Chapter 29

Lara had learned quite a few things in the weeks since she and Zavien had decided to be friends.

One was that Zavien had excellent taste in coffee. He knew damn near every coffee shop and teahouse in town, thanks to his writing workshops being hosted all around the city.

Another was that being friends with him apparently meant an increase in physical contact—not that she was complaining. At first, though, it had only confused her, blurring the lines of this new path they had started down.

Not one day had passed without Lara questioning whether she had been right to suggest friendship. And yet, not a single day had ended with her wishing for anything more—even on their overly touchy days.

At first, they had shared small, innocent, unassuming grazes—the kind that could be written off as accidental. Then, their touches had begun to serve a purpose: grabbing attention, guiding each other through doors or hallways, or slapping mosquitoes.

But now, they touched for no reason at all—and constantly.

Lara had considered practicing restraint, but since she liked it, Zavien didn’t seem bothered by it, and it really did feel so natural for them, she had decided to let it be.

She had then discovered how easy it was to be his friend. He listened earnestly, laughed at her jokes, and teased her about her cooking yet ate it anyway. He made her feel like he was with her in a way that went beyond just standing beside her; they were partners in crime.

A further thing she had learned was what had brought her to be sitting in Zavien’s passenger seat. “Why did I have to come?” she asked. “You know I don’t like to hike.”

But Zavien loved it. “For quality assurance,” he said, pulling into a dirt parking lot at the base of a trail. “You said I am a bad dog dad and that I need to broaden Pablo’s horizons.” He motioned with his hand toward the tree line in front of them. “Doesn’t get broader than this.”

Tilting down her head so she could look at him through the tops of her eyes, she fixed him with an unimpressed look as he grabbed Pablo off her lap and put on his harness.

Zavien chuckled and then tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. “If my asthmatic pug can make this trek, so can you.” With that, he exited the car. “Come on,” he said after opening her door and offering a hand to her.

Out of habit, she slid her palm into his. “Ugh, fine.”

They walked side by side through the woods, and Lara smiled to herself as she thought about Travis. ~He would love it here.~ She made a mental note to text him later to see how he was doing.

“See?” Zavien said, drawing her attention. “Not so bad.”

It wasn’t bad at all, actually. Over the next couple of thousand steps, she and Zavien talked—about everything and nothing. They laughed, stumbled, and sweated their way to the summit of the trail.

“Tired?” Zavien asked, looking fresh as a daisy, as they approached a small observation area. He gave her a once-over and pinched his lips together to stifle a laugh.

“Shut up!” she said between pants. “It’s just hot out here.” She swiped her armband across her forehead, her whole body dripping with sweat.

“Here.” Grabbing her shoulder, he spun her around and pressed his metal water bottle to the back of her neck, startling her. After she released a long and shamefully loud moan, he chuckled. “Feel better?”

Lara hummed in confirmation, her eyes closed as she savored the coldness.

“Come on,” Zavien said after a few moments, “the view’s great from here.”

In an instant, the bottle was removed, and his hands released her. Lara must have relaxed too much because his sudden lack of contact left her dazed and unsteady on her feet as she snapped open her eyes.

To make matters worse, Pablo had gotten his leash wrapped around both their legs, and before she knew what was happening, Lara was crashing to the ground, taking Zavien with her. They let out a chorus of grunts and gasps as they hit the dirt with their limbs tangled.

Unable to control her laughter—even though it was difficult to breathe with him on top of her—she squinted up at him as two fat tears rolled down the sides of her face. His mask had come off in the commotion and now hung haphazardly off one ear.

Before she could stop herself, she cut off his laughter with a soft kiss to his lips.

That was it—only one—and nothing like the heated ones they had shared in the past.

Zavien smiled down at her before fixing his face. “I don’t think friends kiss in the dirt.”

“No, they definitely do.” She grinned and then kissed him on the cheek to prove her point.

“Clearly,” he started, untangling his feet and standing, “I need better friends.” He helped her up, and they brushed themselves off. “Hungry?”

“Always.”

***

“Wow.” Lara gaped at the view of their little green city and the sea beyond from the back deck of the tiny, unassuming diner Zavien had guided her to.

“See? Told you. Best view in town.” Zavien sat at a two-seat table in the corner and placed Pablo on the floor beside his feet.

“Doesn’t Pablo get a seat?”

“Pablo’s tastes are a little more refined than ours.”

Lara scoffed. “Are you saying your dog is more sophisticated than me?”

“I’m saying I’ve seen you eat week-old French fries at eight in the morning with a triple-shot latte,” he deadpanned.

“Touché.”

Zavien didn’t need to look through the menu, and once Lara had decided what she wanted, he called over the waiter by name and ordered with practiced ease. When the waiter left, Zavien lowered his mask.

“Is this one of your workshop finds?” she asked.

With the sun high in the sky, there was more than enough light to see the emotions dance across his face. He looked down at his hands before saying softly, “My father used to bring me here.”

Lara’s heart thumped at the comment.

Zavien had never spoken about his family, and judging by the vulnerability now painted on his features—his mouth forming a sad smile, his eyes avoiding her gaze, and his teeth nibbling on his lower lip—she finally understood why.

She had seen enough grief and loss in her line of work to spot it from a mile away.

Unwilling to push him into a conversation he didn’t want, she remained silent, all while her stomach knotted with sympathy.

“This was his favorite place. He and my mother had their first date here.” There was no quiver in his voice as he spoke, which told Lara that he was able to discuss such a sensitive subject openly and that she wouldn’t be overstepping by asking questions.

So she did, and he didn’t skirt around any of them.

As he bared himself to her, pausing only when the waiter delivered their lunch, a tingle filled her entire being. The fact that she was someone Zavien had chosen to open up to filled her with a sense of honor and great responsibility that she had never felt before.

Zavien limited the stories about his parents to happy ones: fond memories, fun times, and displays of love. As badly as she wanted to know about their deaths—the impatient son of a bitch she was—Zavien wasn’t divulging that just yet. But she could wait.

For these glimpses of him that he rarely revealed, she could absolutely wait.

When the bill came, she snatched it up before he could. He rolled his eyes but didn’t argue. After she paid, he leaned across the table and took her hand between both of his.

“Thank you, Lara.”

“No problem. You can get the next one.” She grinned, but when he kept his face serious, her smile faltered.

“No,” he said. “I mean, thank you.” He squeezed her hand.

She swallowed hard and gave him a single nod of her head. “You’re welcome, Zavien.”

A look of mutual appreciation passed between them before they stood and left the diner. Zavien stepped out first as Pablo pulled him forward, but then he stopped to look back at Lara.

“So, what do you say? Do we keep walking or go home?” Zavien extended his hand for her to take, and she couldn’t shake the sneaking suspicion that his choice was about more than just the hike.

Or maybe it was only wishful thinking.

Deciding she didn’t care what they did as long as they did it together, she simply smiled and took his hand.

End of Book 1