Chapter 40
“It’s done…”
Zachary was about to stand up when he suddenly felt Jessica tug on his arm. He turned his head, and their eyes locked.
The mingling of their scents, their warm bodies brushing against each other in the cold air, was enough to make the atmosphere crackle and thicken with unspoken tension.
Without hesitation, she reached up, covered his eyes with her hand, and pressed a soft kiss to
his cold lips.
Zachary froze as the world turned dark before him. The chill of her lips held a surprising warmth that flickered through him.
His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard, heavy breaths warming her neck. His grip on the car door tightened.
Before he could fully take it in, Jessica slowly withdrew her hand and gently pushed him away. He knowingly stepped back, reading her cue, though his gaze lingered on her face.
She got out of the car, and they stayed silent, pretending as if nothing had just happened.
Zachary glanced at her hands tucked into her coat pockets, while his own hung awkwardly at his sides. Not knowing what to do with them, he finally slid one arm around her shoulders and steered her toward a nearby alley.
Jessica glanced sideways at the strong hand resting on her shoulder, and her heart, which had only just begun to calm down, started pounding all over again.
They walked side by side down the street, weaving through the crowd. Strangers passed, but
some couldn’t stop whispering.
“Are they filming a movie or something? I haven’t seen a couple this perfect in ages.”
“There aren’t any cameras around, though. How has someone that handsome not been scouted as a celebrity?”
In the end, Zachary brought Jessica to an old diner. “Table for two, please.”
“Of course.”
“You know Sylvarian?” Jessica asked, her tone surprised.
“No, but I picked up some basics last minute,” he answered, taking his seat. “You must know
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Sylvarian, too, considering you understood me.”
She eagerly started a new topic. “Anyway, how did you find this place?”
Zachary sanitized the utensils and placed a set in front of Jessica. “My mom said that she and Hazel used to come here a lot.”
“I see.‘
This old diner had been around for decades. Jessica used to come here often with Hazel, and whenever Ginger was in town, they would bring her here for a meal or two.
So, it wasn’t exactly surprising that Zachary knew about it. What was surprising, though, was that he went on to order all her favorite dishes–right down to the dipping sauce she liked.
For a moment, she seriously wondered if he had gotten secret tips from Joshua. She just didn’t have the proof.
“How much does your boss pay you?” Jessica texted Joshua.
“Why are you texting me, an adult man, while you’re out on a date with Mr. Jones, Queen Bee? Is he not taking care of you?”
“Traitor!”
“Forgive me, Your Majesty!”
During dinner, Zachary was remarkably gentlemanly, treating Jessica as if he had been in love with her for ages. His movements were a little clumsy, but it was clear he was doing his best.
She didn’t eat much, though. Perhaps it was due to jet lag, or something else, but her whole body felt lethargic. Ultimately, he finished most of the food he had ordered for her without voicing a single word of complaint.
Afterward, they wandered around the mall for quite a while. It was cold, with sleet falling outside, and the weather had taken a turn for the worse.
To make things trickier, Zachary had arranged for someone to tow the car, so they ended up booking a cab online.
While waiting for their ride at the mall entrance, they stood side by side.
“You don’t look so great,” Zachary commented, noticing something off about her. His arm around her shoulders tightened a little.
“Yeah… My stomach feels a little off,” she murmured, leaning her head lightly against his
chest.
He looked down at her. She was soft and quiet like a small bunny. A chuckle escaped him. He pulled open his coat and wrapped it around her, tugging her close inside its warmth.
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She gazed up at him, then quickly looked away.
At that moment, she didn’t know what she was feeling. Whatever it was, it felt like she could
drown in it.
Zachary always ran warm, but with the coat around them, his body heat felt almost overwhelming. Ironically, just a few days ago, she had been trapped in Derrick’s web of polished lies, unable to pull herself out.
In Derrick’s world, love meant fancy dinners, designer clothes, and exclusive clubs–the expectation that Jessica would mold herself to fit his glossy, extravagant lifestyle.
The more he gave her that life, the more painfully aware she was of the difference between them.
However, Zachary was different. He would come down to the real world for her, squeeze into an old diner, and share simple home–cooked meals without complaining.
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