Alex grabs his bag from the sales associate and smiles at her before he grabs my hand, and we head for the door.

“Well, I can’t believe it, but I actually had fun with you today,” I tell Alex as I try to focus on him and this conversation, not all the shouting outside.

“Is being around me really that bad?”

“When you’re pretending, yes. But today, you showed me a different side, and I’m thankful for that. Thank you for trusting me with your book choices. I can’t wait to hear what you think about them.”

“I’m sure I’ll update you whenever I have time to start them.”

“Good.”

He leans in and presses a kiss to my cheek before he motions for our security teams to escort us out of the building.

Shouting ensues for a few seconds before Alex and I go our separate ways, and when Vince closes the door to the car, I find myself taking a breath before he gets in.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m alright,” I say, and I mean it. I genuinely had fun with Alex today, and I could see us being friends when all is said and done if he keeps being himself.

“You looked like you had a good time. He didn't do anything untoward, did he? I lost you guys between the shelves a few times.”

“He was fine, Vince. I would've asked to leave earlier if he had done anything, but I think I got a glimpse of the real Alex today.”

“Is he less shittier than the regular one?”

I stifle a laugh at his obvious hatred for him, but since he breaks all the rules Vince and Connie put into place, I don't blame him for it. “Yes, he is.”

“Huh,” is all I get out of Vince, and before I think we’re going to spend the rest of the ride in silence, he speaks again. “Can I ask why you agreed to all this in the first place? It does seem like the media is distracted enough from the Ralph situation, but if it’s extra stress on you, then why bother?”

Before I can stop it, the words flow out of my mouth. “I guess I don't really believe in love anymore—for myself.”

“The romance reader doesn't believe in love? I’m surprised, Bree.”

“I’m allowed to read it and not believe in it for myself. That doesn't mean it doesn't exist for anyone else. It’s just myself I don't think it’s possible for.”

“Why not, angel? Why is it only you who doesn't deserve to feel loved?”

I can’t bear to look at him when I say this, so I stare out the window and watch the sun disappear behind a cloud. “I could never give anyone the peace that comes with finding someone you love. You know that feeling? Where you love someone so much that your soul feels calm and serene?”

“I can’t say that I do.”

“Well, that’s what I imagine it’s like. It’s how I feel when I look at Liv and Tristan. I can tell they bring each other that calm, and I don't think I’ll ever be able to do that for someone. It’s a choice to fall in love, andI wouldn't willingly put someone through all of this, the fame, the cameras, the life behind a lens. It’s not easy.”

I hear him sigh heavily as he turns the music down to a soft hum. “Love is a two-way street, Bree. If someone truly loves you, they would go through all of that because you’re worth it. Someday, someone will do anything to prove to you that you’re worthy of all the love you give others.”

“But who’s to say they would stay when things get tough? Who would stay if, month after month, the media starts to get too much? Or they can’t handle all the people who point at me and take pictures with me?” I’m getting worked up for some reason.What’s wrong with me?

“The right person will stay because they loveyou, not what you are to the world.”

I lock eyes with him, his hazel ones meeting mine in the rearview mirror. “I want to believe you’re right, Vince, but I’ll believe it when I see it.”

“One day, you’ll see, angel.”

The use of my nickname has me thinking he’s talking about himself, but that would be crazy, right? I’m looking for things that aren't there, and I try to shake my mind off the topic, but it won't let go.

He’s not talking about himself, Bree. He’s literally your bodyguard. He would never think of himself that way.

“You deserve to feel that way too, Vince. You deserve to feel that peace when you find someone you love.” I pause, feeling like I crossed a line, so I try to ease the tension I’m feeling. “Not with me, obviously, but with someone.”