Chapter 4
Derek’s stomach swirled. He meant to let TJ down gently. He was here for Zoe and no one else. She was why he’d taken an unintended
scenic tour of northern Virginia. Instead he sounded like he was stalking Zoe.
He ignored the heat creeping to his cheeks and flashed Zoe a save me look. She bit her lip to hide a smile as if she found joy in his discomfort.
“Oh la la,” TJ trilled. “I know when I’ve been dismissed.”
“Look! A table opened up.” Zoe pointed and grabbed Derek’s arm.
Derek happily let her pull him to a corner near the front of the café. Once they arrived at the table, it was obvious why
it was unoccupied. It was barely big enough to be a plant stand. Not only was it tiny, but someone had taken the chairs. At
least the corner provided some privacy.
“This is weird, Derek,” Zoe said as she maneuvered herself next to the wall.
“No weirder than you ghosting me after graduation.” He slid in opposite her, their bodies only a couple feet apart. A whiff
of her lavender-and-honey perfume transported him back to their late-night rooftop conversations during college.
“You could’ve tried harder,” she said, avoiding his eyes.
Derek took a step back to clear his nose of her sweet, intoxicating scent. A half-step was all the space allowed. He couldn’t believe she was still wearing the same perfume after all this time. He wanted to tell her everything about their time apart. But he had six weeks in DC. It was more than enough time to catch up.
“I did. I texted you every day during my first month in New York.” He bit his lip. Did he sound lonely or, worse, desperate
for her attention? But that first month had been lonely. Everything he’d done for the first time in the city reminded him that she was supposed to be there with him.
“Sorry,” she mumbled. “I swear I read all of them, but I was working nights at my parents’ restaurant. By the time I remembered
to respond to them...”
“It felt too awkward?” he finished for her.
“I’m a terrible friend.” Zoe grimaced in embarrassment. “I really meant to text you back, but after you stopped I thought
you were mad at me.”
“Oh.” Relief flooded his body. She hadn’t completely abandoned him after all.
“You weren’t the only person I did that to,” she confessed. “I was burned out after school and it seemed like a good time
to disconnect from everything. Everyone.”
“Even me?” He couldn’t hide the hurt in his voice.
“I hoped that you were killing it in New York. Which you are.” She smiled hopefully.
“I thought you were mad at me,” he said bluntly. “I wrote you that long email.”
“No, you were mad with me ,” Zoe said adamantly.
“Maybe a little,” he lied, but changed his mind. “I was angry. We were supposed to go to New York together. Start our careers
together.”
“I’m sorry I let you down.” She looked straight into his eyes. “I felt horrible about ruining your plans and it was hard to
face you. But I saved your long email.”
Derek studied her as her words sank in. All this time, he had felt guilty about pushing her to do something she wasn’t ready to do. It turned out they’d been so worried about their postgraduation plans that they’d failed to really listen to each other.
“I should’ve supported you better when you changed majors,” he finally said. “I was a jerk.”
“We were both jerks to each other. Senior year was hard.” She shrugged. “That’s in the past. I’m happy with my boutique.”
“I’m glad. You’re meant to do great things.”
“I don’t know about that, but I’m helping people.” Zoe shrugged.
Derek pushed his glasses up and stuck his hands in his pockets to keep himself from giving her a bear hug. He’d apologized
and she’d done the same. Now they could try to mend their friendship. Maybe he’d convince her to let it grow into something
more.
“How about we leave the past behind us and try again?” he suggested.
“I’d like that.” She smiled and nodded. “Now back to my question. What are you doing in DC?”
“Z, you haven’t changed. You look fantastic,” he noted, avoiding her question. The tingling of nerves crept back across his
body again. He didn’t want her to think he’d only come here to ask her to work with him.
“You know Asian don’t raisin.” She placed her hands under her chin, kicked up her back leg like an anime character, and batted
her eyelashes. Or at least as much as she could crunched into the corner.
Derek shook his head at her bad joke. Could she be any more fucking adorable?
“You look really good, too.” Zoe gestured at his head down to his legs. “Glad to see your fashion sense has improved.”
“Damn right. Everybody looks good in black.” Derek did a very tiny shuffle hop step and narrowly avoided kicking over the
table.
“You still got the moves,” Zoe said, chuckling. “After all this time.”
“I’m a bit rusty, but a man’s gotta stay in shape somehow.” He patted his flat stomach.
“Still scarfing down late-night Taco Bell Nachos Bellgrande?”
“Don’t forget the cinnamon twists. Bring on the crunchy snacks.” He grinned.
“Mr. Big Director still orders off the value menu,” she teased.
“Old college habits die hard. After twelve-hour days during tech week hell, my body demands comfort food,” he reminded her.
“Junk food, you mean,” she shot back, the same way she used to during college.
“So Cheetos aren’t junk if you use chopsticks to eat them?”
“Orange cheese dust on Hamlet’s costume didn’t work with his emo vibes.” She raised an eyebrow, as if daring him to counter
her.
“Fine. You win this one.” He conceded with a dramatic tight bow.
His anxiety from earlier had dissipated with their playful banter and laughter. He and Zoe had been inseparable in college
for a reason. And they’d picked right back up as if no time had passed.
They’d taken different paths since finishing their undergrad theater program six years ago. She’d gone home to DC, and he’d
packed his bags to couch surf in New York City, hoping for his big break.
His first year had been rough, especially without his best friend cheering him on. He’d taken whatever gigs he could, even
if he was playing nerds or gang members. He even had a couple of roles as extras on whatever Law & Order show was filming at the time.
He did everything and anything to pad his résumé and get his name out. Lucky for him, it took only a year to land a decent
role. That same job was where he’d met his mentor, who gave Derek his first job as assistant director. Fast-forward to today,
and he had his choice of directing gigs across the country.
Which was what led to his standing in the corner of a wacky boba café in front of the woman he loved. Except she didn’t know he loved her, because he’d been too chickenshit to tell her.
Derek rubbed the side of his thigh. Spit it out and get it over with. He wasn’t a stranger to rejection, but he’d be crushed if she turned down his offer.
“I want you to design costumes for my new musical,” he blurted.