Chapter 2 — Testing the Waters at La Estrella

Carlos

The view from La Estrella was unreal. The city stretched out below, glittering in the soft haze of twilight, the kind of backdrop you’d expect in one of those over-the-top romantic comedies Lena pretended not to like. String lights crisscrossed overhead, their golden glow casting a dreamy hue over the crowd. The faint hum of live music floated through the air, mingling with the low murmur of conversation and the occasional clink of glasses. A breeze carried the scent of citrus and fresh herbs from the bar, adding to the atmosphere. It was the perfect setting for a date. A real one, anyway.

And then, there was Lena.

She stood near the edge of the rooftop, her chestnut-brown hair swept into some elegant twist that probably had a name I couldn’t pronounce. A few strands had slipped free, framing her face as she leaned on the railing, her profile lit by the soft glow of string lights. She was wearing this flowy green dress that stopped just above her knees, paired with heels I knew she secretly hated but wore anyway because they made her legs look longer. She was stunning.

Not that I could tell her that, of course.

Instead, I shook off the weird flutter in my chest and plastered on my best teasing grin. “You clean up alright, Alvarez,” I said as I approached.

She turned, rolling her eyes, but her lips curved into that smile I knew too well—the one she used when she was pretending to be annoyed but wasn’t really. “You’re late.”

“Fashionably,” I countered, holding out my arms and doing a slow spin. “But look, I dressed up. No sneakers tonight.”

Her gaze flicked down to my dark jeans and the crisp button-up I’d pulled from the back of my closet, and one eyebrow arched. “Wow, you really went all out. Should I be honored or worried?”

“First fake date,” I said with mock seriousness. “Gotta make a good impression, right?”

Her laugh was soft but genuine, and some of the tension in my chest eased. “Alright, Rivera. Let’s get this over with.”

The hostess guided us to a table near the center of the rooftop, right in the mix of the crowd. Lena was already scanning the menu when I sat down, her brow furrowing in mock concentration. The faint sounds of the live music shifted to something jazzy, the rhythm a perfect backdrop to her exaggerated deliberation.

“Do we order like it’s a real date?” she asked, not looking up. “Or do we stick to the cheap stuff so we can afford to eat again this week?”

I smirked. “Let’s splurge. It’s not every day I get to take out my fake girlfriend.”

She rolled her eyes again, but I caught the faintest twitch of a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

The waiter arrived, a guy with a slicked-back ponytail and the kind of charisma that probably earned him crazy tips. He handed us our menus and surveyed us with a knowing grin. “Good evening, you two. Celebrating something special tonight?”

Before I could reply, Lena shot me a look—a silent dare. Not one to back down, I leaned back in my chair with a practiced air. “Actually, yeah,” I said smoothly. “It’s our anniversary.”

Lena’s eyes widened slightly, but she recovered quickly, planting her chin in her hands and sighing dreamily. “One whole year,” she added, batting her eyelashes like she was auditioning for a rom-com.

“Congratulations!” the waiter gushed, not missing a beat. “That’s a huge milestone. Let me bring you something special to celebrate—on the house.”

He disappeared before we could correct him, leaving Lena staring daggers at me, though her lips were twitching with suppressed laughter. “Anniversary? Really?”

“What? I thought we were testing compatibility. That includes improvisation, doesn’t it?”

She shook her head, muttering something I didn’t catch, but the amused glint in her eyes gave her away. “You’re impossible.”

“And you’re welcome for the free appetizer,” I said, leaning forward on the table with a grin.

Moments later, the waiter returned with a small platter of miniature tacos, each one garnished with delicate sprigs of something green and fancy-looking. “Cheers to many more years,” he said with a wink before walking off.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Lena burst into laughter, covering her mouth with one hand. “This is absurd.”

“Absurdly effective,” I pointed out, gesturing at the tacos. “You can’t argue with results.”

She popped one into her mouth, chewing thoughtfully before nodding. “Fine. You get a point for creativity.”

We settled into an easy rhythm after that, trading quips and banter like we always did. It felt natural in a way that almost made me forget why we were here—that this was supposed to be a test, an experiment to prove we’d never work as anything more than what we already were.

But then, halfway through the main course, something shifted.

Lena was mid-story, recounting some disaster involving her studio and a spilled can of paint, when her laughter tapered off. She glanced past me, her expression softening as her gaze fixed on something—or someone—behind me. I turned to follow her line of sight and realized she was staring at the skyline. The city lights stretched out beyond the rooftop, a glittering sea of possibilities.

“Pretty incredible, isn’t it?” I said, my voice quieter than I’d planned.

She nodded, her fingers tracing the edge of her wine glass. “It’s… kind of overwhelming, actually,” she admitted, her tone softer than usual.

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the table. “How so?”

She hesitated, her gaze dropping to the tablecloth. “I guess… it’s just a reminder of how big the world is. How much there is out there. It makes the little stuff feel, I don’t know, small.”

The words hung between us, heavier than I’d expected. Lena rarely let her guard down like this, especially with me. But sitting there, under the soft glow of the string lights, she seemed almost… vulnerable.

“You’re not small, Lena,” I said quietly, the sincerity in my voice surprising even me. “Not even a little.”

She looked up at me then, her warm brown eyes meeting mine. For a second, I thought she might say something serious, something real. But then, almost as if catching herself, she straightened up and forced a smile.

“Thanks, Carlos,” she said, her playful tone slipping back into place. “You always know how to ruin a perfectly dramatic moment.”

I chuckled, though the tightness in my chest didn’t ease. “It’s a gift.”

The waiter returned with the check, and we quickly fell back into our usual rhythm, bickering over who would pay. I knew I should let it go—it wasn’t like we’d officially decided on a winner—but I couldn’t resist one last jab.

“Fine,” Lena said, throwing her hands up in defeat. “You win this round, big spender. But I’m picking the next place.”

“Looking forward to it,” I said, slipping some cash into the check presenter and standing.

As we made our way back to the elevator, the air between us felt lighter, easier. But as the elevator doors slid shut and we descended back to street level, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something had cracked open tonight. The banter was the same, the laughs were the same… but there was something else, something I didn’t fully understand yet.

When we stepped onto the bustling sidewalk, Lena turned to me, her smile bright but her eyes unreadable. “Alright, Rivera. One fake date down, plenty more to go. Think you can keep up?”

I grinned, shoving my hands into my pockets. “Oh, I’m just getting started, Alvarez. You better bring your A-game.”

She laughed, the sound carrying through the night air like a song. And for a moment, I let myself get lost in it, in her.

Too bad this was just a test.

Right?