Page 37 of Love, Just In

‘Don’tyoube sorry,’ Zac says to her. ‘It’s this pervert’s house. Don’t you have a fucking bedroom?’ he snaps at Davide, who cowers a little.

I’m struggling for breath like I’ve been punched in the throat. I don’t want any more of this. Davide’s shoulder-length mane of hair and crazy eyes are beginning to resemble Charles Manson’s.

Zac twists to look at me, his brow creased. ‘You can’t stay here.’

It sounds more like a plea than an order, but I nod.No, I can’t stay here.

He returns his gaze to the wide-eyed woman. ‘Do you want to leave with us?’

She shares a glance with Davide, who’s put the massage table between himself and Zac. ‘I’m OK,’ she murmurs, swiping a matted strand of hair from her eyes. ‘We were in the middle of a reiki session, and I’m paying by the hour.’

Zac shakes his head and reaches for my hand. My fingers curl into his, gripping tightly.

‘Do you need to pack some stuff?’ he asks me softly. ‘I can bring you back tomorrow when he’s not here to get whatever you need.’

Right now, I just want to be out of here. My faded jeans and op-shop cami top are going to have to be good enough for Lindsay.

Am I seriously still going on that date?My stomach is as tight as a fist.

Davide’s intense gaze burns a hole in my back as Zac follows me outside. Zac stops to mutter something sharply to Davide that I can’t make out, but I’m sure it’s nothing good.

Because I’m shaken up, Zac offers to drive and bring me back to pick up my car tomorrow. He sits and looks at me before he switches on the engine, his lips turned down.

‘You can’t live there anymore, Jose.’

I nod, blinking away tears. ‘I know.’

‘You can stay with me, OK? Until you find a new place.’

Something I hadn’t realised was trapped bursts free inside me, and I tilt forward, reaching for his shoulders. Hetsksand folds himself around me, smelling like soap and something indescribablyZac.His heart beats hard against mine, and I turn my face into his neck, my breath fluttering warm air over the strip of skin beneath his hairline. His arms tighten around me, and I think he breathes a sigh, but I’m not sure.

My phone pings, and we both jolt backwards like a parent just walked in on us making out on the bed.

It’s a message from Lindsay, letting me know he’ll be fifteen minutes late. Zac kicks the car into gear, and I type out a reply saying I’m unexpectedly staying at Zac’s house and without a car. I can’t help but hope it ends the date, but Lindsay offers to pick me up, which makes Zac go oddly quiet.

The moment we’re inside his house, Zac falls into his classic protective mode, bringing me water and making up a couch bed because he hasn’t refurnished the spare room yet. He promises to buy me a toothbrush and anything else I need while I’m out with Lindsay.

‘Stop being so nice,’ I say through a pouty smile, clearly not meaning that at all, as I curl up on the adjacent couch.

He tosses a pillow onto the couch bed. ‘You know you don’t have to go out tonight. I’m sure Lindsay will survive.’

I force a smile. ‘I only walked in on Davide giving his reiki client the full-service package. I’m not suffering from war wounds.’

‘Well, I am.’ He grimaces at the memory.

As much as I want to be excited about seeing Lindsay, all I feel like doing is hanging out in this comfortable living room with my oldest friend who I’ve missed so much, but it feels too late to cancel the date.

Zac rests against the arm of the couch and thumbs through his phone. ‘I’m going to crash at Meghan’s tonight. I’ll give you a spare key to get back in.’

‘OK, sure,’ I say in a rush and lurch to my feet.

I slip into the bathroom to fix my hair and apply the mascara I found in my handbag, suppressing the little twist of jealousy in my chest that’s all kinds of stupid. I’m going out tonight, so why shouldn’t he?

I stare myself down in the mirror.Get your shit together, Josie. You’re just crashing over. It’s not a Zac–Josie reunion party.

The date with Lindsay at an American-style burger bar goes surprisingly well, and even though I fight off his pleas for me to come back to his place, I let his mouth devour mine in his car for a good thirty minutes outside Zac’s house. It’s just after eleven when I finally unlock my mouth and head inside, my lips raw and tingling.

A blue light glows from the couch bed where Zac’s laid out, staring at his phone.

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