Falling. for the Wrong Guy

3.

I watch Flynn sip his coffee, his calm demeanor unnerving yet comforting. The quiet hum of the café and the soft jazz playing in the background should feel soothing, but my nerves are on edge. My hands are wrapped around the glass of wine I ordered, its warmth barely cutting through the cold ache in my chest.

Flynn leans back in his seat, his dark eyes studying me carefully. I feel the weight of his gaze and shift uncomfortably. “What?” I finally ask, my voice a mix of curiosity and defense.

“Nothing,” he says with a small shrug. “You just… don’t seem like the kind of person who’d let someone like Bryce walk all over them.”

His words hit me like a jab to the ribs, sharp and unexpected. I flinch. “I don’t—” I stop myself. Do I? Did I?

“Sorry,” Flynn says quickly, though there’s no regret in his tone. “I didn’t mean to be harsh. Just an observation.”

I let out a bitter laugh, the sound surprising even me. “No, you’re not wrong. I just didn’t think I’d ever end up here, you know? Sitting across from a stranger, trying to figure out what to do with my life after my boyfriend—ex-boyfriend—cheated on me.”

“Life’s funny that way,” Flynn says, and for the first time, there’s a hint of amusement in his voice. “Throws you curveballs when you least expect it.”

I glance at him, narrowing my eyes. “Do you always speak in clichés?”

His lips twitch, almost forming a smile. “Only when they fit.”

I can’t help the small laugh that escapes me, though it’s more out of frustration than amusement. “Well, this ‘curveball’ has completely derailed my life.” I pause, swirling the wine in my glass. “I don’t even know why I asked you to marry me. That was insane.”

“Yeah, it was,” Flynn agrees, leaning forward. “But for what it’s worth, it got me out of a meeting I wasn’t looking forward to.”

I blink at him, startled. “What?”

He grins—a small, lopsided grin that lights up his face in a way I hadn’t noticed before. “I was on my way to a meeting with a potential investor. Boring stuff. Your little proposal was the most interesting thing that’s happened to me in months.”

“You’re kidding.”

“Nope.”

I shake my head, unable to hide my disbelief. “So, you just went along with it? Just like that?”

“Why not?” He shrugs, his expression turning serious. “You looked like you needed someone to say yes. And I’ve learned that sometimes, you just… go with it.”

His words hang in the air, and I can’t tell if he’s being genuine or just saying what he thinks I want to hear. Either way, there’s something about him—something I can’t quite put my finger on—that makes me feel like I can trust him.

“Well, I guess I owe you a thank you,” I say quietly. “For going along with my ridiculous plan.”

“You don’t owe me anything,” Flynn replies, his voice soft. “But if you really want to thank me, you can stop beating yourself up about it.”

I look down at my glass, his words sinking in. It’s not that simple, of course. Nothing about this situation is simple. But hearing him say it… it helps, even if just a little.

After a long pause, Flynn breaks the silence. “So, what now?”

I glance up at him, startled. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, what’s your next move?” He leans back in his seat again, his arms crossed. “You’ve called it quits with Bryce. You’ve made it clear you’re not going to sit around and mope. So, what’s next?”

I stare at him, the weight of his question pressing down on me. What is next? I hadn’t thought that far ahead. All I’d been focused on was getting away from Bryce, from the betrayal, from the hurt. Now that I’m here, sitting across from Flynn in this quiet little café, I realize I have no idea what I’m doing.

“I don’t know,” I admit, my voice barely above a whisper.

Flynn doesn’t respond right away. Instead, he studies me, his expression unreadable. Then, after a moment, he says, “How about a change of scenery?”

I blink at him, confused. “What do you mean?”

He gestures toward the window, where the city lights are starting to flicker on as the sun sets. “This place. The city. It’s full of memories for you, isn’t it? Memories of Bryce, of everything you’ve been through.”

I nod slowly, not sure where he’s going with this.

“Then maybe it’s time to make new memories,” he says simply.

I stare at him, my heart racing. The idea is tempting, but it also terrifies me. “You’re suggesting I just… leave?”

“Why not?” Flynn asks, his tone casual. “Sometimes, the best way to move forward is to start fresh. Go somewhere new. Do something you’ve never done before.”

His words stir something inside me—something I hadn’t felt in a long time. Hope.

“Where would I even go?” I ask, my voice tinged with skepticism.

Flynn’s grin returns, and this time, it’s full of mischief. “How about the Maldives?”

I gape at him, completely taken aback. “The Maldives?”

“Sure. Why not?” He leans forward, resting his elbows on the table. “Think about it. Warm beaches, crystal-clear water, no Bryce.”

The idea is so absurd, so out of left field, that I can’t help but laugh. “You’re serious?”

“Dead serious,” Flynn replies, his grin widening. “You said you needed to get away, right? What better place than the Maldives?”

I shake my head, still laughing. “You’re unbelievable.”

“Maybe,” he says, leaning back with a shrug. “But you can’t deny it sounds tempting.”

I pause, his words sinking in. It does sound tempting. More than tempting. It sounds like exactly what I need.

“But what about you?” I ask, narrowing my eyes at him. “Why would you want to go to the Maldives with me? You don’t even know me.”

Flynn’s grin fades, and his expression turns serious. “Maybe I need a change of scenery too,” he says quietly.

There’s something in his tone—something I can’t quite place—that makes my chest tighten. He’s hiding something, I’m sure of it. But I don’t push. Not yet.

Instead, I take a deep breath and say, “Okay.”

Flynn raises an eyebrow. “Okay?”

“Okay,” I repeat, a small smile tugging at my lips. “Let’s go to the Maldives.”

Flynn’s grin returns, and this time, it’s infectious. “You won’t regret it,” he says confidently.

I hope he’s right. Because for the first time in a long time, I feel like I’m taking a step forward. A small step, but a step nonetheless. And maybe—just maybe—it’s the start of something new.

The details of the trip come together quickly, almost too quickly. Flynn seems to know exactly what he’s doing, and before I know it, we’re booked on a flight for the next morning.

As I pack my bags that night, the reality of what I’m about to do starts to sink in. Am I really going to the Maldives with a man I just met? A man I barely know?

I glance at my phone, the screen lighting up with a missed call from Bryce. My stomach churns, but I ignore it, tossing the phone onto the bed. I’ve made my decision. There’s no turning back now.

When I meet Flynn at the airport the next morning, he’s waiting for me at the check-in counter, a small duffel bag slung over his shoulder. He looks casual, almost too casual, and I can’t help but feel underdressed in my jeans and sweater.

“You ready?” he asks, his tone light but his eyes serious.

I nod, gripping the handle of my suitcase tightly. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”