The tension in my shoulders doesn't fully release until we're inside Zeke's house with the door closed behind us. The silence is immediate and profound- no whispers, no stares, no judgment. Just us.
"God, that feels better," I breathe, dropping my bag by the door.
Zeke pulls me into his arms, and I melt against him, breathing in that cedar and paint smell that's becoming familiar. Safe.
"You were amazing today," he says into my hair. "The way you handled Tyler, the way you didn't let anyone make you feel small."
"I wanted to run about seventeen times."
"But you didn't. That's what matters." He pulls back to look at me. "Pizza? Or are you hungry for something else first?"
The heat in his eyes makes my stomach flip. "Pizza can wait."
He grins and kisses me, walking me backward until m
