Page 28 of Make the Play

And yet, I feel it. The absence. The one person who’s not here.

I don’t have to check my phone to know Zoe is extremely late.

And when she finally shows up, she’s no longer wearing her soul-destroying dress with the ribbons, and her hair is freshly styled. She looks like she didn’t just spend the night doing exactly what she spent the morning pretending never happened, and I immediately know I’m in trouble.

Because she’s Zoe. And she’s always been my favorite fight.

She hesitates at the edge of the table, just for a second. I track the stiff set of her shoulders, the way she notices me before she even glances in my direction.

And then she makes the calculated decision to go for the safest route—Charlie.

“Hey! Sorry I’m late,” she says as she reaches for Meadow, who immediately throws herself into her arms. “There’s my favorite tiny human!”

Meadow latches on like a koala. “ZoZo, where’d you go? Why are you late?”

There’s a small beat—so quick and fleeting I almost miss it. A flicker of something in Zoe’s expression, a hitch in her breath.

And then she smooths it over in her effortless Zoe way.

“I had a work phone call, sweet pea.”

Bullshit.

I tilt my head, watching as she slides into a seat directly across from me, probably annoyed it’s the only option left at the table, keeping her focus on anything but me.

Alright, sweetheart. We’re doing this, then.

I clear my throat, dragging my fingers down the condensation of my glass. “Damn, Zo, not even a good morning? If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were avoiding me.”

She stiffens slightly, but she doesn’t look at me. “You don’t know better.”

God, she makes this easy. “That sounds like something someone avoiding me would say.”

She finally flicks her gaze to mine, unimpressed. “That sounds like something an egomaniac would say.”

Charlie chooses this exact moment to intervene. “Chase, don’t antagonize her before she’s had her coffee,” she says lightly, sipping her orange juice.

Jake grins, pressing a kiss to the top of Charlie’s head. “Let him learn the hard way, Charlie girl, it’s funnier to watch.”

Charlie nudges him, but I’m not paying attention anymore.

I’m watching Zoe, who definitely caught the coffee comment. She goes completely still for a second, so fast no one else would notice. But I do.

The corner of my mouth curves up. “Shedoesget pretty mean without caffeine. Good thing she never turns down a cup, huh?”

Zoe’s eyes snap to mine, sharp as a blade.

And fuck, I love this.

The challenge of her. The way she’s already glaring at me, daring me to say more.

And if I were a smarter man, maybe I’d stop.

But I’m not.

I lean forward, resting my arms on the table, my smirk widening. “What?” I ask with mock innocence. “Just saying, seems weird you’re this grumpy when we all know you must’ve had the chance to start your morning off right.”

She flashes me a warning smile. “I start my morning with zero tolerance for men who think they’re clever.”

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