"Caroline, what happened?"
"I, um... used the old ladder."
His eyes widen in horror. "The what ladder?"
"The rickety one we used to climb between our balconies when we were kids," I mumble. "It wobbled. I slipped. I kinda... slid down a rung and scraped my hand."
"Babe," he breathes, already doing a full-body scan like I've returned from war. "Are you hurt anywhere else? Did you hit your head? Twist anything? Does anything hurt?"
"Zach." I grab his wrist. "I'm fine. It's just a scrape."
He doesnotcalm down.
Not until he stands, disappears into his bathroom, and comes back with a first aid kit like he's about to perform surgery.
He sits in front of me, gently cleaning the scrape, blowing on it when I hiss at the sting.
When he presses a band-aid over it, he lifts my hand and kisses it.
"There," he murmurs. "All better."
My heart tries to crawl out of my chest. Before I can say anything, his eyes shift toward the balcony door... and land on the plastic bag I abandoned.
"What's in that?" he asks.
"Oh God." I scramble to grab it. "I forgot about it—"
I open the bag and stare at the disaster: melted cherry Italian ice, melted pistachio Italian ice, the chips, and two sweating cans of Dr. Pepper.
Both pints might as well be soup.
I cover my face with both palms. "This is humiliating."
I hear him chuckle, warm and fond. He gently pulls my hands away, fingers sliding along my jaw.
"Hey," he whispers. "It's okay. Really."
He takes the bag from me and peeks inside.
I notice it instantly—the way Zach's eyebrows lift, the subtle surprise that flashes across his face.
"What's wrong?" I ask, confused.
"You bought two pints?"
"Uh... yeah? One for you and one for me."
He looks at me, then at the bag, then back at me again—something soft and unbelievably proud settling across his face.
"You bought two..." he repeats.
"Yeah? So?"
Suddenly I'm off the ground.
He wraps his arms around me, lifts me, spins me just a little—laughing this ridiculous, breathless laugh straight into my shoulder.
"Oh, baby," he says against my neck, squeezing me tighter. "I'm so happy right now you have no idea."
