Aria's phone buzzed at exactly noon..
She was in the library, trying to focus on homework and she was failing miserably..
Still on for tonight? I'll pick you up at seven. - Damien
Her heart did a stupid little flip, almost like it was going up in alarms...
Yes. Where are we going?She typed back..
Somewhere you'll feel comfortable. Trust me. He responded back..
Trust. That word again.
Okay. Seven works.She agreed finally..
She gave him the library address instead of Victoria's house. The last thing she needed was her stepmother's commentary..
The rest of the day crawled. Aria tried to study, but her mind kept drifting to tonight. To gray eyes and a deep voice and someone who'd actually listened...
At five, Sophia called..
"Please tell me you have something to wear."
"How did you—"Aria tried to say.
"You texted me at two AM asking if you were crazy. I'm taking that as yes, you're going. And you need help."...
By six-thirty, Aria stood in Sophia's bathroom wearing a borrowed blue dress that actually fit.. Sophia had done her makeup—light, natural, and just enough to make her eyes pop..
"You look beautiful," Sophia said. "Own it."...
At seven exactly, a sleek black Mercedes pulled up outside the library..
Aria's stomach dropped. That wasn't a college student's car..
Damien got out, and her breath caught. He wore dark jeans, and gray sweater, and somehow both were. casual and expensive...
"Aria." His eyes lit up. "You look beautiful."
"Thank you." She replied. She felt her cheeks flush. "You too. I mean—"
"I know what you mean." He smiled and opened the passenger door. "Shall we?"
The car's interior was pristine. Leather seats, polished wood. This was serious money..
"You okay?" he asked as they pulled into traffic.
"Just wondering what I'm doing here."Aria said almost in a whisper..
"Having dinner with me. That's all."He responded..
"Your car probably costs more than my college tuition."She said, almost shrinking into the seat..
He was quiet for a moment. "Does that bother you?"
"It makes me wonder why you'd want dinner with someone like me."She said more thoughtfully..
"Someone like you?"he repeated, glancing at her..
"I'm broke. I'm working two jobs. And am living with a stepmother who hates me." The words tumbled out. "I'm a mess, Damien."
He pulled the car to the side of the road. Put it in park and turned to face her..
"Can I tell you something?"he said.
She nodded.
"Last night, I went to that lounge because my best friend insisted. I spent twenty minutes making small talk with people who wanted things from me. Money. Connections. Access." His gray eyes were intense. "Then I met you. And you had no idea who I was or what I could do for you. You just talked to me like I was a person. Do you know how rare that is?"...
"Who are you?" she asked quietly..
"I'm Damien Blackwood. CEO of Blackwood Enterprises."..
The name registered. She'd seen it in business journals, and on buildings downtown..
He wasn't just wealthy. He was a billionaire..
"Oh my God."She gasped..
"That's usually the reaction." He smiled sadly. "This is why I didn't tell you last night. Because the moment people know, everything changes."
"I still don't understand why you want dinner with me."Aria said..
"Because you're real. Because you looked at me last night and saw just Damien, not Damien Blackwood, or CEO. And because I can't stop thinking about you."
Her heart hammered. This was insane..
But his hand was warm in hers and his eyes were sincere..
"Okay," she whispered. "Let's have dinner."...
The restaurant was a small, family-owned one, it was tucked in a quiet neighborhood. Nothing flashy. Just warm lighting and the smell of garlic and fresh bread..
"I thought about taking you somewhere expensive," Damien said. "One of those places with six-month waiting lists. But that felt wrong.. It felt like showing off instead of actually spending time with you."...
An elderly Italian woman greeted them with a huge smile and rapid Italian. Damien responded fluently, making her laugh...
"Nonna Maria says you're too skinny," he translated. "She's going to feed us until we can't move."
They sat at a corner table. The food started arriving almost immediately. Fresh bread with olive oil. Caprese salad, and pasta that smelled like heaven..
"Tell me about your family," Damien said.
So she did. She spoke about losing her mother to cancer, How her father remarried Victoria, And the car accident that killed her dad, leaving her with a stepmother who saw her as an inconvenience...
"She controls my inheritance until I'm twenty-five. Gives me just enough to survive, but makes sure I know she could cut me off completely."..
Damien's jaw tightened. "That's financial abuse."..
"I know. But five more years. I'll get my degree. Get a job. Then I'm free."..
"What about your stepsister?"
"Melissa is Victoria's daughter. They're like a team, and I'm the opponent."..
"You shouldn't have to live like that."He said..
"I don't have a choice."She replied..
"You always have a choice." He leaned forward. "What if there was another way?"
She wanted to believe him. But she'd learned not to trust easy promises...
They talked for hours. About his parents' death when he was twenty-two. About building Blackwood Enterprises from almost nothing..
"I worked twenty-hour days for three years," he said. "Built the company back up. And somewhere along the way, I forgot what I was building it for."
"What were you building it for?"she asked..
"Them.he replied. To prove their faith wasn't misplaced.. But they're gone, and I'm left with an empire and no one to share it with."
"That's lonely."She said sadly..
"Yeah. It is."He agreed quietly..
The honesty between them felt raw and real. By the time dessert arrived, Aria felt like she'd known him for years instead of hours..
When the meal ended, Damien didn't start the car right away...
"I don't want this night to end," he said quietly.
"Neither do I."She responded agreeably..
"Come back to my place." It wasn't a demand. It was an invitation, soft and hopeful. "Just to talk. I promise. I just want more time with you."..
Every logical part of her brain said this was too fast, and too risky..
But her heart didn't care about logic..
"Okay," she whispered...