His mouth quirks upward at one corner. Almost a smile, but not quite. “I remember everything, Sophie.”
My face flushes despite the cool temperature. I tuck my hair behind my ear nervously, scrambling for words. A mother pushing a stroller navigates around us, wheels squeaking on the wet pavement.
“Well, anyway. Thanks.” I turn to flee back to the safety of the clinic.
“Sophie, wait.” His voice stops me cold.
I turn back, stomach knotting. Here it comes. Some declaration about how he’s changed, how much he’s missed me, or?—
“I’m helping Dr. Martinez organize a fundraiser,” he says instead. “For the clinic.”
That wasn’t what I expected. At all. “A fundraiser?”
He nods, shifting his weight slightly. “We’re aiming to raise enough for a down payment so she can purchase the building outright instead of renting. Long-term security.”
I stare at him, processing. “Purchase it? That would cost…”
“Approximately eighty thousand for the down payment,” he says, slipping into attorney mode. “We’re planning a major event at Town Square. Silent auction, live music, the works. Dr. Martinez is already securing sponsors and major donors.”
“You’re organizing this?” I can’t mask my shock. “Why?”
His eyes lock onto mine, direct and honest. “Because it matters to you.”
I can’t breathe for a moment. He says it so matter-of-factly. Not to impress me or manipulate me. Just stating truth. I care about the clinic, therefore he cares too. Simple as that.
A water droplet slides from his hair down his jaw. I desperately want to reach out and brush it away. Instead, I squeeze the umbrella handle until it hurts.
“Thank you,” I say, meaning it completely. “That’s… that’s incredible.”
He shrugs, but I catch the small smile. “Just doing what I can.”
Wind gusts suddenly, and I shiver involuntarily.
“You should go back inside,” he says gently. “You’re getting cold.”
I nod, but part of me wants to stay right here talking with him. Out here on the sidewalk, it feels easier than inside the clinic where I’ve fortified all my defenses. “Yeah, I should.”
We both linger too long. Cars pass. A seagull cries overhead. Sunlight breaks through the clouds, making the puddles shimmer like liquid silver.
I start walking away, then pause. “Zayn?”
“Yeah?” Those blue-gray eyes focus entirely on me.
“I love the umbrella.” I allow myself a small smile—my first genuine one since he returned. “Really. Thank you.”
Something shifts in his expression—relief, maybe hope. But he doesn’t push for more. He just nods and says, “Anytime, Sophie.”
We walk in opposite directions. I clutch the umbrella, feeling its solid weight in my hand. The air smells like wet concrete and distant ocean. Zayn’s footsteps fade behind me.
A fundraiser to save the clinic. To help us purchase the building instead of renting. It’s exactly what we need, and somehow he understood that before I did. This isn’t about me anymore—it’s about Dr. Martinez, about the animals we care for, about everyone who depends on this place.
When I push back through the clinic doors, my face feels different. Then I realize why—I’m still smiling. Stella notices immediately from across the waiting room, her eyes widening with unasked questions. I pretend not to see her expression and return to my desk, carefully placing the umbrella in its new permanent spot.
Outside, clouds gather darker. More rain is coming. But for the first time in a long while, I’m not afraid of getting caught in the storm.
After all, I have an umbrella now. One that won’t break when things get rough.
CHAPTER 11
