The words hit harder than anything else.
Moving on from Cormac Kelly was the last thing I wanted to do.
I’d just found him again.
Zane and Steven’s faces crowded the screen of my laptop, looking so concerned and breathtakingly sweet, my stomach panged from how much I missed them. They’d just patiently listened to me spill my guts for the last ten minutes. I’d hoped to find some clarity after my conversation with Cormac, but I still had no idea what to do next.
“You apologized, right?” Zane pressed.
Steven looked at him and huffed. “Do you really need to ask? Of course she did.”
Zane raised an eyebrow. “She really doesn’t like to admit she’s wrong, so yes, I do have to ask.”
Steven turned back to me. “You apologized, didn’t you?”
“I did.” I scrunched my nose. “Though I don’t think it was as profuse as it should have been considering how very wrong I was.”
Steven was the first to try to let me off the hook. “The fact is, Cormac didn’t actually know how angry you were at him.”
“That’s a good point, honey,” Zane said. “Really, you should be apologizing to me. I told you that really didn’t sound like Cormac, and you told me to shut my big fat mouth.”
I narrowed my eyes. “I don’t think those were my exact words.”
He brushed me off. “It was something like that. We don’t have to argue semantics.”
“I think we do. Your mouth is perfectly sized, and I’d never say otherwise.”
Steven scoffed. “You’re both getting way off topic, but that’s no surprise with you two.”
Zane leaned his head against Steven’s. “We’re a delight. Just admit it.”
Steven kissed his temple. “You are. I would never argue that point. And Zara’s right. Your mouth is perfect.”
I groaned. “Please, guys. I can’t take another second of you being disgustingly in love. It’s not the time.”
Zane straightened, putting his game face on. “All right. We’re here. Tell us what you need from us.”
“I don’t know. I feel really unsettled, and I want…” I trailed off, my gaze wandering to the window. In the distance, I could see Cormac’s house, and I wondered if he was inside. If he’d gone home after our talk. If he was going over everything we’d said in his mind or discussing it with his grandparents. If he’d set it all aside and gone on with his day like nothing had happened…
Steven leaned closer to the camera. “What do you want, Zara?”
Deep down, I knew exactly what I wanted. It felt dangerous to wish for it, let alone to say it aloud, but denying myself would get me exactly nowhere.
So, I said it.
“I want my friend back.”
And whatever comes with it.
Chapter Eighteen
Zara
AftermeetingwithJavierto go over the week’s schedule and discuss a few staff changes, I found myself knocking on Cormac’s office door.
I had no plan. Despite my long talk with Steven and Zane yesterday, I just really wanted to see him.
His muffled voice called, “Come in.”
