Chapter 14 #2
Valeria’s message does nothing to ease her nerves, but it does make Camila giggle. When she has her nerves under control, Camila walks into the restaurant and finds Zoe speaking with the host, a single rose in her hand. Zoe turns and immediately takes Camila in with that smoldering look of hers.
“Wow, you look amazing.”
“So do you,” Camila says, taking in Zoe’s tightly fitted dress with a plunging neckline that leaves little to the imagination.
“This is for you,” Zoe says, holding out the rose, her gaze never leaving Camila’s.
Camila hesitates only a second before accepting it, and warmth blooms up the back of her neck, a soft blush spreading across her cheeks as her fingers curl carefully around the stem.
“Thank you.”
“Follow me, please,” a man with an impressive mustache says, breaking the moment. He guides them both to a table near a window with the most beautiful view of Lake Washington.
“Wow, this is incredible. How’d you hear about this place?”
Zoe blushes slightly. “Your mom might have recommended it for tonight.”
“She does love a restaurant with a view,” Camila says, trying not to feel weird about the fact that her mom knows she’s on a date right now, but not because of her.
“Is that weird?” Zoe asks, biting her lip.
A knot forms in Camila’s stomach. She wants to say that it absolutely is, but not for the reason Zoe would think.
And if she said that, she’d have to explain to her why, and Camila doesn’t know what the etiquette is around telling your father’s coworker about all the ways his wife has hurt their child.
So Camila settles for saying, “No, not at all.”
A server comes by and drops off menus; they look over them in silence, and a few minutes later, the same server stops by for their orders. Camila opts for red wine and curry.
“Same for me, please,” Zoe says.
The server scribbles down their orders before vanishing into the bustling restaurant.
Minutes later, he drops off both of their drinks.
Zoe takes a sip of her wine. “Thank you for coming,” she says. “I wasn’t sure you’d ever agree.”
Camila laughs a little self-consciously, rubbing her thumb along the edge of her napkin. “I didn’t mean to put it off for so long; I just haven’t been on a date in a while.”
Zoe tilts her head. “Why is that? Can’t imagine you struggle for attention.”
“Long story,” Camila says, not quite ready to share with Zoe, which strikes her as odd, because she did so effortlessly with Valeria. Granted, Valeria was going through a similar situation.
The moment hangs for half a second before Zoe smiles and lets it go, mercifully changing the subject. They talk about safer things. Camila’s job. Zoe’s work at the firm. Their pets. Camila mentions the book she just finished. Zoe keeps up easily—quick and sharp, genuinely funny.
The date is, honestly, going great. Easy. By the time they order dessert, Camila is almost disappointed it has to end at all, and it’s as if Zoe read her mind.
“So,” Zoe says, before biting her bottom lip. “I’m not quite ready to end this date.”
Camila arches an eyebrow.
“My place isn’t far. We could . . . continue the evening there. No pressure.”
“Lead the way,” Camila says with little thought. She’s genuinely excited to hang out with Zoe, but she can’t decide if it’s because she likes Zoe or if it’s because she sees something more.
They ask for their check, and Camila pays, even as Zoe protests that the dinner was her idea and that she should have paid.
“You’ll have to be quicker next time.” Camila smiles.
“Next time?” Zoe arches an eyebrow. “I like the sound of that.”
They walk out of the restaurant, hop into Camila’s car, and, five minutes later, they end up at Zoe’s place, where Picasso—Zoe’s golden retriever—welcomes them by knocking Camila to the floor and licking her face for what seemed like hours.
Once Zoe has Picasso under control, they leave their shoes by the door and Camila’s coat slung over a chair.
“Can I get you anything to drink?” Zoe asks.
“No, thank you. If I have any more, I won’t make it home.”
Zoe shrugs. “I don’t see the problem with that.”
Camila shakes her head and smiles to herself, her cheeks warming despite her best efforts.
Zoe grabs Camila a glass of water and a glass of wine for herself. They sit by the fireplace, talking about a dinner party Zoe went to with her parents last week, her last trip abroad. All the topics are superficial; one hour turns into two without either of them noticing until Camila yawns.
She peeks at her phone and realizes it’s later than she thought; the time reads 10 p.m. already.
“I should head out,” Camila says.
Zoe pouts but nods. They each stand, and Zoe walks Camila to the door.
“I had a great time,” Camila says genuinely.
“Yeah, me too,” Zoe says, holding Camila’s gaze before leaning in. The kiss is amazing. Camila would even describe it as passionate, a word she doesn’t use often. Camila kisses her back, her hand landing on Zoe’s waist.
She waits for the rest of it. For the intense wave of desire that usually follows a kiss like this, but there’s no tightening in her chest, no sudden urge to stay.
When they pull apart, Zoe’s smile is radiant—a flash of white teeth against flushed cheeks. Camila returns the smile.
“Thanks again for everything,” she says.
“Thank you. I do hope I see you again,” Zoe says before leaning in again to kiss Camila’s cheek.
With that, Camila turns and heads for her car. Against her better wishes, her heart skips a beat at the thought of Valeria waiting for her.
When she makes it home, she finds Valeria and Miso curled up on the couch, both fast asleep, and she tries to ignore the sudden thrill running through her at the sight.
She grabs a blanket and lays it over Valeria, careful not to wake her. But somehow she still does.
Valeria opens her eyes slowly and gives her a sleepy smile. “Hey.”
“Hi.” Camila beams, that same warmth that lives in her chest whenever she’s around Valeria bursting to life.
Valeria sits up and stretches. “How was your date?”
“It was good,” Camila says, eager to move past the topic so she can ask Valeria what she did tonight. Somehow, that seems more important.
“What did you guys do?”
“Not much, had dinner, went back to her place for a bit.”
Valeria’s eyebrows shoot up, and her eyes widen, a big grin forming on her lips. “Wow! It was more than good then.”
“We just talked,” Camila says, waving her off. “We did kiss, though.”
Valeria moves closer until their knees are touching. Camila’s breath hitches at the connection. This simple touch is doing far more to her nerves than Zoe’s lips. Thankfully, Valeria doesn’t seem to notice.
“Tell me everything. Was Miss Hot Zoe an amazing kisser?”
A smirk curls at the corners of Camila’s mouth at the question.
“She definitely was.” The kiss was wonderful, even if it didn’t spark all those things she was waiting for, which Camila really wants to get to the bottom of.
She hates to think Eileen has broken her to the point that a very hot woman making out with her doesn’t stir anything.
“Good. You think you’ll see her again?”
Camila shrugs. “Maybe. I’m not good at the whole friends-with-benefits. I like the benefits, but I haven’t really learned how to hold on to the friends part, and it always ends up messy.”
“Hey, I get it. I’ve never been good at it, either. I’ve always admired Isabella and Clara for their ability to separate sex from emotions.”
Camila nods.
“What did you guys do tonight?” Camila asks, scratching Miso’s chin. The question that’s been burning on her tongue since she got home.
“You mean aside from missing you terribly?” Valeria’s voice is soft, and her gaze flickers downward, avoiding direct eye contact.
Camila laughs. She doesn’t mean to; she doesn’t think it’s funny. It’s more of a nervous response to Valeria’s words.
“You missed me?” she asks, with a wrinkled forehead and a ridiculous grin.
Valeria nods, almost shy. “The house is way too quiet without you, and Miso is a lot calmer when you’re away.” A subtle flush creeps up Valeria’s neck, a warmth spreading across her cheeks. Her fingers fidget, picking at the edge of her sleeve.
“Yeah, it’s why I’ve enjoyed having you here.
All the rooms and space really highlight how empty the house is when it’s just Miso and me.
So, I’m not ready for how quiet it’ll be when you go home tomorrow.
” Camila tries not to sound so sad at the last part, but with the way Valeria averts her eyes, she knows she probably didn’t do a great job.
“I’m not ready to go back either, honestly. I’m kind of nervous about it.”
“I’ll be right beside you when you’re there.”
“Thank you.” Valeria leans her head on Camila’s shoulder.
Camila closes her eyes, breathing deeply, savoring the weight of Valeria’s head on her.
Camila’s heart begins to pound wildly. A nervous energy buzzes beneath her skin, making her fingers tingle.
Something about this moment is like a neon sign, and Ella questioning Camila’s feelings for Valeria doesn’t seem silly anymore.
Suddenly, all the warmth and nerves that have become a constant around Valeria make sense.
Camila doesn’t know when they started or if they’ve been there since her initial attraction to Valeria at the vet clinic, but right now, all she knows is that they’ve been steadily growing as she’s gotten to know her.
How could she have missed it? For the past four weeks, she has been around Valeria every day, cooked with her, and seen her in all of Camila’s favorite sweaters and sweats.
Suddenly, this urge to be ready to date makes sense; it makes sense why Valeria has awakened it all. It was never because she missed the feeling, but because it was almost as if she had that intimacy with Valeria.
Now that she realizes it, she can no longer ignore it. The feelings are real and intense, and she can’t help but hate that they’ve decided to show up for someone who is painfully unavailable.