Page 60 of Wild Tangled Hearts

“Fudge!” I mutter, realizing I’m stuck with a dead phone in the middle of a tipsy adventure, and I’m not quite sure how to navigate my way out of it.

Reader’s Choice:

What should Bella do next?

Go back inside and keep partying with Jess. Somehow, they’ll get home safely. Turn to this page.

Find Jess and ask to use her phone to call an Uber. Turn to this page.

Chapter27

Anthony

CLOSURE OR TEQUILA

The soft buzz of conversation and the aroma of freshly ground beans fill the air, as I find a seat in the corner of the shop and take a sip of my caramel macchiato. It’s fine, but it doesn’t compare to the ones Sarah makes at the Artful Bean.

But I’m not here for the coffee. I’m here to meet Anthony.

Despite my effort to concentrate on the present, my thoughts keep wandering to Sebastian. The way he kissed me at the hospital. How my heart raced when he touched me. It’s all I can think about.

And the tinge of guilt that I feel for ending things without hearing him out.

I shake my head in an attempt to clear my thoughts. I can’t let Sebastian consume my every waking moment, especially when I’m trying to move on and see if there’s a connection with someone new.

Anthony walks in, a warm smile on his face when he sees me. Even though he's cute, it's challenging not to draw comparisons. Sebastian is the kind of handsome that has the power to leave a lasting impression.

His dark, compelling eyes draw you in with their intensity. His chiseled features, including high cheekbones and a sharp jawline, give him a striking presence. His lips, soft and inviting, hint at playfulness when he smiles. His overall allure is heightened by an air of mystery and self-assuredness that makes him stand out in any crowd.

And,I remind myself, his mixed signals are like a rollercoaster ride, with moments of intense connection and warmth, followed by abrupt shifts into distant and aloof territory. Just when I thought I grasped his feelings, he pulled away, leaving me baffled and questioning the authenticity of the relationship.

I suddenly realize that Anthony is looking at me expectantly, a quizzical expression on his face. He must have asked me a question, but I was so lost in my thoughts that I completely missed it.

“What?” I ask.

He chuckles. “I asked if you want anything else, another coffee or pastry?”

“No, thank you. I’m good for now.”

With a nod, he heads to the counter to place the order. As he walks away, I take a deep breath and glance back at my phone. Sebastian’s message still sits there, imploring me to respond.

Sebastian: Please answer me. We need to talk.

I know I should reply, but I can’t deny the apprehension and uncertainty welling up inside. When Anthony returns with his coffee, I muster a forced smile.

“I’m glad you texted me,” he says with a hint of sincerity in his voice. “I was a bit surprised.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Really? Why’s that?”

His gaze meets mine, and there’s a curiosity in his eyes. “Well,” he begins cautiously, “you and Sebastian Sinclair seemed pretty close.”

I pause, my mind racing for a moment. Sebastian’s name hanging in the air between us sends a shiver down my spine, a reminder of the complicated emotions I’m trying to navigate. I chew on my bottom lip, searching for the right words.

“Oh,” is all I manage to say, a word heavy with unspoken complexities.

Anthony doesn’t miss a beat. “You don’t deny it?” he asks, his tone a mix of curiosity and something else I can’t quite pinpoint.

I take a deep breath, my thoughts on Sebastian, my mixed feelings, and the tangled web of emotions we share. It’s a conversation I’m not ready to dive into, and yet, I can’t deny the truth.

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