Page 94 of The Hearts We Fumble
We climb the stairs leading around the back of the property to the deck. Zane slides open the glass door, and the warm glow from the family room spills out onto the porch. Laughter filters through the space, mingling with the faint hum of the TV. Myla and Katie are curled up on the couch, lost in whatever they’re watching. They’re so distracted they don’t even hear us come in.
Until Myla glances up.
She shrieks, jolting upright, her hand flying to her chest. “Goddamn, Zane, ever heard of knocking?” Her breathing is heavy as she glares at him, but it’s all playful irritation.
Zane just smirks, but I feel her eyes shift to me—and more importantly, to where Zane is still holding my hand. Her gaze snaps between us, and a slow, knowing grin spreads across her face.
“Oh my God.” She’s on her feet in an instant, her messy bun bouncing on top of her head as she practically launches herself at me, wrapping me in a hug. “Please tell me this is what it looks like.”
Her excited energy is contagious, but I hesitate, my teeth sinking into my bottom lip as I glance up at Zane, waiting for him to answer. He doesn’t get the chance before Myla starts bouncing in place, then throws an arm around him too, dragging him into a full-blown group hug.
“It’s about damn time you woke the hell up,” she declares, swatting his chest. “How long has this been going on?”
She backs toward the couch, flopping back into her spot, tugging the blanket over her lap like she’s settling in for a juicy story. It’s only then that I fully register Katie is sitting beside her, watching the whole interaction unfold with an amused expression.
Zane leans his weight into one leg, his lips twitching like he’s debating just how much he wants to indulge Myla. “This,” he says, motioning between us, “is still new.”
“We haven’t really told anyone,” I add, my fingers still laced with Zane’s as I glance up at him. “Although Everly and Tate figured it out after the whole jersey thing.”
Zane nods. “And I’m pretty sure Reed and Hayes know, but they haven’t said anything.”
Myla claps her hands together and lets out a giddy little noise. “Well, all I have to say isfinally.” Then, with a dramatic wave of her hand, she adds, “I mean, everyone already knew you two were in love. You were just being dumb about it.”
I suck in a sharp breath—and immediately start coughing.
Zane chuckles beside me, shaking his head like he’s been caught in the middle of some elaborate joke. I need water. Now. Turning on my heel, I beeline for the kitchen, grabbing a bottle and taking a long sip to recover from the verbal punch Myla just threw at me.
Zane’s still grinning when I return, propped against the wall with an easy confidence, clearly amused. “Just to set the record straight,” he says, glancing at Myla, “this has only been a thing for a few weeks.”
She just shrugs, unbothered. “Yeah, yeah. But we all know this has been brewing for a lot longer.”
Zane shakes his head, amusement flickering in his eyes before they turn serious. “Anyway, I came in to check on you.” His voice softens slightly. “Seems like you’re doing okay.”
Myla sighs, sinking deeper into the couch. “I told you I was fine the other night, and I meant it. Nothing happened.”
Katie, sitting quietly beside her, shifts, her expression unreadable. There’s something in the way she presses her lips together, but she stays silent.
Zane studies Myla for a second longer, then his gaze flicks to me—and then to Katie. “Have either of you seen or talked to Luca since that night?”
The weight in his question makes my stomach tighten. I thought he was directing it at Myla, but the way his eyes flicker to mine tells me he’s asking us both.
We both shake our heads. “No, and I’m pretty sure I won’t be invited back to another Alpha Nu party after that mess.”
Zane’s jaw tightens. “Like hell you’re stepping foot in that house again.”
The air thickens, tension coiling between us like a storm ready to break. There’s so much left unsaid, lingering beneath the surface, but one thing is clear—Zane isn’t letting this go.
Myla exhales sharply, rolling her eyes. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but it wasn’t a big deal. I swear, like I said, nothing happened.”
Zane’s gaze darkens, his voice firm and unwavering. “I don’t want you talking to him again.”
Myla scoffs, and Zane’s attention snaps to me, his sharp gaze locking me in place. “That goes for you too.”
“All right, whatever you say, Dad,” Myla fires back, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
A smirk tugs at the corner of her mouth, but Zane? His shoulders go rigid, his jaw flexing like he’s biting back whatever reaction threatens to slip through.
I let out a breath, trying to smooth things over. “Nothing happened between us either. Maybe some harmless flirting, like what you saw at the bar, but that’s all it was.”
