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Stupid. How could he have forgotten? How could he have asked Arthur of all people about Zoe—even in the most veiled of terms?
How could he have imagined this could work?
He forced out a laugh, but it was hollow to his own ears. “Nah, man. Me and Arthur—we were just talking.”
Devin stood up, anxious, restless energy making it impossible to sit.
“Really?” Han asked, setting down a crate of leftover produce from the restaurant before wiping his brow. “Because it sounded like—”
Mercifully, Arthur stepped in to save him. “Your friend. He was talking in”—he cleared his throat—“hypotheticals.”
Devin directed an appreciative glance his way. Leave it to Arthur to make Devin sound innocent without telling a single untruth.
But Han wasn’t going to be deterred. “I don’t know, man.” He sized Devin up. “You have been a little weird lately.”
“Work stuff.” That wasn’t an untruth, either. Taking over as shift leader had been great, but it had come with all the headaches he’d assumed it would.
Namely managing Bryce Horton.
But he wasn’t here to complain about Bryce. Especially when Han was still regarding Devin with suspicion, and Devin was trying not to sweat.
Finally, Han gave him a playful shove on his shoulder. “Well, whoever thehypotheticalgirl is, I hope you win her over. Your dry spell has been going on forwaytoo long.”
“Like you’re one to talk.”
Han’s gaze darkened. The fact he hadn’t had a serious long-term relationship since he and May broke up after high school was a sore spot, and Devin had aimed right for it. “Whatever. Keep your secrets.”
“No secrets to tell.” And he was going to make sure it stayed that way. Needing some air after that close call, he grabbed a stack of inventory forms they’d already gotten through. “Gotta hit the head. I’ll swing these by the front office.”
“Thanks,” Arthur said.
Han got to work. Relieved there wasn’t going to be any more third degree, Devin headed out.
He had an ulterior motive for swinging past the office anyway.
The second Zoe came into view, his heart did something funny in his chest. She looked as beautiful as ever. She had when he’d first arrived, too.
She’d avoided his gaze in a way that was new, though. There’d been no flirty banter. She hadn’t gotten in his space. She definitely hadn’t come close enough for him to slip up and almost kiss her, and that was a good thing.
So why did it feel so awful?
Arthur hadn’t known all the facts, so his advice hadn’t been right, but there was one area where he’d been on the nose. Zoe did mean something to Devin. That meant he had to make this work between them. Not the kissing part, but the rest of it. He’d really started to think they were becoming friends. He wanted her, sure, but he also just plain liked her.
If almost kissing her meant losing her smiles and the way she looked at him and talked to him, then he’d screwed up worse than he’d realized. He had to make it right. Fast, before he messed this up for good.
He walked right up to the desk and put the inventory sheets in the bin. She glanced up at him. Her eyes sparkled for a second before darkening. Glowering, she looked away.
No smile. No “hello,” even.
Guilt churned in his gut. She really was mad, and she had every right to be.
“You have a minute?” he asked. He couldn’t keep the urgency out of his tone.
“Nope.”
“Come on, Zo.” He reached for her hand, only for her to snap it away.
“Uh-uh. No way.” She darted her gaze around, but they were definitely alone out here. She still lowered her voice. “You of all people do not get to do what you almost did on Sunday night and then ‘Zo’ me.”
