The polished glass doors of Le Vin Élite glide open with a soft whoosh, and I step inside with the air of someone who has had it with today.
The smell of oak barrels and expensive vintages tickles my nose. Rows of perfectly curated wine bottles gleam under warm spotlights.
A 40-year-old woman would know exactly which bottle she needs to take the edge off—and I do. Unfortunately, I'm no longer that woman on the outside.
Click-clack.
My heels echoed against the marble floor as I made a beeline for the wine shelf that holds my favorite: a 2018 Château Margaux. Bold. Rich. The kind of wine that knows its worth—like the 40-year-old version of me I'm trying to channel, even if I look like a college student on a night out.
Bottle in hand, I stride to the counter, my chin held high. Tonight will either be a celebration of this weird second chance at life or a pity party. Either way, I need wine.
The cashier, a guy in his early twenties with effortlessly tousled hair and a name tag that reads Leo, glances up from his phone. His eyes widen, then narrow, as if trying to place me.
"Uh, ID, please."
I blinked. "What?"
Leo shifts awkwardly, clearly regretting his choice of job today. "I need to see your ID, miss."
I narrowed my eyes. "You think I look under 21?"
He shrugged. "Honestly? Yeah. You look like a TikTok influencer."
I let out an exasperated sigh. "Okay, that's either a compliment or a crime."
Leo gives a sheepish grin. "Take it how you want, but no ID, no wine. Store policy."
I dug through my purse, knowing full well what was about to happen. I don't have an ID that matches this face. The one I do have says forty years old, and the DMV isn't exactly known for helping with magical age-reversal problems.
"Listen, Leo." I leaned forward, summoning my most authoritative voice—the kind I used to use in corporate meetings. "I'm not some kid sneaking drinks. I've been buying wine longer than you've probably been alive. Even before Vine existed."
Leo raises a skeptical eyebrow. "Right… So you were buying wine before Vine existed?"
"I was buying wine before Vine and after its funeral, okay?"
He smirks. "Vine? Wow. My sister used to love that."
I groaned, slumping against the counter. This day just keeps getting better.
"Leo," I say, exasperated. "I know my cabernets. This bottle right here?" I tap the Château Margaux. "It pairs best with filet mignon—medium rare. Not exactly what a TikTok influencer would know, right?"
Leo chuckled. "Sorry, ma'am—er, miss. Rules are rules."
I glared at him, defeated. "Fine. Keep your overpriced wine." I grabbed my purse and stormed out of the store, muttering under my breath.
The cool evening air slapped me in the face as I exited the shop. My frustration bubbled over, and I nearly missed the man standing in my path—until I walked right into him.
"Whoa!" His hands grabbed my shoulders, steadying me before I could fall back.
I looked up, and my stomach dropped. "Joshua?"
It was him—same annoyingly perfect jawline, same casual leather jacket. He looked just as effortlessly handsome as he had in the café earlier, like life had thrown him a romance movie script, and he'd said, Sure, I'll play the charming male lead.
"Hey, Ariana," he said with that easy grin, the one that made me wonder if he was always this relaxed or just really good at faking it.
I winced at the name. Ariana. My so-called "niece." The story I had never meant to create but now seemed stuck with.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, straightening up and trying not to look as frazzled as I felt.
Joshua shrugged, his hands still in his jacket pockets. "Wine shopping. But it looks like you didn't have much luck." His gaze flicked to the store behind me, then back to my empty hands.
"Yeah," I muttered. "Apparently, I look too young to drink."
Joshua chuckled, his voice low and warm. "Tough break, kiddo."
I glared at him. "Don't call me 'kiddo.'"
He held up his hands in mock surrender, clearly enjoying himself. "Relax, Ariana. I'm just messing with you."
My phone buzzed in my hand, and I glanced down to see another SCAL notification pop up on the screen.
SCAL Notification: "New romantic opportunity detected. Act fast!"
I stared at the words, feeling a strange mix of excitement and dread settle in my chest. What was this app trying to do—pair me with Joshua?
Joshua leaned closer, peeking at my screen. "What's that?"
I quickly locked my phone, my heart pounding in my chest. "Nothing. Just… an annoying app."
He raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced but willing to let it slide. "You know, there's a little speakeasy down the street," he said casually. "No carding. No questions asked."
I hesitated. Something about the way he said it made me feel like I was standing on the edge of something dangerous—something exciting.
"Come on," he coaxed, flashing that lazy grin again. "Unless you've got better plans?"
My mind raced. I knew I should say no. Getting involved with Joshua—especially when he thought I was someone else—was a terrible idea. But the words that came out of my mouth surprised even me.
"Okay," I said. "Lead the way."
Joshua's grin widened, and he gestured for me to follow him. As we walked down the street together, the air between us hummed with unspoken possibilities.
"So," he said after a moment, glancing at me with a playful glint in his eye. "What were you doing sneaking around wine shops, anyway?"
I snorted. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
Joshua laughed, and for a moment, it felt easy—like maybe this whole mess wasn't as complicated as I thought.
But then, just as we rounded the corner toward the speakeasy, he said something that made my heart skip a beat.
"You know," he murmured, his voice casual but laced with something deeper, "for someone who's supposed to be Arisa's niece… you act a lot like her."
I froze mid-step, my stomach twisting into a knot.
He glanced at me, his expression curious but unreadable. "Weird, huh?"
And just like that, the moment shifted. My heart pounded in my chest, and the question lingered in the cool night air, heavy with unspoken meaning.
Did he know?
Before I could say anything, my phone buzzed again. Another SCAL notification.
SCAL: "Warning: Secrets have a way of surfacing. Be prepared."
I swallowed hard, the weight of the app's warning pressing down on me.
Joshua gave me a knowing smile, like he had already guessed half the truth. And suddenly, I knew this night was about to get a whole lot more complicated.
What did Joshua know? And how much longer could I keep up this act before everything unraveled?