Page 24 of Honey Sunshine

His breath hitches, and then he lets out a long, slow exhale, almost as if he’s been holding it in. “Right. See you tomorrow.”

“Good night. You and your blue balls,” I laugh, though the sound comes out a little breathless. “I should start calling you Mr. Blue Balls now.”

He chuckles but remains quiet after, letting the silence stretch a bit between us. It’s not awkward, just feels more like a yearning... like we both don’t want to get off the line but have to... for propriety’s sake. Or so I thought, until Harvey lands another one of his jump scares on me.

“Good night, baby.”

And then he hangs up, leaving my mouth gaping as I stare at my phone like a fool, willing myself not to overthink. But it’s too late. I’m already there.

Baby?

My heart thuds in my chest. I want to call him back, ask him what he meant by it, because my mind can’t stop replaying his voice, the way he said it so casually, like it was something he’d been dying to call me. Like it was natural.

Oh, this guy is definitely messing with my head!

And my heart.

4

HARVEY

SATURDAY—DAY EIGHT—DINNER DAY

Mom

You’re still bringing your boyfriend for dinner tonight, right?

Yes, I am.

Great! I’ll be sure to set an extra plate! Oh, I’m so ecstatic!

I even made a centerpiece just for this occasion!

My boy is all grown up!

Mom, remember, no going overboard. I mean it. That means no baby photos. No oversharing, and no talking about marriage. I don’t want him to feel pressured.

Marriage? You’re the one who brought it up first

Itry not to cringe at Mom’s message as I head out of my penthouse building and to my car. Anyone would be tiredafter hearing those same phrases over and over, which is why I know Operation Fake Boyfriend needs to commence.

“When are you going to settle down and find someone?”

“You’re not getting any younger, you know.”

“I want to walk you down the aisle before I die!”

“Why can’t you find a nice young man to date already?”

While I love my parents to death, I would absolutely love a few weeks without them pressuring me into settling down, trying to set me up with someone, and more importantly, a break from all that marriage talk at the dinner table. Maybe we could finally talk about other matters like how the weather is, how work has been lately, or anything else that does not revolve aroundmylove life.

Though, I know my kin too well. The focus is going to be on Zach without a shadow of a doubt.

Just thinking of him makes me smile. How could I not have been drawn to him in the brief time we’ve known each other? With his usually playful, mischievous coffee-colored eyes and those dimples, he’s the epitome of charm and cuteness—my exact type down to a damn T.

His quick wit, playful persona, and lack of filter really do make my heart flutter like I’m in high school all over again.

Was I really saving him that day, or was I trying to make a move on a guy who caught my attention the moment I saw him standing next to the sinks in the restroom at the restaurant?

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