☽Ⓛ❈Ⓒ☾

'Guess who has a date with Zane Torres!' Pippa announces excitedly when we arrive at Christie's house.

I can't help but scoff and roll my eyes. I follow her into the hallway whilst Christie and Gilly immediately start firing questions at me.

'I don't have a date with Zane!' I tell them and they both pout in disappointment.

Pippa bumps my hip with hers. 'Not yet, maybe. She gave him her number.'

'Do you want to tell them what I had for breakfast, too?' I say sarcastically.

'A bowl of muesli behind the counter.'

I narrow my eyes at her.

'Wine?' Christie offers.

'Hell yes,' Pippa responds.

'It's only five o'clock,' I tell them.

They all look at me and then burst out laughing. I shrug and accept a glass when we get into Christie's kitchen.

'I'm thinking Indian takeaway tonight,' Christie suggests. 'I haven't turned that oven on all week and I don't intend to start tonight.'

The takeaway comes and we practically devour our food like locusts. There's nothing left. Naans, chapatis, poppadoms, all gone by the end.

The four bottles of wine go, too.

Around nine o'clock, I walk home. The cold air is good for sobering me up. I feel back to my old self, albeit a little tired and a whole lot full, by the time I get to my house.

There is a package on the doorstep. I pick it up and take it inside with me. It takes a moment for it to click in my mind.

It's one of Zane's books. I ordered it a few days ago. I rip off the packaging and pull out the hardback.

I take it upstairs with me and set it on my bedside table. I text the girls to let them know that I got home safely. It's silly, considering it was only a short walk, but it makes them feel better.

I get ready for bed and climb under my covers feeling much better. I switch on my bedside lamp and reach for the book.

Turning to the first page, I start to read.

Three hours later, midnight strikes and I'm still reading. I'm nearing being fully sober. At the start, I'll admit the words were a tiny bit blurry.

Man, this guy can write.

It's a thriller, mostly. You don't know what is going to happen from chapter to chapter. I'm on the edge of my metaphorical seat the whole time.

There is a relationship building between the two main characters. Usually, I don't like slow-burns, but there's something about them that keeps me hooked. There's such a passion, such a connection between them.

I never would have pegged Zane as such a romantic, but the male lead is doing it all right. It's everything I could want, everything that most people would want, I imagine.

Eventually, I make myself go to sleep. I have work in the morning.

⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆✥⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

Thank God that I asked Pippa for a 10AM start this morning. The extra two hours in a bed are the only things that make it possible for me to get up when my alarm goes off.

Drinking a lot of wine, eating a huge takeaway and staying up late reading are not conducive with feeling fresh and well-rested in the morning.

I take a shower to wake myself up and then get ready for work. I continue reading Zane's book whilst having breakfast. I'm almost half way through and I can't put it down.

It gets to the point where I carry it in to work with me, reading it as I walk down the street.

When I arrive at the café, I check that he isn't in the window before entering. I really don't want him to see me reading his book, I would be embarrassed.

I don't really know why, because he's put it out there for people to read, but still.

'No Zane?' I ask Pippa when I join her behind the counter.

She smirks at me. 'Why? Missing him?'

I shrug and she grins.

'He was here this morning and, might I say, had the same disappointed look that you did when he found out you weren't coming in until later.'

'You're just saying that,' I reply and roll my eyes.

She shakes her head. 'Nope! True story, I promise. He stayed for about an hour and then left. You know he always stays at least two hours. I guarantee it was because you weren't here.'

I don't want to get my hopes up, but I love hearing that from her.

During my lunch break, I continue reading Zane's book. Things are heating up between the main characters now and I'm getting excited.

'How is it?' Pippa pokes her head around the door.

I look up from the book, my thighs clenched together.

'Seriously hot. This guy can write smut.'

She presses her lips together and looks impressed. 'Nice. Can I borrow it when you're done? I've only read the one about the murder mystery.'

'Sure.'

She leaves me to it again. I finally get to the sex scene. It's nothing too crude, certainly no 50 shades. He leaves out the rude words and handles it all rather tastefully. In all honesty, I'm glad he didn't make it dirty as hell, I'm not sure I would have been able to look him in the eye when I saw him again.

It's more the build-up that has my thighs squeezing together and me sitting on the edge of my seat. The chemistry he writes between the characters is so palpable, so realistic, it's amazing.

I've never considered writing before, but after reading something this good, it's made me want to pick up a pen and try it.

⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆✥⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

I finish the book when I get home in the evening. It's one of the only nights that I spend alone eating dinner in my house.

It's nice, finally getting to appreciate my own company and own space, but it leaves me alone with my thoughts. I miss my mum. I'd be telling her all about Zane, bitching to her about Caven and asking for her advice.

I eat dinner with the TV on, not liking the silence. When it gets late, I force myself to get off the sofa and go up to bed.

I'd left my phone in the kitchen and I only check it when I finally get into bed. There's a text from Zane from two hours ago.

I smile at his text. What other Zane would it be? Cutie. I'm still smiling to myself when I respond to his text.

I fall asleep before he replies.

⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆✥⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

Pippa and I open the café early the next morning. I tell her about my texts with Zane as we get the business ready for customers.

We texted some more this morning, which tells me that Zane is an early riser. Why someone would get up early on a day when they don't have to is beyond me, but maybe he writes best in the mornings? I don't know.

'Ugh, I'm so happy for you,' Pippa says. 'I've already got a good feeling about Zane. The only feeling Caven gave me was something like indigestion. Speaking of, have you heard from the prick-stick recently?'

'Not since the flowers. I'm hoping this is the end. Do you think I should block his number just to be sure?'

'That's a good idea.'

I block Caven and slip Zane's book into Pippa's handbag whilst I'm in the workroom. When I come back out, two customers have come in.

It gets busy for a bit and Pippa and I are rushed off our feet. It starts to slow down around ten.

Just when I think that Zane might not be coming, he steps into the café. Our eyes meet and we both smile at each other.

'I'll let you get this one,' Pippa says and bumps my hip.

'Morning, Zane.'

Despite the fact the weather isn't as warm as it has been the last few days, he's chosen to forego the beanie again. Without the hat, his face is shown off better and his sexy tousled hairstyle is revealed again.

He's so bloody attractive.

Seriously, how do I have a date with this guy?

'Good morning, Lily,' he replies smoothly. 'How are you?'

'I'm really good, thanks,' I reply. 'You?'

'Good, thank you.' He looks sheepish for a moment and rubs the back of his neck. 'I actually have been out shopping for our date tomorrow, that's why I'm late in this morning.'

I grin at him. 'Aw, well, thank you. Please let me know if you want me to bring something, I feel bad, making you do all of the work.'

'Don't worry about it.' He smirks at me. 'You're worth it.'

I try and hide how much my body is affected by those words.

'Um, thank you,' I reply shyly. 'So, coffee?'

⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆✥⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆