“Oh, fuck me,” I mutter.
Theo turns around.
Laney tries and mostly justoomphs around her cast.
Emma makes a strangled noise and leans closer to me. “Is that him? Is that your new boss?”
“Who gave him the password?” I hiss.
“I heard he dropped a five-hundred-dollar tip for Blossom at the pub the other night,” Laney whispers, making my shoulders bunch higher.Why didn’t I hear this before? “I think she caved.”
“It’s me,” Zen says, peeking out from behind Grey to make eye contact with me like they know exactly what I’m whispering over here. “Nobody can resist this face. I talked the password out of your mom when she gave me a haircut this afternoon.”
They’re in suit pants, a black-and-white button-down, and a trench coat, and it’s soZenI nearly forgive them for bringing Grey just because they look so fabulous.
Grey, on the other hand, is in dark jeans and a plain blue button-down. His dark beard is getting thick, and without the beanie he usually wears everywhere, I can tell Mom did a fabulous job with his haircut too.
Also, she and I are having a serious talk abouttelling me when she sees my biggest problem.
Zen’s smile drops as their gaze shifts to Emma.
Emma tenses.
Zen’s chin wobbles. They blink quickly, then poke Grey and mutter something I can’t hear. He frowns at them.
Not a disapproving frown.
A worried frown.
Zen pokes him again and glares, and he lifts his hands in surrender, then heads to the bar.
Jitter leaps over the couch to join him.
And in the time it takes Laney to whisper, “What was that? What wasallof that?”, Zen has beelined the short distance from the door to our lounging area.
They squat in front of Emma. “I want to hug you so bad. I know what it’s like to spend years trying to make people love you when they’re physically incapable of it.”
Em sucks in a breath.
And Zen scoots back. “Sorry. I just—you got fucked. I hate when people with good hearts get fucked so big, and I don’t know you, but everyone here loves you, and I like them, so you must be a good person. I’ll quit being a weirdo. Your drinks are on us. My uncle, I mean. He knows what it’s like to get fucked too.”
“Emma, this is Zen,” I say softly. “They’re my new boss’s keeper, and they do a fabulous job despite the hardships of the job.”
Em holds out a hand. “It’s lovely to meet you, Zen.”
“I went viral on my campus in college when someone recorded me singing in the shower,” Zen blurts while they shake Emma’s hand.
Grey’s head whips around like he hasn’t heard this story and he’s ready to put on hisSuper Vengeance Mansuit and go take care of whoever hurt Zen in college too.
“Simmer down,” Zen says over their shoulder, clearly knowing what’s going on behind them. “I took care of it.”
“How?” Grey asks. He pockets his wallet and approaches our group with far more wariness than Zen had.
“That’s filed underyou don’t need to know,” they reply.
“Sit,” Emma says. “Please. Join us. Are you hungry? We have plenty of food.”
Grey eyes Theo.
