Page 39 of Finally Loved

“Nope.”

“Fair enough.”

“Great,” Zainab stood up from the couch swiftly, joining Alba by the door to grab her things as Alba sifted through what she needed to bring with her and what could stay there. “So. Good day?”

Alba laughed, herding her out the door. “Yes, thank you. A fairly standard Tuesday.”

She hummed. “Two days before my birthday. Did you get me a gift yet? Now’s a great time if not.”

Alba stepped back into the elevator she’d only recently left, her hand pausing halfway to the buttons. “Is that why we’re going to the mall?”

“No.”

“Okay. Great. Because I already got your gift, thank you very much.”

“I’m impressed.”

Alba waited until they made it to the ground floor to ask, “Do you want to know what it is?”

“No.” Zainab led the way out the door and across the parking lot. “I’ll drive, shall I?”

Alba smiled, nodding. A question. A really simple, standard question. Presumptuously phrased this time, perhaps, but it was a question. One she’d taken for granted for so long, but hanging out with Neve had her reassessing so many things in her life. She glanced at the spot where she’d parked Neve’s car on Sunday, smiling slightly more as she did.

They got into the car and Alba pulled her phone out to text Neve. However, she was greeted by a waiting notification and was unable to deny she was a little disappointed when she saw that it wasn’t from the woman in question.

“Neve?” Zainab asked accusingly as she started the car up.

“Handel’s Water Music.” Alba shot her a look. “See. Other people text me.”

“Yeah, your weird cousin is a real win.” She pulled out of the space and headed for the exit. “You know, calling her that only makes it weirder.”

“I know.” Alba grinned. In her defense, she wasn’t the one who’d started it. It was just a family thing from when her cousin, Hanna, had gotten so excited to attend a performance of said music that she learned everything she could about itscomposer’s life and those performing it. Subsequently, nobody actually managed to listen to any of the performance because Hanna managed to talk through the entire thing about all the facts she’d learned.

The fact that Hanna and Handel were similar only helped the name stick.

“Does she at least have good gossip?”

“If you count checking that I’m going to that whole holiday weekend gathering thing next week as gossip…”

“Ooh, do I consider your movements as juicy gossip I couldn’t get from anyone but your cousin?” She shot Alba a deadpan stare.

Alba laughed. “Hey, you asked.” She paused, reading. “Oh, actually, she is bringing her boyfriend, apparently.”

“Did we know she had a boyfriend?”

“Nope.”

“Okay. Baby gossip, I suppose.”

Alba looked away from the phone, studying Zainab’s profile. “Did you have a weird day at work?”

Zainab narrowed her eyes, refusing to look away from the road. “Why would you assume that?”

“You’re in an odd mood.”

“Am I.”

Alba laughed at the tone and lack of question in it. “Just a touch.”

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