Love chasers

Maybe she can help

*Zac*

I gently place Zandra on her bed, making sure she’s comfortable. “You need anything?” I ask, scanning the room for any items she might need to have within reach. Her eyes soften as she shakes her head.

“No, I’m good. Just… tired,” she replies, her voice barely above a whisper. But then she grins, a playful spark lighting up her expression. “I like Lena, you know.”

I blink, caught off guard by her sudden declaration. “Yeah? I think she’s nice too,” I say, trying to sound casual, but my heart picks up slightly at the thought.

“Nice? Come on, you like her,” Zandra teases, her laughter spilling out like warm sunshine.

I roll my eyes, trying to suppress the smile creeping onto my face. “You’re imagining things, Z. We’ll be leaving in a few days, and I probably won’t see her again.”

“Don’t give up so easily,” she says, giving me a knowing look that makes me shift uncomfortably. “You never know what could happen.”

“Right,” I reply, amused at the notion. “Like I’m going to charm the pants off her in a couple of days and whisk her away to a magical storm-chasing adventure.”

“Why not?” Zandra presses, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “You’re good at charming people, especially when you’re not trying.”

I chuckle, shaking my head. “Okay, Miss Matchmaker. Let’s just focus on getting you rested before dinner.” I lean down to give her a quick hug before heading back into the living room, where the laughter of the others beckons me.

As I step into the room, the atmosphere is lively. The group is buzzing, and I spot Lena sitting on the couch, her laughter mingling with the others. I feel a warmth spread through me just watching her. It’s strange, this feeling I get. It's not like me to be so easily swayed by someone I barely know.

“Zac!” Skip calls out, pulling my attention. “We were just talking about Lena’s family. Turns out her actual name is Elena Rosenkrantz, you know heir to the Rosen Corp, and she’s the CCO of Rosen tech.”

My eyebrows rise, intrigued. “Really? I didn't know that.” I glance at Lena, who is chatting animatedly with Jules. This is surprising, most of all her being like old money and all that, as she seems to fit right into this group.

“Maybe if you charm her enough, she’ll back your invention,” Skip adds with a grin.

“What invention?” Lena’s gaze snaps toward me, curiosity painted on her face. I can’t help but feel my cheeks flush slightly under her scrutiny.

“Oh, it’s nothing,” I shrug, trying to downplay it. “Just a new warning system for storms.” I pause, realizing how vague I sound. “But it’s still in the early stages… a lot more to be done and yeah...”

“New warning system?” Lena leans forward, her eyes alight with interest. “Like, a better way to alert people before a storm hits?”

“Yeah, something like that,” I say, feeling a little more confident. “I’ve been working on it for a while now. The goal is to make it more accessible for people in storm-prone areas. I just want to help improve safety, you know?”

Lena nods, and I can see the gears turning in her mind. “That sounds amazing, Zac. It’s so important to have better warning systems. Lives could be saved if it works.”

“Exactly!” I say, the passion bubbling up within me. “There’s so much potential for improvement, and I just want to do something that makes a difference.”

“Zac! You should show her the prototypes!” Soren chimes in, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

I shake my head, laughter escaping me. “It’s not ready for show-and-tell yet, believe me. But maybe once I have something more concrete, I could use some feedback.”

“The problem…” Skip says with a kinda dramatic flourish that makes me want to take away his cup of coffee, telling him no more caffeine today. “Is to get funding for enough tests, labs to sort the data and help to get everything approved… things I bet your company might be able to do.”

“Yeah,” Lena says slowly. “I mean I can’t make decisions like that on my own of course, but the company has those capabilities and I can sure make suggestions.”

I glance back at Lena, who’s still listening intently, her expression encouraging. “I mean, if you’re interested, I could give you a rundown of what I’ve got so far,” I offer, feeling a surge of hope. Maybe this isn’t just a fleeting moment. Maybe there’s something here worth exploring.

“Definitely,” Lena says, her enthusiasm infectious. “I’d love to hear more.”

“Do you need my help?” Skip asks me.

I shake my head, “No need, I can handle it.” I turn to Lena. “Come let me show you what we have.”