He doesn't linger, but as he passes, I notice him tilt his head slightly toward the kitchen—like he's expecting someone to walkout from there. When no one does, his shoulders drop almost imperceptibly before he continues on toward the others.
It's subtle, almost easy to miss. But I see it.
And for a fleeting moment, I can't shake the thought that maybe he thought Sam would be here, too. Or maybe I'm just imagining things.
I turn back to Zach when I hear him groan, incredulous.
"Hey! Hands off, you vultures! My girlfriend made that for me!"
I follow his gaze just in time to see half the team already crowded around the dining table—shoveling food into their mouths like they've been starved for weeks.
Someone's got a whole loaf of garlic bread on his plate, another's fighting for the serving spoon.
"Sorry, dude, possession's nine-tenths of the law," Luke says around a mouthful of ziti.
"Bro, this is insane. Marry her or I will," Cody calls out.
Zach glares but he's grinning too, his arm sliding possessively around my waist. "Touch another pan and you're skating suicides tomorrow."
"Worth it!" Martin yells, earning a round of laughter.
I can't stop smiling. The whole scene—Zach's teammates devouring dinner, him half-laughing, half-scolding them—feels chaotic but weirdly perfect.
"Guess I did good, huh?" I tease.
He squeezes my hand, looking down at me with that lopsided grin that still makes my stomach flip.
"You did more than good. You're amazing."
Before I can say anything, Liam waves a fork in our direction. "Hey, lovebirds! You two joining or are we finishing the rest without you?"
Zach rolls his eyes but tugs me toward the table. "C'mon, chef," he says, pulling out a chair for me.
We sit side by side, our knees brushing under the table as the boys continue to eat, laugh, and loudly argue over who gets seconds. Every few minutes someone praises the food, and Zach keeps shooting me these little proud smiles.
I glance at him, watching how relaxed he looks for the first time in days, his laughter easy and his eyes bright again.
Mission accomplished.
By the time the dishes are washed and the counters wiped down, the Pond has finally quieted. Most of the guys had already disappeared into their rooms. It's just me, Zach, Kentaro, the twins, and Cody left downstairs—everyone sprawled in different states of digestion.
Cody's on his phone, thumbs flying. Kentaro's still at the dining table, fork in hand, somehow on his third plate.
Across from us, the Archer twins lean back on the couch, identical groans escaping them as they clutch their stomachs.
"Holy hell," Liam groans. "I don't think I've ever eaten that much in my life."
Luke nods, eyes half closed. "That was unreal, Care. I swear, if I die tonight, just know I died happy."
I laugh, cheeks heating. "You're welcome, I guess. Glad you liked it."
Zach leans back on the couch, arm resting behind me. "Liked it? They inhaled it. But just for the record, she didn't make dinner for you guys—she made it for me. You just got lucky."
Liam snorts. "Wow, listen to this guy. Doesn't even want to share."
Luke shakes his head. "Man's got the perfect girlfriend and refuses to share the perks. Unreal."
Zach lifts a brow. "Maybe you should try getting one, then."
