Page 65 of Words We Didn't Say

“I can’t categorically promise my mum isn’t stalking you.” Zach chuckled. “She was the one who sent me a photo of you and Sam having dinner together, along with many outraged texts demanding to know what I planned to do about it.”

“Yeah? And what do you plan to do about it?”

“Eden, I…” He dragged a hand down his face. Paused. Took a big breath. He was planning to say something serious. “I don’t want to give up on us. I want to keep fighting to prove I’m the right man for you.”

“I sense abutcoming.”

“If you’re serious about this guy—I dunno—it doesn’t feel right for me to keep bothering you. Am I crossing a line? Do you want me to stop trying?”

Everything suddenly felt too real. I turned away from the screen to examine the pearly polish on my nails for any tiny fault.

Wasthat what I wanted?

I trusted Zach to respect the boundary if I scratched that line between us. If I told him once and for all there was no chance, he’d step back. He’d be gone. Possibly…forever. I blinked away the prickle of emotion stinging my eyes.

“No,” I whispered. “I don’t want you to stop trying.”

When I was brave enough to lift my gaze, Zach was waiting. Water swam in the corner of his crinkled brown eyes, and he rubbed the tip of his nose, relief written all over him.

“Then I won’t,” he said.

For once, I plannedto handle my personal life with maturity instead of chaos.

Okay.

Big breath.

Okay.

I headed for the salon, dashing down the narrow laneway, sensible loafers thunking on the cobblestones, my phone pressed to my ear.

The first hitch in my mature plan: Sam wasn’t picking up.

Not entirely unexpected at 8:00 a.m. Even less surprising after Yvette had sent me a photo of him on the dance floor—allegedly last night—surrounded by a group of grinning women. Righto. Sam was a great guy. Fun. Chill. So, I wouldn’t be on his bang roster when the season ended. Who cared? But it was time to end the shenanigans once and for all.

Andie explained to me there was a certain etiquette for breakups. Apparently, I’d ‘dated’ Sam too long for my preferred option—ghosting—and we hadn’t kissed, so he wasn’t getting the obligatory breakup over coffee. He’d earned himself the minimum of a heartfelt text breakup. I was going one better. A call. We’d have a pleasant chat over the phone.

I rehearsed it again as I turned the last corner for work.

“Thank you for including me in your life. I’ve had a lot of fun getting to know you, and I think you’re a cool guy. But I’ve had to be honest with myself about what I want for my future, and I think—I think—” I groaned. Maturity was overrated. This sucked. “I think I’m stupidly head over heels for another man,” I mumbled.

Saying those words out loud was a mistake.

The universe hadn’t just heard me but decided to hand-deliver the man twisting me into knots right to the doorstep of my salon.

Zach was the poster child for swanky lawyers in his finely tailored suit, but I did a double take at the dainty lunch bag clutched in his big hand. Colourful cartoon cats dotted a dusky pink background. Cute as a button, but not quite vibing with the rest of his corporate wear.

He nodded a shy smile my way. “Good morning, Eden.”

If the universe wanted to test me, bring it on. I swallowed my nerves and lifted my chin to give him a playful smile. “Hey, stranger.”

“It’s Wednesday.”

I arched an eyebrow. Zach was acting even more socially awkward than usual. “Yeah?”

His face brightened. “This is for you.” He thrust the bag at me. “I made you lunch. I might have gone a bit overboard, but everything in there is great if you’re on the go. I know getting a proper break can be hard for you.”

Almost giddy because my heart was fluttering so fast, I lifted the bag from Zach’s outstretched fingers. The rip of the Velcro made me cringe when I peeled open the top to peek inside. A neat stack of clear containers was filled with all kinds of yummies—strawberries, spongy chocolate cake, finger sandwiches with what I hoped wasn’t tuna but probably was, and a quaint but wonky home-baked quiche. Curse him.I adored everything he’d packed in the kitty cat lunch bag. I loved that he’d taken so much time to make me something special.

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