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Lydia bit her lip as Eve sniffed on the other end of the line, and didn’t let it go until Aspen said, “That sounds perfect. You guys are our heroes right now. Thank you.”

Zann’s throat bobbed as she tipped her head back in relief. “I’ll always have your back. You know that.”

“We both do,” Lydia added.

“Thank you, Lyds,” Eve said, and Lydia was relieved that she sounded a bit calmer.

Zann straightened, and Lydia’s heart fluttered when she graced her with a positively breathtaking smile as she said, “Now, you guys go enjoy your morning with the fam. Give Fern and Paul a hug for me, sneak Alder’s kids some extra sugar, and we’ll take care of things here.”

After an abbreviated round of goodbyes, the call ended, and Zann blew out a rough breath as she flopped back onto the bed. “Fuck me.”

“While I would normally take you up on that,” Lydia chuckled, “I don’t think we have time right now.”

Zann groaned. “No, we totally don’t.” She sat up and scrubbed her hands through her hair. “Shit. Fuck. Shit.”

Lydia bit the inside of her lip and reached out to smooth her fingers through Zann’s hair, righting the mess she’d just made of it before tucking it behind her ear. She cradled Zann’s jaw tenderly. “Do you feel better after that?”

Zann nodded sheepishly. “A little,” she admitted, her eyes soft as she looked up at Lydia through her lashes. “Thank you for backing me up with Eve.”

“Oh, darling.” Lydia tipped forward to kiss her. “Always.”

A quiet rasp of a groan tumbled from Zann’s lips as she rose to meet her, and Lydia echoed the hushed, wanting sound as Zann’s hand cradled her cheek to hold her close as they came together in a slow, beautifully intimate kiss. Zann’s breath was a warm whisper against her lips when they eventually parted, and Lydia kept her eyes closed as she allowed herself a few heartbeats more to linger in the gentle strength and grounding weight of Zann’s touch.

Yes, they had so much to do, but this was important, too.

“Lyds…” Zann exhaled, her voice trembling.

Lydia smiled and kissed her again one last time before, with a sigh heavy with regret, she pulled away. “So,” she said as she took Zann’s hand in both of hers, “what’s the plan?”

“Well…” Zann pulled a face and shrugged. “I’m going to have to run home to get some stuff—cameras, flashes, other lighting elements… Maybe a drone? That could be good for the ceremony on the beach. And I gotta nail down an assistant. So, unfortunately, I won’t be able to go to brunch with you guys, which sucks, but—”

Lydia squeezed Zann’s hand as she interrupted, “I’m coming with you.” When Zann just blinked at her, she realized she might have overstepped by essentially inviting herself along, and said, “If you’ll have me, of course.” And then, because she really didn’t want to spend a single second away from Zann when the opposite was possible, she added, “I promised Eve I’d help, and—”

Zann huffed a laugh. “Baby, I absolutely want you to come with me. But this is your vacation; I don’t want you to waste it driving back and forth to Agoura with me when you could be here enjoying it.”

“This week has already been more of a vacation than I’ve had in…” Lydia pulled a face. “I can’t remember, honestly.” She smiled at the way Zann frowned a little at that, and inclined her head as she whispered, “I just want to be with you. Where that happens is honestly irrelevant to me. Can I come?”

And, oh, the way Zann’s face lit up as she promised, “Always,” was something Lydia never wanted to forget.

Even though they’d barely left each other’s side over the last few days, there was something about having Lydia sitting in the passenger seat of her car that tugged at Zann’s chest in a way she honestly hadn’t expected. She knew it was silly, but having Lydia’s hand on her thigh while she navigated the familiar snaking curves of the 101 Freeway in her TRD Tacoma just made everything happening between them seem so much more real.

“So what made you decide to set up shop in LA instead of going back to Europe?” Lydia asked.

Zann smiled at the interest that was so plain on Lydia’s face as she peered through the windshield at the Conejo Valley spread before them. “I made some really good industry connections while I was at film school here, so it seemed the natural choice to stay.” She blinked as the playlist they’d been listening to was interrupted by an incoming call. Her pulse leapt when she glanced at the dash and saw that it was Imani returning her call from earlier. “Sorry, I need to take this. It’s my friend that I’m hoping to talk into helping with the wedding,” she explained as she pushed the button on her steering wheel to answer. “Imani, hey.”

“Hey, sexy. Sorry I missed your call earlier. I was in a meeting. What’s up?”

“Quite a lot, actually,” Zann shared, squeezing Lydia’s hand, “but I’ll fill you in on all that later.”

“Ah, so this is a work thing.”

“Yes and no. I know this is last-minute, but is there any chance you and Yasmine are free this weekend? I need help with something.”

“I’d have to check with the wife, but as far as I know, we’re free. I mean, just as long as you’re not proposing we jump in shark cages again…”

Zann sniggered at the way Lydia gasped at that, and patted her thigh reassuringly as she said, “Nothing that exciting, I’m afraid.”

“Thank fuck.”