Strut the Mall (Love at Westbrook Mall #4)

31. Saving Up

31

Saving Up

At lunch, I wore my jacket to the break room. It’d been freezing by the windows, but I still preferred to sit on the perimeter versus the huge circular tables in the middle. Fewer people. Less drama.

I hurried toward an empty booth, but hesitated when I spotted Zack resting in a different booth by himself.

He didn’t see me, of course. He’d nestled his head into his folded arms on the table. Maybe lifting all those boxes wore him out. Or maybe he needed to recover from our make-out session. It wasn’t exactly strenuous, but it had been…intense.

I held my lunch bag against the warmth coiling deep in my gut.

I should sit on my own again. It wasn’t like he’d care about my company if he was napping.

We were friends now, though. It made sense to sit with him, even if his break ended before mine did. We had some good times together. Good times could keep happening, if we set the stage for them.

I strode over to his booth and tickled the back of his neck. “Hey, sleepyhead.”

He tensed and rubbed his neck. “Oh, thank god it’s you.” He dragged himself toward the window to make room for me on his side of the booth. That was kinda intimate when there was plenty of space on the other side. Maybe he wanted to keep up the loving couple ruse.

I slid in beside him and smiled. “Are the guys from the warehouse bothering you? I can kick their asses. You know, we just got in a bunch of high-heeled boots.”

“I wasn’t paying attention to the inventory.” His lip ticked up, and my insides did some kind of samba.

So, he was paying attention to me.

Finally , my inner teen preened.

I fiddled with my stylish lunch bag. “What time do you have to go back?”

He peered over me to check the analog clock on the break room wall. “Seven minutes.”

Of heaven, my mind automatically supplied, though I wasn’t sure why. I never played that stupid party game. I never went to parties until college. Even then, I mostly just danced. It wasn’t like Zack and I would make out in the lunchroom either. We had some kind of class…outside of the stacks.

He turned off his phone alarm, so I caught a glimpse of his home screen. No dating apps. No social media. No random girls buying him stuff for attention. No notifications, even.

I wiggled my hips to scoot closer to him. “Did you see Shelby’s text?”

He rubbed his ear. “Yeah. I think we’ll have to get coffee with her and her boyfriend.”

I snorted. Was that the briefest date he could think of? “Her boyfriend’s a barista. He’d probably like to leave the coffee shop at some point.”

“Well, what do you suggest?” he grumbled.

I offered him my tub of sliced veggies. “Everyone likes movies, right?”

He rolled his eyes and took a few carrot sticks. “Yeah, but Shelby’d want to see a rom-com.”

“So? Lots of couples go to those.” Not me and Theo, but I loved cuddling up and watching them at home.

Zack gave me a dead stare. “I don’t want to watch two people get it on while I’m sitting next to my cousin.”

I laughed, then covered my mouth. I shouldn’t get too comfortable. His reasoning might have been about his cousin, but it also might’ve been because we weren't a real couple.

He lowered his voice for once. “What would you think was a fun, PG-rated date on a budget?”

“I don’t know. Maybe a home spa day?” I plucked a firm piece of cucumber from the tub.

He furrowed his brow. “Isn’t that more what you’d do with a friend?”

I shrugged and munched on the snack. My friends preferred to go out for their spa treatments. Theo loved home spa days, though. We’d do matching facials, try new products, and deep-condition our hair. Half the time, it led to massages and sex. The other half, we got Zen. But Zack was a little rougher around the edges. If we did date, what would we do together besides have sex?

Not sports. We did like music, but we probably wouldn’t go to concerts together unless he was in the band. He didn’t go out much, anyway. Working three jobs kinda took over whatever social life he had outside his family. That’s why he brought me in.

He snapped a few carrots between his teeth. “I’m not sure if it’s your scene, but the bar I worked at has pool tables, darts, and a few arcade machines.”

I raised my brows. “I don’t know. Isn’t that what you’d do with your friends?”

“Right.” He rubbed his flushed neck. “I guess that also rules out the gym.”

I rolled my eyes and nudged him with my hip. “I was just messing with you, Zack. I like getting fit, and the bar is great.”

“Really?” He perked up.

“Yeah. But I’m not sure the gym is right for a double date.” Especially if I was squatting in yoga pants. Zack could ogle my ass, but I’d hate for him or Shelby to get upset if someone else inadvertently spared it a glance.

Zack nodded. “Bar it is. We could probably get apps and drinks for the table with my discount.”

“I can pay for myself if you’re worried about the budget.”

“No.” He rubbed his ear and leaned into my side, a wall of magnificent heat. “It’s for my family. My treat.”

“Zack…”

“You bought me a shake when we did your thing,” he said.

My thing, meaning strutting past an ex to rub his nose in our breakup. Oh, and shopping. I’m sure Zack was thrilled that evening. Actually, he did like that red dress on me. Maybe if we went out for Valentine’s Day, I’d have an excuse to wear it.

“Fine. I’ll let you pay,” I said. “Are you going to text Shelby?”

“No. We can go over our schedules the next time I see her.” This man was so unplugged from socials he couldn’t even respond to a text message.

“Okay, but I do want you to text me,” I said.

“Text you what?” he asked.

Hopeless man.

“Our plans,” I said. “Good nights, good mornings, and how-are-you's are nice too. Even if you see me at work, I’d still like to hear from you.”

He smiled and wrapped his arm around me. “Why? Do you miss me?”

“No.” Not desperately.

“Well, you’ve got me a little while longer.”

Right. Another month or two, he’d pretend to be mine.

He laid his head on my shoulder, his warmth weighing me down in a pleasant way. “This thing is soft,” he said.

“It’s a pillow collar,” I mumbled.

“Perfect for naps. Why don’t you ever sleep during lunch?”

“Because some loud guy keeps sitting with me.”

He chuckled and adjusted to lay his meaty palm on my leg. “I won’t bother you too much. Can I have another carrot though?”

“Sure, if it’ll keep you quiet.” I held one up and fought the urge to tap his lips with it.

“I don’t take bribes,” he said. Still, he snapped it up with his teeth.

My imagination raced with the image of him pulling at my underwear with the same blunt confidence.

I drew my fingers and my fantasy away from him.

In this little booth, Zack didn’t feel like an accessory. He wasn’t here to ward off my ex or pump up my brand. He was just my friend. Or boyfriend, at least looking from the outside in.

What would it take to make our arrangement real…and more permanent?