I said lightly. "Thought I'd take a little tour around the house."His eyes didn't leave mine, but there was something in his gaze—something sharp, searching. "So, you just decided to wander around?"I nodded, taking a step back. "Yeah, I could leave if that's a problem," I added, though the words didn't quite sound convincing. It was as though the air between us had thickened, and I wasn't sure if it was something I'd said or if it was just Ryder's presence.But then he stepped into my path, blocking my way. He didn't move, and neither did I. My heart picked up its pace, and I felt a sudden rush of heat across my skin. The space between us was charged now—uncomfortably so. His gaze never faltered, and I could almost feel the weight of his stare."You look so different from the last time I saw you," Ryder said, his voice softer than I expected, but there was something deep in it that made my stomach tighten.I swallowed, suddenly self-conscious. "I know," I said quickly, not quite sure why I was so nervous. "I'm not a little girl anymore."He didn't respond right away. Instead, he just kept looking at me—his eyes digging into mine as if he were searching for something hidden there. The intensity of his gaze made my chest tighten, and I felt a flutter of something unfamiliar move through me. It was a feeling I couldn't place, and it made my pulse quicken.Without thinking, I took a small step back, but he was right there, not letting me get away. Ryder's hand lifted, and before I could even react, it was gently placed on my cheek. The warmth of his skin against mine sent an unexpected jolt of electricity through my body. His touch was soft, but it made my skin tingle, my breath catching in my throat.For a moment, I couldn't breathe. I wanted to pull away, but his touch felt strangely magnetic, and I was frozen in place. His eyes were so familiar—like I'd seen that exact look somewhere before, but I couldn't quite remember where. And I didn't know what to do with the way my heart was racing, the way his proximity made my thoughts scatter.Before I could gather myself, the sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway, and Xander's voice called out. "Andria, it's time to go."I snapped back to reality at the sound of my brother's voice, my heart pounding in my chest. I pulled away from Ryder's touch, the sudden distance feeling cold in comparison to the heat I'd felt when he was so close.I barely had time to gather my thoughts before I quickly turned and walked past Ryder, my mind still reeling. I wasn't sure what had just happened, but all I knew was that my heart was racing in my chest, and I couldn't stop thinking about the way Ryder had looked at me.
The ride home was unusually quiet, but my mind? Loud. I stared out the window, watching the blur of city lights rush by, yet all I could think about was him. Ryder. What the hell was that back there? I pressed my fingers to my cheek absentmindedly—the same spot where his hand had touched. It was still warm, and for some reason, my skin tingled like he'd left a mark. "You good?" Xander's voice broke through the silence, making me jump slightly. "Yeah," I replied too quickly, sitting up straighter. "Fine. Just tired." I wasn't. I was confused. Shaken. Overthinking everything Ryder did. The way he stared at me, like he could see through me. The way he didn't even flinch when he touched me, while I, on the other hand, practically forgot how to breathe. My phone buzzed. I glanced down, and my breath caught in my throat when I saw the name lighting up my screen. Asher. I hesitated before opening it. Asher: Wanna hang tomorrow? "What…" I whispered under my breath, blinking at the screen. My stomach did a somersault. I didn't answer right away. Instead, I opened my chat with Mona, because when in doubt—text your best friend. Me: Asher just asked me to hang tomorrow. I'm freaking out. She replied in record time. Mona: OH. MY. GOD. SAY YES, GIRL. And wear that black crop top. Or better yet, that red mini you swore you'd never wear unless your soulmate appeared. Today is the day. I rolled my eyes, grinning. Me: You're impossible. Mona: I'm right, though. Andria, go. Look hot. Make his brain malfunction. I laughed softly, shaking my head as I went back to Asher's message and typed: Me: Yeah, sure. Almost instantly, he replied. Asher: Alright. See you tomorrow by 1 p.m. My lips curved into a full-blown smile, and before I could help it, a blush crept up my cheeks. "Why are you smiling like that?" Xander asked, raising a suspicious brow at me. "No reason," I muttered, looking away quickly. "Liar," he smirked. "Is it that new guy—what's his name? The one you were talking to earlier?" "I said it's none of your business," I snapped, though my smile betrayed me. "Mmhmm." He leaned back in his seat like he'd solved a puzzle. "I'll get it out of you eventually." "Good luck with that," I muttered, hiding behind my phone again. We got home a little past 10 p.m. I kicked off my heels the second I got through the door and made a beeline for my room. I needed to breathe. I slipped into my pajamas and flopped onto the bed, letting my thoughts spiral. What is even happening in my life right now? First Ryder, with his brooding stares and the way he made my heart stop like it was some d*mn romantic movie. Then Asher, with a simple text, had me smiling like a lovesick puppy. Ugh. I grabbed my pillow and hugged it tight, staring up at the ceiling. There was something about Ryder… something I couldn't put my finger on. Something familiar yet unsettling. That moment we shared earlier? It hadn't felt normal. It felt… dangerous. But not in a bad way. In a you're-going-to-break-my-heart-but-I-still-want-to-know-more kind of way. And now Asher wanted to see me tomorrow. What was I even going to wear? My heart fluttered again, and I turned over, hiding my face in the pillow to suppress a giddy laugh. God, I was a mess. Eventually, the exhaustion caught up with me, and my eyes began to close, Ryder's stare haunting me, Asher's text lingering in my mind. And tomorrow… something told me everything was about to shift.
_________
It was a lazy Sunday morning, and I was still curled up in my blanket when the sun peeked through the curtains, casting a warm golden glow across the room. I groaned softly, my body feeling like it had just hit the snooze button on life. A quick glance at my phone showed me that it was already 9:45 AM. The house was eerily quiet for a Sunday morning, and I stretched lazily in bed, yawning. But just as I was about to turn over and fall back asleep, the door to my room swung open. "Hey, you're still in bed?" Xander's voice carried in, sharp and teasing. I peeked one eye open, glaring at him. "What do you want?" "You smell like you haven't showered in days," he said, his hands tucked into the pockets of his hoodie, leaning against the doorframe. "Maybe it's time you had one." I rolled my eyes, pulling the covers over my head. "Thanks for the reminder, Captain Obvious," I muttered, trying to ignore him. He smirked, clearly enjoying my discomfort. "Well, when you're ready to join the rest of the world, I'll be downstairs." With that, he was gone, leaving the door slightly ajar. I sighed, tossing the covers aside, and finally dragged myself out of bed. A shower was definitely in order. First, though, I needed to eat something. Stomach growling, I headed downstairs to find breakfast. The kitchen smelled like pancakes, and I saw Talia already sitting at the table, her eyes glued to some cartoon on her tablet. "Good morning," I said, grabbing a plate from the counter. "Mornin', Andria!" she chirped, not looking up from her screen. I chuckled at her enthusiasm, grabbing a fork. Xander was already digging into his own plate at the table, giving me a pointed look as I walked in. "What's with the face?" I asked, sitting down across from him. "You're really gonna eat that?" he teased, nodding to the plate in front of me. "You know, pancakes don't really help with, you know…" He gestured to my state of exhaustion. "I'm not that tired," I replied, my mouth full of pancake. "Besides, it's Sunday. I don't need to be a health nut." "Yeah, and it shows," he said, smirking as he took a bite of his own food. I shot him a look, my patience running thin. "Really? This is how you're spending your Sunday?" Xander raised his hands in defense, laughing lightly. "Hey, I'm just saying, the world doesn't need two sleepyheads in this house." After breakfast, I excused myself and trudged back to my room, still feeling groggy. The house was calm, which meant I had a little time to kill before I had to get ready. The shower helped a bit, but still, the thoughts of my upcoming meet-up with Asher danced in my head. It was a mix of nerves and excitement. Stepping out of the shower, I grabbed my phone, scrolling mindlessly through Instagram. As I flipped through random posts, my mind wandered back to the last time I saw Asher—when he'd sent me that text. I couldn't stop thinking about it, that "wanna hang tomorrow" text, the way my heart had skipped a beat. I sighed, feeling a mixture of anticipation and uncertainty. "Alright," I muttered to myself, "Time to get my life together." I grabbed a bowl of ice cream from the freezer, plopping down on my bed to continue watching Outer Banks. The series was the perfect Sunday escape. As I scooped the ice cream into my mouth, I found myself laughing along with the characters. But as much as I was enjoying the show, there was a lingering feeling in the back of my mind—Asher. He was going to be here soon. The day slipped by in the blink of an eye, and soon, I was glancing at the clock—12:00 PM. I froze as my phone buzzed, pulling me out of my ice cream trance. I picked it up quickly, seeing a new message notification. It was from Asher. "Hey, Andria. Can you send me your address? I'll head over soon." My heart stuttered for a second, then immediately started to race. Was I really meeting him today? I quickly texted him back with my address and hit send. Then, I stood up, pacing for a moment. Okay. Time to look decent. I called Mona, hoping for some advice. "Mona," I said, practically out of breath. "What do I wear?" She laughed on the other end. "You're freaking out about this already? Calm down, girl. But if you want my opinion, go for something cute but casual. You know, a little flirty, but not over the top." I nodded, though I didn't think she could see me. "Got it. Thanks." I hung up and quickly rifled through my closet. Eventually, I decided on a pair of boyfriend jeans and a cropped top, keeping it relaxed but stylish. I paired it with some ankle boots, a slight heel, but nothing too dressy. I headed downstairs to the living room, taking a deep breath as I walked into the chaos. Xander and Henry were sitting on the couch, their faces glued to the screen as they bickered about the latest FIFA match. "I swear, you always do that," Xander grumbled, clearly frustrated. "You can't just keep doing that move and expect it to work, Henry." "Oh, please," Henry shot back, rolling his eyes. "You're just mad because I scored." I couldn't help but smile, shaking my head at their playful back-and-forth. As I started to pass by, Xander glanced over at me, and his eyes narrowed. "Where do you think you're going, Andria?" I froze for a second, then shrugged. "Just going to meet up with Mona," I lied casually, trying to make it sound like it was no big deal. Xander raised an eyebrow. "You look nice," he said, his voice surprisingly soft. My heart did a little flip. Xander hardly ever complimented me, so it took me by surprise. "What? Who are you, and what have you done with my brother?" I put my hand over my chest dramatically. "I'm having a heart attack. My twin actually complimented me." He rolled his eyes, clearly not used to the whole 'sincere Xander' vibe. "Don't get too used to it. You're still annoying." I stuck my tongue out at him before heading out the door. The nerves were back again, but I wasn't going to let them get the best of me. I reached the door just as the doorbell rang, and my heart skipped a beat. I opened the door to find Asher standing there, looking even better than I remembered. He flashed that smile of his, and my breath caught in my throat. Behind him, there was a sleek black Bugatti parked in the driveway, the shiny exterior catching the sunlight just right. His smile widened when he saw me, and I felt my heart skip a bit.
"Hey," he said, his voice low and warm as he walked over and opened the car door for me. "You look… really good."
I blinked. "Oh. Um. Thanks. You too."
God, smooth, Andria. Real smooth.
I slid into the passenger seat, and he closed the door behind me like a complete gentleman before walking around and getting in on his side. The interior of the car smelled like leather and cologne, and the silence was—again—charged. Not awkward. Just… expectant.
"So…" I finally said, glancing at him. "Where are we going?"
He glanced at me briefly before looking back at the road. "It's a surprise."
I narrowed my eyes playfully. "Should I be worried?"
He grinned, the corner of his mouth quirking up. "Only if you hate beautiful places."
My heart stuttered. "Am I dressed okay for this mysterious location?"
He gave me a quick look, his gaze sweeping over me before returning to the road. "You're perfect."
My cheeks flamed. There it is. The blush. Again. Why did he always say things like that so casually? And why did they affect me so much?
The ride continued in silence after that, but it wasn't the kind that begged to be filled. It was… peaceful. Comfortable.
Eventually, the car slowed, and I looked up to see a wrought iron gate slowly swinging open.
My breath caught.
Beyond the gate stretched rows and rows of grapevines, sloping gently over green hills beneath the soft afternoon sun.
A vineyard.
And not just any vineyard—silver oak vineyard, this one looked straight out of a movie.
I turned to Asher, eyes wide. "Are we seriously…?"
He looked at me, eyes glinting with quiet satisfaction. "Yeah. I thought you might like it."
I couldn't stop the smile that bloomed on my face.
Like it?
This was a dream.
And something told me… the dream was just beginning.