“Yeah,” I said, suddenly aware of how fast my heart was beating. “It is.”
There was a pause.
I didn’t know what came over me. Maybe it was the heat, or the music.
Or maybe it was the way this suddenly felt like something I didn’t want to rush through.
“Hey,” I said before I could overthink it. “Do you want to grab some food first?”
The words hung between us, heavier than they should’ve been.
I held his gaze, waiting for his answer.
5
MARK
Ipushed open the diner door, and the bell above it gave a cheerful jingle as Zack and I stepped inside. The warm scent of coffee and fried food wrapped around us instantly.
The place had that lived-in charm I always liked. Vinyl seats, a jukebox in the corner, and servers who probably knew every customer’s usual order. It looked like somewhere people came to escape for a while, the kind of diner that didn’t rush you to leave.
I brushed a hand through my hair, trying not to think about how close Zack was walking beside me.
The place was half-full with families, truckers, and a couple on a late-night date. Zack headed for a booth near the window and slid in, shrugging out of his jacket.
The dim light from the hanging lamp caught in his curls, making them gleam.
He looked good like that, relaxed, casual, and a little too easy to stare at.
“So,” I said as I sat across from him and picked up the menu, “what’s good here?”
Zack grinned.
“Depends how brave you’re feeling. The pancakes are famous. So’s the bacon cheeseburger. But whatever you do, get the pie. Apple or blueberry. Rosie’s pies have ruined relationships and started new ones,” Zack said.
I laughed. “That a warning or a promise?” I asked.
“Both,” he said with a smirk, sipping his water.
The waitress came by. We ordered, me going with the burger and pie on Zack’s enthusiastic recommendation, and Zack sticking with breakfast-for-dinner. Pancakes and bacon.
After she left, a small silence fell between us. Not awkward exactly, just charged. Like waiting for the first note of a song. Zack cleared his throat, eyes on his napkin.
“You know, I’m glad we cleared things up earlier,” Zack said.
I tilted my head. “You really thought I was mad about that, huh?” I asked.
He winced, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah.”
He looked embarrassed, which only made him more endearing.
I shook my head, smiling. “Relax. We’re good, Zack. Promise.”
That broke the ice. Zack laughed, really laughed, shoulders easing as his guard dropped. The sound filled the booth, warm and infectious.
I found myself smiling back, tension draining out of me. Seeing him like that, unguarded and happy, made something in my chest go soft.
By the time our food arrived, it felt easy again, natural.
