“Which video should I watch first?”
I said, “None of them,” at the same time CJ piped up with “The no-bake chocolate chip cookies.”
“Goddamn it, CJ,” slid out of my mouth before I could stop myself. “I’m sorry, CJ. I meant it, but I’m still sorry.”
The man laughed for the first time since I’d met him, and it was just as deep as his speaking voice. “We’re good. But that one is my favorite. You should watch that one.”
Beside me—and basically on top of me—Zac tapped on the fourth video down as I said, “You really don’t need to.”
His index finger paused on the screen, and I wasn’t sure if I imagined the hurt in his tone as he asked, “You don’t want me to watch ’em?”
“It’s not that.” It kind of was, and I was pretty sure we both knew it. “They’re just goofy videos, and didn’t you need to go to the dealership or something?” I wasn’t sure what he needed to do. He wouldn’t be buying a car when he wasn’t sure where he would end up, right? I hadn’t even seen proof that he had a car here either.
He ducked his head, his blue eyes moving from one of mine to the other and back again before he gave me a small smile that looked a lot more hurt than I would have expected. Or wanted. “How about one and we leave?”
Did he have to go off and make me feel bad? “Okay.” Damn it. “All right… just one.”
He slid me another small smile that was definitely off as his finger tapped on the Play button of his screen.
And inside, I cringed big-time. “Hi, friends! It’s me Bianca, The Lazy Baker, and I’m here today with a very special guest, my cousin, Boogie!”
Oh God, I wanted him to stop it, and I had to force myself to peek at his face.
Zac was smiling faintly.
“Hi,” Boogie’s voice came over the speaker.
“We’re going to be attempting to make no-bake chocolate chip cookies today. Wish us luck! Like with all my recipes, we’re going to try and make this with the least amount of ingredients as possible to start. Our first ingredient is going to be—”
“Salted cashews,” Boogie butted in.
“One cup of salted cashews, and… drumroll, Boog….”
“Dates?”
“Yes, Boog, Medjool dates. Trust me. I’m thinking… 8 ounces. Might as well use the whole package so they don’t go bad.”
And it all went downhill after that.
But what made me smile was the laughter that bubbled out of Zac during the four-minute, long version, video. There was a quick one-minute long video I had uploaded to Picturegram shortly afterward that was more of a highlight reel.
By the time the final product came out of the freezer fifteen edited minutes later, there were tears in Zac’s eyes, and most surprisingly, at one point he slid an arm around my shoulders and was pretty much holding me hostage against his warm side as Boogie choked, “Goddamn, B, this tastes like ass.”
I didn’t need to look at the screen to know that I had been turning red then as I replied, embarrassed like I always was and always would be when something came out freaking atrocious, “How much ass have you tasted?”
But as Zac wiped at his eyes, well… I didn’t mind at all, especially not when he glanced at me with sparkling baby blues and shook his head. “Kiddo, I forgot about that mouth.” One corner of his mouth went up. “You’re adorable.”
Oh.
Well.
I gave him a little smile. I was going to let the “adorable” comment go. “I mean, it all goes downhill from there, so don’t think the rest of them get any better.”
“I fuckin’ doubt that, darlin’.” Zac looked right into my soul then, his arm around me still. “I highly doubt that.”
* * *
Zac acted kind of weird the entire ride over to the car dealership. I couldn’t put my finger on exactly what he was doing that was strange, especially since I didn’t totally know this adult version of him, but there was a tension there that was similar to the last time we’d seen each other at my apartment. And I was way too much of a chicken to ask what he was thinking.
Instead, I’d settled for asking him what he was going to do at the dealership… but kept the question about why he’d gone to me for a ride instead of someone else to myself.
“I dropped it off a couple weeks ago to have it checked out. There was a problem with the electronics,” he answered. “I need to get it back just in case I have to move last minute.”
Move last minute. Because he signed with another team, I guessed.
“Oh,” I told him, trying to make it seem like I wasn’t nosey as hell about details. “They didn’t give you a rental?”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him shrug. “They offered me one, but Trev’s never around, so I use his car when I need it.”
That still didn’t explain why he didn’t ask for a car to get him, or why he didn’t ask CJ or anyone else, but… maybe it was because I seemed like I had the least busy or important life? That was a bitchy thought.
“So….” I trailed off, telling myself for about the thousandth time that his career wasn’t my business, but I was going to ask anyway. “Can I ask how your tryout in Miami went?”
He was staring out the window as he answered. “Fine.”
Fine.
That was what I fucking got. I should have just shut the hell up and put two and two together.
Zac sighed and scrubbed at his forehead. “They weren’t gonna sign me. Knew it the minute I got there. They were just usin’ me as a threat to get their current QB to take less money. It was a waste of damn time.”
I winced, regretting bringing it up. “I’m sorry.”
The shoulder closest to me went up. “It’s all
