He loops his arm around her and starts pushing the cart away, but not before shooting Zach one last glare..
Zach glares back harder. "See you on the ice Friday, Ty," There's a warning buried under every syllable. "Hope you can take a hit as well as you talk."
Tyler's face drains of color immediately.
As they disappear down the aisle, I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. "Well. That was... peachy."
Zach leans down and presses a soft kiss to my temple. "Proud of you," he murmurs.
A slow smile pulls at my lips. "Yeah," I say. "Me too."
*****
Later that evening, we're sitting cross-legged on the floor of Zach's living room, surrounded by an army of colorful loot bags. The TV hums in the background, the Panthers–Flyers game just started over an hour ago.
Normally, Zach would be shouting at the screen by now — chirping players he hates, praising plays he likes, giving me commentary no one asked for.
But tonight... nothing.
He's quiet. Too quiet.
I pause mid-bag-stuffing and glance at him. He's tying a ribbon around a bag, eyes fixed on nothing, jaw tight in that way he gets when his brain is spiraling.
"What're you thinking about?" I ask softly.
He doesn't react at first — like he's underwater, too deep to hear me — until my fingers slip gently through his chocolate-brown hair.
That gets him.
His shoulders drop, and the corners of his mouth tug into a tiny, soft smile. He leans just a little into my hand, like a touch-starved puppy.
"Hm?" He finally blinks up at me. "Did you say something, babe?"
I huff a laugh. "Yeah. I asked what you're thinking. You're awfully quiet tonight."
"Oh."
His brow twitches, like he's debating whether to tell me or not. He's quiet for a moment and then he speaks again, "I'm sorry."
His voice comes out low. Rough. Like gravel coated in regret.
"Sorry for what, babe?"
He shifts, turning toward me fully. He takes the hand in his hair and brings it into both of his. His eyes lift to mine, solemn and searching.
"For not protecting you enough," he says quietly. "Back then. In high school."
His words catch me off guard.
It just dawns on me that the reason why he's been so quiet tonight is because of our run-in with Cici and Tyler at the grocery store earlier. I had no idea that encounter was still weighing on him so heavily. The whole time we've been home, he's been replaying it in his mind while I've been oblivious.
"I've been sitting here thinking about everything they said today... and everything they used to say to you."
His voice dips, low and rough.
"And all I can think is—I should've done more. Back then... I should've protected you better. I replay it sometimes and it just—"His jaw tightens.
"It feels like I failed you."
