𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐞 | Nicholas Alexander Chavez

six

present day, Verena's house.

My alarm went off at 6 a.m., pulling me out of a deep sleep. I groaned and reached over to turn it off, then lay back down for a second. Another busy day at Entertainment Tonight. Most of the time, I didn't mind the fast pace, but this morning, my mind was stuck on last night. On Nick.

I sat up slowly, still thinking about the barbecue. I couldn't believe he finally asked me out. After five years. I smiled a little, remembering how nervous he seemed, but there wasn't much time to think about it. I had a lot to get done today.

By 7:30, I was out the door, wearing my favorite navy dress. I liked how it made me feel confident, like I had everything under control. My bag was full of scripts, notes, and my laptop. Same as always. As I drove to work, I couldn't stop thinking about Nick. I was usually focused on planning my day, but today, he kept popping into my head.

I didn't know how to feel about it. We hadn't seen each other in so long, and now he was back, just like that. I wasn't the same person I was back then—I had a career, a life that kept me busy all the time. Could I even fit someone like Nick into it? I wasn't sure. But I said yes, didn't I?

When I got to the office, everything was as crazy as usual. Lillian, my assistant, handed me a coffee and started talking about the day's schedule.

"You've got a call with Warner Bros. at 9, the Chris Pine interview at 11, and we need to go over the Halloween special by 3."

"Thanks, Lila," I said, taking a sip of the coffee. "Any word on Jennifer Lawrence for the special?"

"Still waiting, but everyone else is confirmed."

"Great." I smiled and headed to my desk. I usually loved the fast pace of work, but today was different. I kept thinking about how Nick might fit into all of this. Could he? And more importantly, did I want him to?

By 11, I was interviewing Chris Pine for his new movie. I was focused on my questions and smiled at all the right moments for the camera. But in the back of my mind, I was still thinking about last night, about Nick asking me to dinner.

When the interview ended, I checked my phone and saw a text from him. I stared at it for a second, smiling to myself. I typed back quickly.

nick

I had a great time last night, let me
know when you're free for that
dinner :)

i also had a great time, it was nice
catching up with you. I'm free this
Friday if that works with you??

I'll see you Friday

I let out a breath and smiled. I hadn't realized how much I was looking forward to seeing him again.

The rest of the day went by fast, with meetings and scripts to approve. By 4, I was on set for the "Top 10 Celeb Moments" segment. My co-host, Hunter, looked at me between takes.

"You seem distracted today," he said, raising an eyebrow.

"I guess I am," I said, adjusting my mic. "Nick asked me out last night."

Mark grinned. "So, are you going?"

"Yeah, I think I will." Saying it out loud made it feel more real. It had been a long time since I let anyone get close like this.

As the cameras started rolling again, I pushed the thoughts aside and focused on the show. But deep down, I was already thinking about Friday and what might happen next. Maybe this time, I was ready for something new. Something more.

The next morning, I woke up feeling lighter. The text exchange with Nick played over in my head as I got ready for work. I had agreed to the dinner, and now it was all I could think about. As much as I tried to focus on work, there was this constant buzz of excitement underneath it all.

I needed to talk to someone, and Hazel immediately came to mind. She always knew what to say. During lunch, I called her up and asked if she could meet me at our favorite coffee shop after work.

When I got there, Hazel was already sitting at a table, sipping her iced latte. She waved me over, a big smile on her face. "So," she said as soon as I sat down, "spill. I heard about the barbecue. And about Nick."

I laughed, shaking my head. Of course, Aziel told her everything. "Yeah, well, it was a bit of a surprise, to be honest. He asked me out."

Her eyes widened, and she leaned forward. "Oh my god! What are you gonna do?"

"Well, I already told him I'd go to dinner with him on Friday. I mean, it's been five years since we last saw each other, and I didn't think much would come of it, but then... I don't know. It felt different last night."

"Of course it did! You guys have history, and now he's making a move. This is huge, Ver. How do you feel about it?"

I sighed, running my hand through my hair. "I don't know. Part of me is excited. I mean, I've been so focused on work that I haven't really let anyone in. But another part of me is nervous. What if it doesn't go anywhere? What if it's awkward?"

Hazel smiled, leaning back in her chair. "Look, if he's waited this long to ask you out, it's because he sees something special in you. You're not that same girl from five years ago, and neither is he. You've both grown. Just go and have fun. See where it goes. No pressure."

She made it sound so easy, and maybe she was right. I was overthinking everything, like usual. "Okay," I said, nodding. "I'll just go with the flow."

"Exactly!" Hazel said with a grin. "And don't forget, you look hot no matter what, so that's half the battle."

We both laughed, and for the first time in days, I felt less stressed about the whole thing.

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