In fact, it seemed like he got her at a fundamental level. Like he saw her in a way no-one had ever cared to before.
Her stunned silence must have gone on a little too long, because he said quickly, “We don’t have to use this, obviously. You can throw it away right now, if you want. You know what you’re doing.”
“Zach…” She trailed off, shaking her head in disbelief. “I absolutely do not know what I’m doing. Ever.”
He cracked a smile. “I know. But it’d be rude to point that out.”
“Oh, and you’re never rude,” she muttered, but there was no bite to her sarcasm. She couldn’t manage it. She studied the colourful pages, and for a moment, ridiculous tears prickled behind her eyes. He’d highlighted the signing she was booked to attend, the workshops she might be interested in. He’d written notes in the margins in his messy scrawl, like the sweetest spider on earth had crawled across the page on inky feet.
If we go to that breakfast, we can have a late lunch to fit this marketing workshop in.
Do you like this author? I recognise her name and I think you’re the one who gave it to me.
She didn’t have the words to describe what a relief this was—or rather, she did, but they were all too earnest and adoring. Setting them free right now, while she brimmed with ill-advised emotion, would be like striking a match in a room full of gas. For Christ’s sake, all he’d done was print out a schedule and make some notes, except that wasn’t all, because he’d done it for her—and the way that made her feel…
No. No. He’s my friend. That’s all this feeling is: just friendship and desire.
Yeah. Like books were just paper and ink.
Still, she pulled herself together and gave Zach a purely platonic pat on the shoulder. Then, for emphasis, she said, “Thanks, mate.”
He arched a brow, maybe because her voice was rougher than gravel, maybe because she’d just used the word mate for the first time in her life. “No problem. So, what’s the plan?”
“This—” she tapped the folder “—is now, officially, the plan. We’re already registered, so after we get settled in, we’ll…” She consulted the newly christened Master Schedule. “We’ll go down to dinner. I suppose it’s a good chance to, er, mingle.”
He chuckled. “You sound thrilled. I take it mingling is your favourite thing.”
“Oh, yeah. For sure.” She ignored his smirk and went to unzip her suitcase, dumping out the stack of books at the top. “I need a shower, but you should go first.”
“If that’s what you want.” He paused on his way to the bathroom, running a hand over her pile of books. “So, this is why your suitcase weighs as much as a baby elephant. I should’ve known. Hey, what’s—?”
“Nothing,” she said quickly, snatching a heavy, silver-blue book from his hand. Of course that one would catch his eye. It was her favourite cover of all time, after all, with its iridescent colours, its delicate lines, its embossed lettering. Lettering that looked particularly beautiful on the author’s name.
But, judging by the look of faint amusement Zach shot her, he hadn’t noticed that last part. “You know, it’s okay if you read sex books,” he said dryly. “You don’t need to hide it.”
She scoffed, shoving the book firmly under her pyjamas. “Sex books? I’m assuming you mean erotica.”
“Whatever you want to call it. I can’t judge. I read Ruth’s freaky comic, after all.”
She paused, narrowing her eyes at him. She knew about Ruth’s web comic, but sci-fi wasn’t her thing, so she’d never actually read it. “What’s freaky about Ruth’s comic?”
“Three words,” he said. “Alien desk sex.”
Rae tried to process that for a moment, then decided it wasn’t going to happen. “Take a shower, Davis.”
He shook his head, chuckling at her expression. “Are you scandalised? You are.”
“No,” she lied. “I’m not.”
“You’re cute, sometimes, you know that?”
“Piss off.”
“Real cute.”
She glared at his retreating back until he was safely locked in the bathroom. Then she unpacked the things she needed tonight and shoved the rest of her suitcase into the wardrobe, including the hidden book she shouldn’t have. When she was done, she flopped down on the bed and listened to the spray of the shower through the wall. Tried not to think about Zach standing under it. Counted the dots in the dot-patterned carpet and did not let her mind wander.
Fifteen minutes later, Zach walked out of the bathroom with dark jeans