They both laughed.
“I see you’re a comedian now.” He stepped back, enjoying the comfortable feeling between them without any of the expectations and promises. He liked that the sex and pretenses were removed from the equation and seeing that there was still a friendship left worth holding onto.
“No, it’s not like that, though.” He slipped his hand to the small of Kate’s back and guided her over to the bar. A cool, crisp breeze feathered her hair over her shoulder and in the soft glow of the string lights, he felt her reading him.
“Me and Zo, we’re…just friends.”
His heart squeezed as if challenging his words.
“You don’t believe that, do you?” she asked. Her amused smile was genuine.
“Yes, I do. We’ve known each other since we were kids. Everett is my best friend. We’re family.” He looked off toward the water.
Mike’s mind reeled to the day all those years ago when he and Everett came back from riding bikes and Zora was waiting for them on the porch. She couldn’t have been more than eight. It was the first time he’d really seen her as anything other than Everett’s sister. Her hair had been freshly pressed and she wore a new purple dress. From there she seemed to blossom overnight, but he kept his distance for over a decade.
Until he couldn’t.
It wasn’t the day her mother died, but at age eighteen, Zora finally broke down on the day Eva Monroe would have turned fifty. Before her memories were properly cemented, she was a motherless child with no one to talk to but her grandmother about boys and love, periods, and prom. Mike understood Zora finally felt the heartbreak. of knowing the woman who was supposed to love her unconditionally wasn’t willing to fight for her—to choose to live for her.
He’d sensed in that moment, Zora needed someone, and he wanted to be there. He’d been waiting because he knew what not being there did to a person. He knew about the shame, guilt, and self-blame.
“I know you don’t want to hear this, especially from me,” Kate said, snapping him out of the memory. “Mike, I think you’re in love with her.”
Just then Mike’s phone vibrated in his blazer. As soon as he saw the message, it drove Kate’s point to his core.
Zora: Hey, I hope it’s not too late, but if the offer still stands, I’m going to take you up on staying at your place. Let me know and I’ll see you after work tomorrow.
Mike met Kate’s gaze. Thank goodness she was gracious enough not to say anything. Once again, her expression reflected his truth back at him.
Chapter Nine
Zora
Friday morning, Zora rose at dawn. Well, technically, she just laid in the bed blankly staring at the television with one foot hanging out of the covers, but she was up. She didn’t get a wink of sleep thinking about Mike’s house and the sleeping arrangements. She’d also spent a good deal of time thinking about the women cycling in and out of his bed now that he was single again.
Coffee.
With a loud, huffy grunt she slipped out the bed, phone in hand, and slogged toward the kitchen. She turned on the coffee maker and slinked onto a barstool. As the machine hissed to life, she called Oli.
“Hey, girl, hey. Bright and early, I see.”
Zora groaned in response.
“Oh, so no coffee yet. Want to call me back?” This was why they were friends. The woman knew her too well.
“No,” Zora sighed. “I’m just…grumpy.”
“Chin up.”
“Seriously? That’s your pep talk?” Zora slumped lower on the barstool.
Oli’s voice squawked into the receiver. “Not you, fool.”
Zora pulled the phone away from her ear to make sure they weren’t Facetiming. “Thanks? Well then who are you talking to?”
“Tilt your head a little bit more toward me. And now the chin. Perfect.” Oli laughed. “I’m at that shoot at the Japanese Garden—the Wellington wedding I was telling you about. I’m finished with the detail shots. You know, rings, dress, shoes, and flowers. I was multitasking, but I’m talking to you, now.”
“Oh.”
“By the way, she had the most gorgeous dress. I’ll show you the proofs later.” The line was muffled for a second before she continued. “Doing the prep shots now. Anyway, why are you so grumpy?”
The last steaming, hot drip plopped into the coffeemaker and Zora got to her feet to gather the cream and sugar. “Never mind. Go back to work. I’ll figure it out.”
“Earpods… Multitasking... I’m good, if you don’t mind hearing my directions now and then. Does this mood have anything to do with you moving in with a certain somebody?” Her voice took on a velvety tone.
Zora pulled a mug from the cupboard and filled it to the brim then added her personal touches until it was a creamy bisque color. She took her first sip and inhaled the robust, sweet aroma for a second, letting it warm her throat before responding.
“The last house I saw yesterday was disgusting. There’s no need to say ‘I told you so.’ Whether I like it or not, I’m going to have to stay with Mike.” She slouched against the kitchen island, sounding hopeless and defeated, which apparently Oli was keen to disregard.
“Yes, girl. I love it. Now you guys are going to be forced to address the old wrinkly-ass elephant that’s been in the room for way too long.” She paused and Zora heard her tell someone to straighten the train of the dress. “Don’t get mad at me, Zo, but I really hope you guys at least have one nasty, dirty night of sex. Or, day of sex. Either would be hot.”
“Ugh. This is not funny.” Zora kicked her legs and pouted. “What am I going to do? I need to set some ground rules in place otherwise this is not going to work. I haven’t even been focusing on the cookbook. I need to pack before Mike gets off work, and now I’m going to be holed up in his guestroom trying to dodge him without looking like a weird hobbit.”
By now Oli was cracking up on the other end of the line, which only infuriated Zora more.
“Are you going to help me or not?”
While Zora was waiting for her friend to come to her senses and stop reveling in her torment, her phone chimed with an incoming message. She didn’t recognize the number, but it wasn’t hard to decipher who it was.
Unknown: Work has been crazy this week since we’re expanding the practice, but I want to see you and kiss you again. Olivia couldn’t stop raving about you, and I’d like to get to know you even better. Maybe somewhere quiet this time, just the two of us. Any chance you’re free this weekend?
As if life weren’t complicated enough already, now Andre wanted to crawl out from wherever he’d been hiding for over a week.
“Why do you have to micromanage it?” Oli cut into Zora’s thoughts. She was still arguing her point. “This is Mike, your friend. I think you’re taking it way too far with rules. If anything happens, let it be organic. Let it happen and stop trying to control everything.”
“I did the whole get lost in the moment thing last weekend and now I’m… Ugh, forget it. Just help me think this through. I’m not trying to be a burden on him. I cannot have a thing with Mike.”