Page 47 of Here & Now

When Zane pulled into his driveway, he was relieved to see hers was empty. He also noticed the light was on in her living room. He parked and hopped out of the Jeep. Then he stood there and looked at her house, fingering Kayla’s business card in his pocket.

He started walking toward her house, and then he heard a big crash from inside and broke into a run. He banged on the door. “Bree, are you okay?”

He was met with silence, but he knocked again. “Bree, are you in there?”

A few seconds later, the door swung open, and she stood there with tears in her eyes.

“What happened? Are you okay?”

She shook her head, and the tears started streaming down her face.

Not waiting for an invitation, he stepped inside and locked the door behind him. He glanced around and saw shards of glass and seashells, some broken, strewn around the living room floor.

He scanned her from head to toe, and only then did he realize she was wearing pajamas and slippers. “Did you cut yourself?”

She shook her head.

“Where’s a broom? I’ll help you clean up.”

She didn’t budge. She simply stood there, looking so forlorn that he couldn’t help himself. He moved closer and gently put his arms around her, leaving room for her to escape if she wanted to. Instead, she stepped into him, buried her face against his chest, and sobbed.

Holding her tight, he rubbed his hands up and down her back and whispered, “It’s okay. I’ve got you.”

That made her cry even harder, and he decided to stop talking.

A few minutes later, she peered up at him with bloodshot eyes. “It was her favorite vase.”

He assumed she meant her grandmother’s. “It’s okay.” Obviously, it wasn’t.

“I was taking something off the shelf, and I bumped it with my elbow.”

“It was an accident.”

“We collected all those shells together…” She sniffed.

He glanced at the floor. “Most of the shells are still intact. I’ll help you pick them up.”

She leaned her head against his chest again, like she was in no hurry to move. He hated that she was so upset, but he loved how she felt in his arms with her warm, soft body tucked close to his. This couldn’t continue, though, not without him having a physical reaction to her nearness. She smelled good too, like she was fresh from a bath or shower and had slathered herself with strawberry-scented lotion.

She popped her head up again. “I’m sorry. I didn’t expect anybody to see me like this.”

He thought she looked beautiful, even with puffy eyes and a runny nose. “You don’t have to apologize. I’m just glad you didn’t get hurt.”

He loosened his grip, but she didn’t move away. “I thought you went out with Marco.”

“I did.”

“You came home early.”

He nodded.

“How did you know?” She motioned to the mess.

“I’d just gotten out of the car when I heard the crash.”

“Oh.”

“But I was thinking of stopping by anyway.”