Page 108 of California Wild

They crossed the street into the shaded plaza near the beachside Whole Foods, its glass doors opening with a hiss of air conditioning. It smelled like citrus and money in here. Too clean. Too curated. A far cry from the grimy bars and dive kitchens they used to crash in after midnight shows.

Jesse grabbed a basket.

Hayley trailed behind him, arms crossed, watching as he filled the cart with muscle memory—bananas, ginger, rice crackers, mint tea, a pack of electrolyte drinks. Every damn thing she’d touched or glanced at, he grabbed. He wasn’t subtle. He didn’t care.

She raised a brow as he inspected a loaf of sourdough like it was some kind of mission brief. “What are you even doing?”

“You’re eating something. I’m not letting you run on fumes.”

“I’m not dying.”

“No. But you’re important to me.”

Her lips parted, and Jesse caught it—that flicker of something. Emotion. Uncertainty. He knew this was new territory. Not just for her, but for both of them.

Because this wasn’t how they worked. Not before.

They were the chaos couple. Late nights. Drunken arguments. Messy sex and slammed doors. That had been them—burning so bright they torched everything in their wake.

But this?

This was different.

He moved slow through the aisles, watching her out of the corner of his eye. The way she hugged herself. The way she never asked for anything. The way she was still trying to act like she didn’t need him.

They stopped in front of the soups. Jesse raised a can. “Which flavor offends you the least?”

Hayley wrinkled her nose. “All of them.”

He smirked. “Tomato basil it is.”

She gave a reluctant laugh, shaking her head. “I’m not used to being coddled.”

He leaned in, lowering his voice. “Keep talking and I’ll coddle the fuck out of you when we get home.”

That hit. He saw it in the flush that crept into her cheeks, the way her breath caught.

And then—

“Navarro.”

Smooth. Cool. Like always.

Jesse didn’t even need to turn. He already knew the voice.

Isaac strolled into the aisle like he belonged there, hands tucked in his pockets, sunglasses dangling loose from the collar of his black tee. Effortless. Relaxed.

“Dude, what’s up?” Isaac said, slapping him on the back and grinning at her. “And good to see you again.”

Hayley smiled—tight, hesitant. “Hey.”

Isaac clocked the silence. The tension. Jesse knew he did.

But Isaac? He didn’t press. Didn’t push.

Just shifted his weight, casual as hell, and said, “We’re heading to McP’s tonight. Chill thing—just the band, some music, nothing crazy. Come.”

“The band?” Hayley asked.

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