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Zach found a spot near the coffee shop, and they managed to go inside, wait in line, order, and even sit at a table with their drinks without trading more than two words. It was almost impressive, really. Though it didn’t bode particularly well for how this so-called “talk” would go.
“So,” Addison said, cradling her mug of English breakfast tea between her hands. “What do you want to talk about?”
“Give me a minute.” He closed his eyes, his face screwing up in what looked like actual pain. “Sorry, this is really hard for me. I’ve never told anyone this.”
Her mouth dropped open, but she snapped it shut before he reopened his eyes. “Wow,” she said, trying to sound honored rather than shocked, and sort of succeeding. “It means a lot to me that you trust me.”
His lips quirked up into his usual half smile, and for the first time since she entered the lobby that evening, some of his customary humor danced in his eyes. “It’s okay. You can say, ‘Why are you trusting me with your deepest, darkest secret when you’ve been a total bitch to me for two months?’ I won’t be offended.”
Addison returned his smirk. “You weren’t a total bitch. At the New Year’s Eve party, you gave a toast in my honor.”
“Did I?” He chuckled. “Sounds like something I’d do.”
“I’m sorry about whatever changed things between us.”
He started shaking his head before she got more than half the sentence out. “No, please don’t. I meant what I said before. You’ve done nothing wrong. This is one hundred percent a me problem.”
When he didn’t elaborate, she took a slow sip of her tea, then prompted, “If you tell me what it is, maybe I can help.”
Groaning, Zach leaned his head from side to side, stretching his neck muscles. “Okay, fuck it. Time to just rip the Band-Aid off and get it over with.” He closed his eyes and blew out a long breath. Then he spoke so fast, the words all ran together. “I’ve been in love with Mason since the day I met him.”
Addison hadn’t quite figured out what to expect, but none of her varied ponderings had even been close.
“Oh, shit.” What else was there to say?
“Yeah,” Zach said gloomily. “Exactly.”
“Damn, that’s...wow. Is he bi, or pan, or anything that would include—” She gestured vaguely in Zach’s direction.
With a morose shake of the head, Zach said, “The man is straight as an arrow. I’ve known almost the whole time I had a snowball’s chance in hell, but the heart wants what the heart wants, right?”
“Right,” she agreed, reaching across the table and taking his hand. “I’m so sorry, Zach. I can’t imagine how hard the last couple months have been for you.”
Zach gave a bark of humorless laughter, though he only had kindness in his eyes. “I can’t believe you’re consoling me. After the way I’ve treated you? You should hate me.”
“There are very few people in this world I hate,” she answered. “Probably fewer than I should, to be honest, but nothing you’ve done even gets you close to that list.”
Zach rolled his eyes. “Raging bitch, remember?”
Snorting, Addison said, “Oh no, he made a couple snide comments after I started dating the man he’s in love with. Better cast him out forever.”
Looking down at their joined hands, he smiled, without a single trace of snark or sarcasm. “Well. When you put it like that.” Slipping his hand carefully out from under hers, he wrapped his hands around his cappuccino, drumming his fingertips against the mug. “It’s sort of liberating, finally telling someone.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t even tell Olivia,” Addison replied. “Isn’t she your best friend?”
“Best friend I’ve ever had,” he agreed. “But if I told her, she’d have to tell Aiden. Aiden would tell Mason, and I just wasn’t ready for that yet.”
Her eyes widened slightly at his use of past tense. “Does that mean you’re ready now?”
Zach gave a lethargic shrug, like he didn’t care one way or the other. The truth was written all over his face, though. The notion fucking terrified him.
“I’m not going to tell Mason unless you want me to,” she promised. She didn’t like the idea of keeping secrets from him, but this...it wasn’t her secret to tell.
When Zach slumped back in his chair, relief filling his eyes, she knew she made the right decision.
“Thank you,” he whispered. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to thank you enough.”
The pair sat in silence for a while after that, pondering the revelations of the day until their drinks ran dry. “Should we head out?” Addison asked, spotting a couple of teenagers eyeing their empty mugs as they searched the busy coffee shop for a table.
