Not when I told him I didn’t know how to have fun anymore.
The real reason I shouldn’t accept Zach’s offer is obvious—I couldlikehim. He might think I have an unforgettable face, but he doesn’t know I could never be the kind of person he’d want, at least not long-term. A life with me will never be easy.I’llnever be easy to love. Relationships are complicated enough without adding my brand of challenges.
Zach turns, cheeks pink, eyes open and vulnerable. Shrapnel pings the walls of my stomach from the explosion of nerves that goes off when our gazes collide.
This doesn’t have to be long-term. Zach wants to show me how to have fun. He’ll eventually leave Matt and Gemma’s house to go back to his hockey career, and all his free time will evaporate. There’s a natural end point to protect us both from getting too close.
“Okay,” I relent.
Zach’s lips stretch into a tentative smile. “And maybe you can show me the ropes on this whole being serious thing?” His foot taps imperceptibly, the top of his shoe moving where it pokes out from under his pretzel-crossed legs.
“You want to be more serious?”
“Nah,” he replies, flicking his wrist in the air. “But I’m curious how the other half lives. So what do you say?”
Zach hops to his feet, taking two strides until he’s in front of me, and I’m breathing in his scent. It’s heady, like the cologne aisle I wander down even when I don’t need to buy any products. I stare into his warm, nervous expression—tension lingers between his eyes as his lips form a half smile. He’s biting the other side of his mouth, maybe to keep himself from word vomiting like he did the night we met.
If I told him how endearing I found it, would he still try to stop?
“All right,” I say. “What do I have to lose?”
6
Finley
When I stride intothe kitchen the next morning, Zach is sitting in the same spot as yesterday.
His bright eyes track me from the steps to the seat beside him. He doesn’t conceal his appraisal at first, but when I move closer, he drops his gaze to the plate of pancakes on the counter in front of him.
“Good morning,” I say, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.
“Hey, Finley.”
My stomach lurches at the joy in his voice.
Zach slides the pancakes my way. I usually eat a protein bar before my morning training session, but damn, I can’t resist Gemma’s cooking. Speaking of…
“Where’s Gem?”
“The bakery,” Zach answers.
Right. Like every weekday.
I should know Gemma’s schedule better than Zach since I live here, but his presence distracts me. She’s in the processof opening a second location of A Hidden Gem in the heart of downtown Palmer City, and she’s around even less than usual.
I helplessly watch as Zach spears some pancakes and plops them on my plate. Following the same steps I did yesterday with my waffles, Zach applies a healthy spread of butter to each pancake before creating a pool of syrup on the plate. With everything he’s dealing with, I’m surprised he noticed my preferences.
I guess I’m eating pancakes this morning.
“I’m surprised you’re up,” I say, as I cut into the first one.
“You said you had to leave at five thirty.”
I swallow hard. I expected the time of my practice to discourage Zach from joining me, not motivate him to get his ass out of bed to prepare breakfast for me. Even if it only involved warming up Gemma’s cooking.
“You’re supposed to take it easy, Zach.”
He quirks a grin at me. “I’m not the one who’ll be doing flips,Finley. The team doctor says I need light exercise, so this is perfect.”
