Page 40 of Finally Loved

She sighed and pursed her lips. Alba knew her well enough to give her time, using the moment to tell her cousin she’d be there to meet the boyfriend in question and to text a little, casual message to Neve.

“There’s just someone new who started today,” Zainab eventually said.

“Weird to start on a Tuesday instead of yesterday, but sure.” Alba quirked her lips. “No good?”

“They’re… good. I think.”

She studied Zainab. It wasn’t like her to have such complicated feelings on people. Ordinarily, Zainab knew exactly how she felt about someone and wasn’t especially shy about it. “So, what’s the problem?”

“There’s no problem,” she said too quickly.

Alba laughed. “Clearly, there is.”

“They’re fine. Totally fine. Just… a little…”

Alba stifled her smile. She suddenly got it and it did make sense of Zainab’s mood. However, she wasn’t certain Zainab had figured it out yet.

She wondered briefly whether she should just point it out. After all, Zainab hadn’t been shy about insisting Alba had a crush on Neve. Nor had she been subtle in her teasing since Alba had admitted it. However, Alba wasn’t sure she was there yet. Maybe in a few days, but not yet.

Instead, she adjusted her position in her seat, looking out the window as she said, “You should invite them along on Thursday.”

“Why on earth would I do that?”

“To get to know them.”

“I don’t need to get to know them. And, as I’m sure you’ve noticed, I don’t socialize with every person from my office.”

“Just a suggestion,” Alba said, holding her hands up in surrender.

It would only be a matter of time before Zainab figured it out. She wasn’t nearly as emotionally constipated as she seemed the first day she met someone she liked. But, for a couple of days, she sure seemed it.

“Do they have a name?” Alba asked casually.

“Most people tend to,” Zainab replied.

Alba almost laughed. Zainab really was a trip when she liked someone.

She pulled into the parking lot of the mall without giving up the person’s name, so, despite the desperate curiosity she felt, Alba knew she was going to have to wait a little longer for the answer. As if that hadn’t already been obvious enough from the emotionally soothing shopping trip Zainab had them taking. It was one of her favorite activities most of the time, so, in and of itself, it wasn’t necessarily an indication that anything was wrong, but, once Alba had put the pieces together, she’d noticed there was a pattern.

They made it around three stores where Alba bought nothing and Zainab bought very little before Alba fished her phone out again. She was sitting on a bench waiting for Zainab to try some clothes on and couldn’t resist. No matter how much she found it amusing that Zainab was completely preoccupied with her new crush, it wasn’t like Alba was much better.

Neve had replied. So had Alba’s cousin, but that could wait.

She read the message eagerly, frowning when she realized something was off. Neve was like an open book.

What’s wrong?She had to know. She wanted to make everything better. Part of her couldn’t help but wonder whether there was something wrong with the day itself. She’d had a perfectly lovely day but something was wrong with Neve, and Zainab was being tormented by a crush she hadn’t realized yet was one.

Neve replied quickly.Nothing

Alba frowned at her phone. She didn’t need to see Neve to know that was a lie.You can tell me. I promise it’s okay

It took a moment, but, eventually, Neve replied.I’m just trying to work myself up into having that conversation with Charlie tonight…

Ahh, the one about me!

Yes. The one about you… But also about, you know, just… lots of things!

Neve hadn’t mentioned exactly what she wanted to say to Charlie, but Alba knew the conversation was important and that it had been bothering Neve since Sunday—probably longer, honestly.

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