———

I wake up the following morning to two new messages. One from my agent and one from Cas.

I open Cas's message first.

Cas: Yo, new postcard from your obsessed fan. Ur Nana just sent it

I roll my eyes as I type a quick text.

Rory: She's not an obsessed fan. Just a pen pal at this point.

To my surprise, Cas is still awake and texts me back immediately.

Cas: a pen pal you never write back so... how are you pals?

Rory: You're right. We're not pals. I don't know why she sends them still. Shouldn't you be sleeping though? It's like 2:00 a.m.

Cas: Sleep is for the weak, Ror. Keep up !! why does Taylor still send them

Rory: Dude, your guess is as good as mine. I haven't written back in years. Go to sleep!

Cas: no

Then, my phone starts ringing. Cas, requesting to FaceTime.

I roll my eyes but smile amusedly as I accept the call.

"Morning, sunshine!" They start in a chirpy tone. "How's my favourite underground indie author doing?"

"Not technically underground when my last book sold over a million copies," I remind them, maybe a little cocky but Cas laughs anyway.

"Yeah, but you use a pseudonym. Like, everyone knows it's you but no one really knows it's you. It's— the whole vibe. It's underground indie. You don't get it."

"It's literally my vibe. I get my vibe. That's not it!" I shoot back with a laugh, tossing my phone on the bed so that I can change my clothes.

I slip on a pair of linen trousers and a plain white t-shirt before heading to the bathroom to fix my hair, bringing Cas with me and leaving my phone on the counter.

"Aye, you look good! Those pants are doing your ass justice," Cas exclaims and lets out a whistle that has me giggling.

"What, this ass?" I turn around, giving them a better view of my butt in these dark green trousers. "This flat thing?"

"Doesn't look flat in these pants," they reassure me, nodding enthusiastically. "Find a hot Italian person and hook up with them. Please. You deserve it."

"After what happened with Francesca? No, thank you," I chuckle, running a brush through my hair before tying it up in a pony tail.

"You can't swear off all Italians."

"I can and I will," I say, rummaging through my toiletry bag until I find the tube of sunscreen. "Should I call Francesca?"

"NO!" They practically yell at me.

"You're no fun!"

"Hey, I'm the one who's going to have to deal with your moody, depressed ass when you break up again. So, no. If you call her, I'm going to find you, and I'm going to kill you dead," they threaten me but I can't help but laugh.

"As opposed to killing me alive?" I tease them.

"You know, you're soooo unfunny! So, was that blonde lady from last night actually the bitch who ruined your life or just someone who looks a lot like her?"

"Uhmm..." I wait until I've rubbed all the sunscreen into my skin before responding. "First of all she's not a bitch and she didn't ruin my life. I'm doing great, aren't I? Second of all, uh, yeah. Yeah, it was. We... talked."

"You talked?" Cas gasps. "You? Talked to Taylor Swift? What did you talk about?"

I look away, searching for the concealer. "Just, you know. Things. The weather. Normal stuff."

Cas narrows their eyes at me. "Wow, that's why you're a better person than me. I would have fought her."

"Like, actually physically fought her?"

"Yeah, tackled her to the ground!" Cas exclaims, mimicking a few MMA moves by flailing their arms around.

I burst out laughing and shake my head.

"No, but seriously... that's kinda weird, right? Are you... okay?"

I hesitate, not sure how to answer them. I've known them since orientation week, freshman year of college. We've been best friends and roommates since. They know basically everything about me. Sometimes, I don't even have to tell them how I'm feeling. They just intuitively know. Cas likes to call us platonic soulmates for that reason and I agree with them.

Thirteen years ago, they were there to witness everything that happened. They were there to help me pick the pieces back up when I had been left hollow and broken.

Last night, so many of those feelings resurfaced and I was tossing and turning all night trying to get myself to think about literally anything else. But the whole time, my brain just kept replaying Taylor's face, staring up at me like I had just slapped her. She didn't get to look at me like that. She's the one who hurt me.

"I'm okay, Cas... Yeah. I mean, so what if we're staying at the same hotel? It's a big place. How likely am I to run into her and her stupid English boyfriend again? Who, by the way, sat in bird poop, it was so fucking funny!"

"You met her boyfriend?"

I nod, grabbing my phone to head back into the room and sit on the bed.

"Yep, and he seems like a totally obnoxious douche."

"Sounds about right," they chuckle dryly. "Right. Well, call me if you need anything. Any time of day. I'll most definitely be up and pick up."

"Babe, you really should get some sleep. Don't fuck up your sleep schedule again!"

"A little too late for that!" Cas grimaces. "It's already beyond fucked."

"Jeez. Alright, well. Anyway, I should probably get going."

"What are you doing today?"

"So, I thought about it and what if the love interest in the book takes our girl Nat on a tour of like their family's vineyard or something? Or just a couples' tour of some vineyard. Romantic? Yes... no?"

"With the potential to make things awkward! I see the vision! Are you going on a couples' tour of a vineyard?" They ask me, smirking amusedly.

"Yep, I booked it for the two of us. I'm gonna tell them you dumped me on the plane ride over here and eloped with some rich Italian woman much prettier than me."

"Yeaaahh, sorry babe. It's just, when I looked into her deep, forest green eyes, I realised they're much prettier than your brown eyes and it was like love at first sight!"

I narrow my eyes at them, holding the camera close enough that only my right eye is visible. "What are you talking about? My eyes are green."

Cas gives me a shit-eating grin. "The prettiest green eyes I've ever seen, baby girl."

"Aww, Caaaaas!" I play along, batting my eyelashes at them. "You're making me blush."

"SUCCESS! Even Jodie Comer couldn't make you blush!"

I burst out laughing, getting up and grabbing my bag so I can get on with my day. The bus that will be taking the tourist group to the vineyard leaves in about an hour from a meeting point in town. I don't want to be late.

"Jodie Comer could definitely make me blush. Jodie Comer could make anyone blush," I say, smiling amusedly. "Did I tell you about the time I ran into Smith, remember the guy who lived across from us back in college? He said he always thought you and I were dating because of how openly we always flirted."

"If you don't flirt with your best friend and platonic soulmate, then what's the point of your friendship?" Cas responds only to be interrupted by a yawn. "Okay, I should probably get some sleep now. Have fun, my beloved. Take pictures. Get me a bottle of Rosé because you love me so much!"

"Wow, so demanding! I think maybe our breakup was for the best," I say, shaking my head playfully.

"See, that is exactly why people in college thought we were a couple," they laugh. "It's shit like that. Okay, now go. Have fun! Bye! Send me pictures!"

"Goodnight, Cassy! Love you!" I say, sending them a flying kiss before ending the call.

I grab a coffee to go on my way to the meeting point. I show my ticket to the tour guide and climb onto the bus, choosing an empty seat near the window in the front. For the next half an hour, I watch as one couple after the other sits down on the bus, a lot of them obviously on their honeymoon or celebrating some kind of anniversary. There are also other sommeliers who join the tour.

One guy in a linen suit smiles politely and sits down next to me. He's handsome, with a light stubble on his sharp jawline and his brown hair slicked back, but he's definitely not my type.

He turns to me and smiles wider, saying something in Italian that I don't quite catch. Sola means alone, right?

"Sorry, my Italian's not great," I respond, smiling sheepishly.

"Ah, I was only asking if you are here on your own," he translates, his accent heavy. It's a little different from all the Italian accents I've been hearing though.

"Oh, yes. I am. I'm..." I contemplate messing with him and telling him the story Cas and I came up with earlier but he seems nice enough. "It's research."

"Research? Are you some kind of wine expert?"

I can't help but snort, shaking my head. "No, no. By no means. I usually buy the cheapest glass of red I spot on a menu."

He grimaces, that revelation clearly hurting him. "Oh no, that won't do. Maybe this tour is perfect for you, then. What are you researching?"

"I'm writing a novel," I admit. "I'm trying to find inspiration."

He looks impressed. "Have I read any of your books?"

"Probably not."

"Maybe I have! What's your name?"

I see no harm in telling him. "Aurora Taylor."

"Aurora. Okay, maybe you're right," he laughs softly. "I'm Pierre Loris. Do you want a partner on this tour?"

I raise my eyebrows at him, ready to turn him down when a head of blonde hair starts walking up the steps.

Oh, fucking hell. Of all the vineyard tours in this city, it just had to be this one.

Taylor looks up and her eyes immediately find mine. She stops walking, surprised to see me here.

I turn to Pierre and smile wider. "Yes, actually, I'd love that."

I look back once Taylor has moved further back and spot Joe standing behind her, looking at his phone. They sit a few seats behind Pierre and me and for the whole ride, I can feel a pair of eyes burning holes into the back of my skull.

Pierre is nice. He tells me he's from Marseilles but his family has a summer house in Lombardy. It's a town about three hours away from here. He likes to travel around and visit vineyards around the country. He only does this as a hobby. I keep mental notes of everything he tells me. I can definitely use it in my book.

When the bus finally comes to a stop, Pierre waits for me near the entrance like a perfect gentleman. I appreciate it. Taylor walks past me without a single word, but I notice the way her eyes follow Pierre, trying to discern who he is. Or rather, who he is to me.

I turn to the tall man, placing my hand on his shoulder. "Can I be honest here?"

He nods, smiling as he listens attentively. "Please!"

"Okay, it's actually a crazy suggestion— shit. No, never mind. I'm sorry. Forget it."

"No, no, say it! What is it?"

"No, I was just gonna say..." Can I hold your hand and pretend we're here together? "I'm—gay. Well, bi, really—"

"Oh... non, non, non. I'm so sorry! I was not flirting. I'm only being friendly. I'm happily married," he says, holding his left hand up. "To a man. I'm terribly sorry if I made you think I was coming onto you or something."

My eyes widen and I'm slightly horrified by myself. What the hell did I even want to do? I write romcoms for a living. I know these things never work! I can't help but blush.

"No, oh my god. I can't believe— I didn't think that. You're fine. You're— you're nice. It's just..." I cut myself off and sigh heavily as I look away. I spot Taylor across the field with her arm wrapped around her boyfriend's waist. This time, I'm the one staring at the back of her head.

"Ah..." Pierre sighs, following my gaze. "An ex?"

"Not exactly," I mumble. "We never dated."

"Hmm. Broke your heart anyway?"

"Something like that," I tell him, clearing my throat. I rummage through my tote bag, grabbing my camera. I should at least start taking pictures. The view is breathtaking. We're standing at the very top of a little cliff overseeing the mediterranean. Behind us is a seemingly never ending field of green trees and tall flowers. Ahead of us is an old castle built hundreds of years ago that is now the home of one of the most popular vineyards in the area.

"Well..." Pierre smiles mischievously at me. "There's no harm in playing pretend, right? In fact, I think it'll be lots of fun."

He holds out his arm suggestively and after a moment's thought, I can't believe I'm actually linking my arm through his. "This is possibly the worst thing I've ever done."

"I've done worse," he tells me, smiling lightly. "I met my husband at a restaurant because I saw my ex and I didn't want him to think I was pathetic and on my own so I did the next most-pathetic thing and sat down at this guy's table and started flirting with him. He still mocks me for it to this day, ten years into our relationship."

I can't help but smile. "That's a sweet story, Pierre. But this... this is stupid."

"Nah, we're just two friends having fun, right?"

I can't help but smile and nod along. "Right. Two friends having fun."

"Come on," he laughs and starts leading us inside, following the rest of the group.

———