"Hey!" Zack's face brightens. "Guys, this is Natalia. Natalia, this is Kyle, James, and Sophie."
Kyle and James offer friendly waves. Sophie's eyes flick to me for a millisecond before landing on Zack and staying there.
I know that look. It's a guarded, careful hunger disguised as friendship. The way someone holds themselves when they want something they're afraid to reach for.
"We're heading to Star for sushi," Kyle says. "You guys should come."
Zack turns to me, and the hope in his expression obvious. "What do you think? Best sushi in the village, I promise."
Sophie's gaze finally meets mine just briefly, too shy to look too long before sliding away. She shifts her weight, crossing her arms in a way that might look casual if I didn't spend my life reading body language. Her smile is more forced than natural.
She doesn't want me to say yes, and woman to woman, I understand exactly why.
"I—" I start, and I see Sophie's shoulders tense. "You know what… that sounds really great, but my ankle is starting to kill me. And I'm exhausted. Rain check?"
The relief that washes over Sophie's face is so subtle I almost miss it. Her posture softens. Her smile becomes something closer to genuine.
Zack's face fell. "Are you sure? We could—"
"You should go," I say firmly. "Really. I need to soak in the hot tub anyway, or I won't be able to walk tomorrow."
"At least let me walk you back," he offered. "It's dark."
"It's a five-minute walk through a tourist village, not Central Park at midnight." I offer a smile to soften the rejection. "Go have fun with your friends. I’m sure I’ll see you around later."
Sophie is very carefully not looking at either of us now, studying her boots with intense focus.
Zack doesn't move. He's the kind of man who was raised right, taught to walk women home, to hold doors, to make sure everyone gets home safe. It's sweet. It should be attractive… It is attractive.
He’s just not for me. He’s for someone else… and I think I know who.
"Seriously, Zack. Go." I touch his arm briefly, a friendly gesture. Nothing more. "Thank you for tonight. It was really nice to get back out for a bit. I was getting cabin fever."
He hesitates, then nods. "Text me when you get back? Just so I know, you made it?"
"I will."
Kyle is already checking the wait time for Star Sushi on his phone. James is debating appetizers. And Sophie is standing very still, her entire body oriented toward Zack like a compass finding north.
He has no idea, not even a clue. It’s totally on brand for him. There’s something so wholesome and good about Zack.
I wonder how long she's felt this way. How many group outings she's endured, hoping he'd finally see her. How it feels to watch him show interest in someone else, someone who's only here for two weeks, someone who's going to leave and take nothing with her except a good story about the cute ski instructor.
"Goodnight," I say to the group, and receive a chorus of responses. Sophie's is the quietest, but her eyes, when they meet mine for a second time, hold something that might be gratitude. I flash her a wink. Maybe she understands, maybe she doesn’t, but it doesn’t matter as long as Zack sees it tonight.
I turn and start walking before Zack can reconsider.
The village glows with warm light. The shops are still open, and couples are strolling arm in arm. My breath clouds in thefrigid air. My ankle is sore from wearing these boots, which wasn't a lie, but it's manageable. I've worked on worse.
Zack is kind. He's attractive in that wholesome, outdoorsy way. He makes me laugh. He'd probably be an excellent boyfriend. He's attentive, thoughtful, the type to remember anniversaries and plan meaningful dates. Not to mention that we’re both from Arizona.
The trouble is I feel absolutely nothing romantic towards him, and I’m not going to force it. I didn’t come here to work on my love life. I came here to save my career.
He deserves someone who looks at him the way Sophie does. With that quiet, desperate hope. That willingness to wait, to endure proximity to the person you want but can't have, just to be near them.
I’m beginning to relate… I think.
Same stupid problem. A different, infuriating man.
