Page 95 of Zorro

“I know, right? He’s stubborn and I love it.” She nodded. “You can so get it online. Just go to our website.” She handed her a card.

Everly took it, her brain still processing the sorcery in her cup. “I might actually love you.”

“Well, that’s fast,” Maritza teased. “But I’ll allow it. Come sit with us. We’ve claimed that table like apex predators.”

Everly followed her, amused, grateful, wondering who us was.

A blonde woman looked up as they approached, ethereal in a soft white dress, her presence quiet but piercing, like the kind of person who wrote poetry in her head and remembered people by the sound of their laughter. “Collected another weary conference-goer, Zazu?”

“Zazu?” Everly smiled at the cute nickname.

“That’s my nickname. Sounds like a stripper. Am I right?” Everly, completely charmed by both women, chuckled. “My little sister coined it and it stuck.” She inclined her head toward the blonde. “Everly, this is Julia. Julia, meet Everly.”

“Hi,” Julia said with a smile that made Everly relax without meaning to. “You looked like you needed a moment of peace and strong coffee.”

“I need many of those moments,” Everly replied, sliding into the chair beside them. “It’s been a…long day.”

Maritza arched a brow. “Was it the panel or the night before?”

Everly startled slightly, then gave a helpless, traitorous smile. “Both. I’m dealing with a stubborn man, too.”

Julia grinned behind her cup, rolling her eyes. “Ah. One of those nights, one of those men. We need a club.”

Everly felt herself flush, but it wasn’t embarrassing. Not really. It was…wonder.

How had this happened?

This transformation from brittle, bitter loneliness into something warm and grounded? She had kept Zorro at arm’s length for too long. Denied herself softness. Labeled love a liability.

Now she sat at a sunlit table, sipping a miracle roast, smiling with two women she barely knew but felt oddly…safe with, a sisterhood closing around her like a net made of steel and silk.

Julia wrapped her hands comfortably around a steaming cup. After an hour, the little café table had transformed into something intimate and warm, an unexpected oasis of female companionship amid the chaos of the conference. Everly rested against the back of her chair, surprised by how comfortable the silence felt.

At first it was just conversation. Casual. Easy laughter. Good coffee and shared smiles.

Then, softly, Julia spoke, setting down her cup gently. “You know, I used to be a nun. Before I married my husband.”

Everly’s gaze snapped up, eyes widening in surprise. “You…really?” Why did that sound so…familiar?

Julia smiled, her gaze warm and steady. “I ducked into the order because I wanted to be safe, not realizing that the man who had been my rock was all that I needed. God hadn’t called me, but he saw me, and he released me to find my heart.” Her smile widened, gentle humor coloring her voice. “Sometimes I think God has a unique sense of humor. At least, He did with me.”

Everly felt the pricks at the back of her eyes. “He forgave you?”

“God or my man?” Julia said with a soft laugh. “Just teasing.” Julia’s smile didn’t falter. Her expression held no judgment, only a quiet compassion that resonated deeply. “Yes, he did, but not without turmoil and angst. It was difficult to open my heart, accept what I’d done. Love isn’t always easy. But forgiveness isn’t saying it didn’t hurt, Everly. Forgiveness means you’re done pretending it still defines you.”

Everly felt something deep inside her resonate, a subtle but undeniable shift in the protective walls she’d carefully built.

Maritza leaned forward, dark eyes sparkling with mischief, warmth, and a quiet pride. “Well, my man was an absolute mess. Real cocky, real fine. Thought there were too many obstacles to overcome and wasn’t honest about who he was before we fell in love. That was infuriating, but understandable under the circumstances.” She lifted her cup in a small salute, smiling knowingly. “So we fought, we meshed, and then I made him beg. That, amiga, is called equilibrium.”

Laughter bubbled up around the table, rich and comforting. Everly felt a soft ache bloom beneath her ribs, sweet and sharp all at once.

Then gently, without pressure, Julia turned to her. “What about you, Everly? What’s your love story?”

She stumbled. Faltered. Her heart felt suddenly exposed, her mind grasping for words that wouldn’t come. “I…I don’t know what to say. It’s complicated.”

“Complicated can be good. It’s tangled and real,” Julia said.

Maritza leaned in slightly, her voice gentle and knowing. “I let him see me.” She looked at Julia who nodded. “I hope you let him love you out loud, querida. Life is far too short for whispered promises.”

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