Chapter 25
“What kind of pub closes at nine?” Th ? o grumbled as they walked away from the Wharf.
“When it’s a Wednesday night,” Derek replied. “We have rehearsal early tomorrow, so I’m going to put on my director hat and
send you all home.”
“Party pooper,” his cowriter mumbled as she tucked her head into Katie Mai’s shoulder.
He hadn’t seen her get this drunk in a while. Derek had been too wrapped up in his own worries about Zoe and the show that
he’d forgotten how much pressure Th ? o was under, too. He’d check in with her in the morning.
“I’ll walk her back to her apartment. It’s next door to mine.” Katie Mai looped her arm around Th ? o’s. “Let’s go.”
“Are you two good?” Derek touched Katie Mai’s arm as he searched her face for the apprehension from their earlier conversation.
“I’ll talk to her tomorrow when she’s sober.” Katie Mai sighed heavily. “Sorry to rope you into this.”
“I’m here for you. Both of you.”
“And you have some talking to do with you-know-who,” Katie Mai added as she nodded her head at Zoe, who was talking to TJ,
Danny, and some of the other cast members.
Now it was his turn to sigh heavily. He hadn’t meant to avoid Zoe most of the day, but Heather had a schedule they needed to follow. He’d been in rehearsal while she’d been busy in the costume shop.
“Hey, Katie Mai, wait for us,” Danny called. “We can all walk back together.”
Prestige rented several furnished apartments a couple of blocks away from the theater for their out-of-town actors, which
was a majority of this cast. Part of Derek wished that his apartment was in the same building as theirs, but his cast needed
space. Even though they were all friends, he was still their director and they’d need to blow off steam the closer they got
to opening night.
“Derek!” TJ waved him over. He stood next to Zoe, who was leaning against a large concrete pole that kept cars off the cobblestone
pathway.
Derek’s body straightened as he went on full alert. He looked at Zoe and back to Katie Mai and Th ? o, who now had her arm wrapped around Katie Mai’s waist.
“I have everything under control. Go help Zoe,” Katie Mai urged.
He ran over to Zoe. Her eyes were glassy as she grinned at him.
“Derek!” Her voice echoed off the dark buildings. “It’s about time you talked to me.”
“Hey, Z.”
“Can you drive Zoe home?” TJ asked quietly.
“Will she be okay?”
“Mostly, but I don’t think she ate enough today and Mr. Bobbins kept her up all night. So the rum punches hit her hard.” TJ’s
tone implied it had been more than Mr. Bobbins that contributed to her insomnia.
“Of course,” Derek replied.
She wasn’t the only one who lost sleep last night. He’d lain in bed, recalling how she explored his mouth and the heat of her soft breasts pressed on his chest. He also couldn’t forget the agony on her face as she kicked him out.
“Here are her keys. Don’t get lost, okay?” TJ handed him a car fob on a comedy-tragedy keychain. It was the one Derek had
given her as a gag gift their sophomore year. He couldn’t believe she’d kept it all these years.
“Ha ha,” Derek said sarcastically. “That was only one time.”
“You know, I’d feel better if you took her back to your place.”
“What? I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“How many drinks did you have?”
“Two? Maybe three?”
“Oh hell no, you’re not driving either.” TJ tapped his foot as he thought of a better solution.
“How about I bring her back to my place for some coffee?” Derek suggested. “When she’s more awake, I’ll call her a rideshare.”
“Perf. Thanks for taking care of my girl. Now I’m going to take care of me and some royalty.” TJ winked and dashed off to
join Danny and the rest of the group to walk home.
“Come on, let’s get you some coffee,” Derek said as he helped her stand up.
“Coffee sounds amazing right now,” Zoe muttered as she wrapped her arm around his waist to steady herself.
Once again he found himself close enough to kiss her. Not that he would, considering her state. Zoe leaned into him as he
led the way back to his apartment. She smelled of fried food and lavender.
Maybe the caffeine would wake her up enough so they could talk. He’d promised both Th ? o and Katie Mai he would. They were right. He’d been living in limbo for too long.
“How the tables have turned,” Derek whispered and chuckled.
Zoe had always been the tough one who didn’t ask for help. He had to jump in and do things for her so she didn’t burn out. For a younger sibling, she had major first child overachiever vibes. Often, she’d been the one who took care of him during college.
“I dragged your drunk ass back to our apartment so many times, I lost count.”
“Eventually I got smart and we held the parties at our place.”
They’d moved out of the dorm and into CNY’s apartments their last year.
“Sorry I don’t have any condensed milk.”
“Dump a bunch of sugar in it,” Zoe muttered with her eyes closed. She was stretched out like a Renaissance painter’s muse.
Except she wasn’t naked. He reminded himself to focus on her and not how great her breasts were in that dress.
“You look better,” Derek said. The walk back to his apartment had cleared her head. Her eyes were brighter and her face was
less flushed.
“Those drinks snuck up on me.” She groaned.
“How much is a bunch?” He held up a bowl stuffed with sugar packets. Thankfully Prestige Rep’s company manager had stocked
his apartment with all the basics, including coffee and its accompaniments.
She lifted her head high enough to look at him over the edge of the couch. She squinted at him then held up five fingers.
“Five? For this size mug?” He held up the small, white mug with “Keep Calm and Break a Leg” printed on it. Every mug in the
cabinet was theater-themed. For himself, he chose one that read “Prop” in bright yellow letters.
“I literally do not have the executive function to make decisions right now. Surprise me.”
“Your sweet tooth gets the munchies when you’re drunk? That’s a new one.” He laughed and tore open five packets before sticking
the mug under the pod coffeemaker.
“If I hadn’t stayed up all night regretting my life choices, it would take more than two cocktails to knock me off my feet,” she said before clapping her hand over her mouth.
Derek’s hand tightened around the spoon, which was pointed into the air. Right. He couldn’t avoid talking about their kiss
from the previous night. His chest constricted and he tried to take a deep breath. He had to push past his fear and get this
will-she-or-won’t-she over with.
There was no such thing as the perfect time. The machine shot its final burst of coffee into the mug. He added a splash of
half-and-half. He could feel the spoon scraping the mound of sugar he’d tossed into her mug.
“Are you and Katie dating?” Zoe asked, breaking the awkward silence hanging between them.
He dropped the spoon. It clattered against the side of the mug. The coffee continued to swirl. Whether he was ready or not,
Zoe had opened the door.
“No,” he replied quickly.
“Sleeping together?” Her voice rose as she pulled herself up to sitting.
“What? Hell, no.”
“Have you ever wanted to?” she asked softly, as if she were afraid of his answer.
“Why would you ask that?” He picked up the spoon and stirred with hyper focus so his body language wouldn’t reveal his anxiety
about her line of questioning.
“You two seem, I don’t know, tight,” she said as she shrugged.
He wasn’t convinced that the sugar could completely dissolve in such a high ratio of sweetener to coffee. Derek gave up stirring
and hiding his feelings. He handed Zoe the mug. She wrapped her hands around it. Her face lit up as she inhaled the dark,
chocolatey fragrance.
“We’re friends, and her heart belongs to someone else.”
“Oh.” There was genuine surprise on her face. She avoided his eyes by sipping her coffee.
Derek scoffed. That’s what Zoe had been worried about? She thought that he and— Katie Mai would have a field day when she
found out.
“So you’re not even slightly interested? She’s beautiful, smart, and funny.” Zoe was puzzled, maybe even confused. Was she
jealous?
He had no idea where she’d gotten the idea from but Zoe had gotten things all wrong. His heart pounded as he sat down across
from her. He set his mug down without drinking from it.
Derek looked into her dark brown eyes. She tilted her head at his serious expression.
Time to blow up four years of friendship. Ten if you added the six years they’d spent estranged.
“Zoe, the only woman I’m interested in is you,” he said quickly before he lost his nerve.
Derek exhaled loudly. He’d told her and he didn’t die. Relief flooded his body. The room felt brighter. He hadn’t realized
how holding this in had kept him on edge for so long.
Zoe opened her mouth and closed it. She blinked rapidly.
“The only woman I’ve ever wanted to be with is you,” he repeated with more conviction this time. “Z, I’ve wanted you since
freshman year.”