Page 39 of Wicked Vow

“You haven’t even met him!”

“I have,” Sasha interjects. “He seems nice enough. I don’t know if he’s the one for you, Natalia. But honestly, he doesn’t have to be. It might be enough just to get out there.”

“Is that what you did?” I pull a dress out of my closet, look at it, and shove it back in frustratedly.

“Actually, yes.” Sasha scoots backward on the bed, leaning back next to Ruby. “I went on a couple of dates with a guy I met on a dating app. He wasn’t anyone I wanted to be with, obviously, but itwasuseful.”

“How so?”

She shrugs. “It showed me what I actually wanted. It just confirmed that Max was the only man who I really cared for–that I was in love withhim, and not just some idea of him. I didn’t want anyone else. But I needed to know that for sure.”

“I don’t think that’s the lesson we want her taking away from this,” Ruby cuts in, glancing at Sasha. “Goingbackto Mikhail isn’t the goal here.”

“Could we not talk about me like I’m not here?” I narrow my eyes at them both. “I’mliterallystanding right here.”

“The point still stands,” Ruby says, shrugging. “It’s all well and good that Sasha’s dates made her so sure that she wanted to be with Max, but you can’t deny that this guy making you want to go back to Mikhail would be a bad thing. Right?”

I catch the way Sasha looks at me, and I let out a sigh.

“Natalia!” Ruby stares at me. “Please don’t tell me you’re thinking about going back to him.”

“It’s complicated, Ruby.”

“It’snot.” She shakes her head at me. “Natalia, after what he did, and I don’t even think you told me all of it–”

“Ruby,please. Just help me figure out what I’m wearing on this date. I don’t want to talk about Mikhail right now.”

Ruby lets out a sigh, clearly frustrated, but she nods. “Okay. What are the options?”

I hold up a few dresses in front of me, half-modeling them until Sasha finally points at one, a pale pink fitted dress that comes to a couple inches above my knees, with cap sleeves and a squared neckline. “That would look fantastic on you. You can borrow my rose gold jewelry if you want; it would goperfectlywith it.”

I glance at Ruby. “What do you think?”

“They all look good on you. But that one really suits you; I saw it when you tried it on.” She shrugs. “Go with that.”

I can tell she’s upset with me, but I don’t know what to say. I don’t want to lie to her and say that I don’t feel anything for Mikhail any longer. But I don’t know of any way to explain it to her that will make sense.

When I come out of the bathroom after changing, Sasha grins at me, nodding enthusiastically. “That one isperfect.” She glances at Ruby. “It is, isn’t it?”

Ruby nods, relaxing slightly as she looks at me. “It really is. Do you want help with your makeup?”

I don’t really need it, but I can see it for the gesture it is, so I nod. “Sure.”

Erik is picking me up, so once I’m done getting ready, there’s nothing to do but wait. Ruby and Sasha are staying to spend time with Caterina, and we sit in the living room until we hear tires on the gravel outside, the nerves in my stomach steadily knotting tighter and tighter.

“Where is he taking you?” Ruby asks, raising an eyebrow, and I force a smile.

“I don’t know. But I’m sure it’ll be fun.”

I’m actually not sure at all. I get up to meet him, clutch in one hand, and step outside to see a silver Aston Martin, a la James Bond, parked in the driveway. Erik steps out, coming around to open the door for me, dressed as impeccably as he had been at the gala the other night.

“You look stunning,” he says, bending to kiss me on the cheek as I slide into the car. “I’m thrilled you said yes.”

“Did you think there was a chance I wouldn’t?” I glance over at him as he gets in, putting the car in gear as he pulls away from the house.

“There’s always a chance.” He grins at me. “Especially when I’m asking for a date with a woman so beautiful. There’s plenty of men who would be in line to go out with you.”

“Well, I haven’t seen one forming yet, so I think you got me just in time.”

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