Zavier came to his senses first. He crouched down to pick up the bottle of mineral water that had fallen when he'd reached out earlier. Audrey took a deep breath, steadying herself—reminding her heart not to overreact.
"Sorry, senior. Here—let's switch. Take mine instead," she offered, holding out the bottle Zavier had opened for her earlier, now re-capped.
"It's fine, no need," Zavier said with an easy smile, brushing the dust off his bottle against his shirt. But Audrey shook her head firmly, snatching it from his hand and pushing hers into its place.
A quiet chuckle escaped from Zavier. Audrey couldn't help glancing up at the sound.
"My sweet-hearted Audrey," he murmured, ruffling the top of her head.
A gesture that came so naturally, born from old habits. Zavier used to do this all the time—treating Audrey like someone he adored in that boyishly fond kind of way. To him, it was harmless.
But to Audrey, it was everything. The crash in her chest thundered like waves slamming against the shore—rising high, breaking apart, and slipping quietly back into the sea.
"You really haven't changed, have you?" Zavier said as they walked away from the snack shop. "Always the considerate one. Always giving in. My sweet, soft Audrey."
Audrey didn't answer. She just nodded faintly to herself.
You're right, senior. Two years didn't change a thing. My feelings only sank deeper the moment I saw you again.
"So, where do you plan on taking me today?" she asked, steering the conversation in a safer direction.
Her job today—as a good neighbor and a thoughtful junior—was to show Zavier around the village. That, at least, was what Zavier Lawrence had told her earlier, when he came by to pick her up at her inn.
Audrey had wanted to say no—really wanted to. But refusing outright would've felt small-minded. And more than that, she couldn't stand the thought of staying cooped up at home with Vale badgering her nonstop.
Sure enough, right as Audrey was locking her front door, the madman himself showed up, eyeing her with open confusion.
Then, the next second, he turned his gaze on Zavier—and it was pure hostility.
Without saying a word, Audrey handed the house key to Vale. She already knew exactly what he'd say the moment he opened his mouth: "This is your idea of being polite? I come bringing food and you just leave? You seriously locked the door right in my face?!"
Truth was, Audrey hadn't eaten a thing since she got up that morning. At 11 a.m., Zavier had shown up unannounced and immediately roped her into giving him a tour of the neighborhood. If she'd had a choice between eating and playing guide, of course she would've picked the first.
Ironically, Vale had shown up too—right around the same time—with food his mother had sent for Audrey. It wasn't an everyday thing, but since about six months after she'd moved to Wellington, Vale had gotten into the habit of dropping off meals from time to time. And Audrey was genuinely grateful for it.
It wasn't that she couldn't cook. She just didn't have the energy to go into the kitchen and make something decent for herself. She only really enjoyed cooking when there were guests staying at her inn.
"Anywhere's fine—maybe just the important spots," Zavier said casually.
Audrey nodded and began leading him down the road. She pointed out the essentials: the nearest and most well-stocked convenience store, a stroll through Wellington's small market, which only opened on certain days.
And as luck would have it, today was one of those days. After walking through the market, picking up a few snacks and a floppy sunhat to ward off the heat, Zavier asked if Audrey could recommend a seafood place nearby.
Since they weren't far from one of the village's most talked-about restaurants, Audrey agreed. Zavier's eyes lit up, and he nodded eagerly. He'd already heard how popular the place was, and once inside—with its tall glass windows overlooking a sweeping vineyard—he gazed at the view like it was the best thing he'd seen all day.
It wasn't too crowded. The lunch rush had passed, making it the perfect time to enjoy the waves crashing far below and the clear expanse of sky above.
Audrey didn't pay much attention to Zavier marveling at the ocean beyond the glass. Instead, she focused her gaze anywhere but at the man sitting across from her. Bad idea for the heart.
The food came, and Audrey—ravenous after a foodless morning—dug in without hesitation. She didn't bother with appearances or polite pacing. Honestly, it wasn't like it was their first time sharing a meal across the same table.
"This is seriously good!" Zavier declared after demolishing a plate of crab. Audrey had finished earlier and just gave a small smile in response.
She knew he meant it. She could see it in his eyes—the sparkle when he looked down at the now-empty plates.
"If Kim were here, she'd be saying the same thing," he murmured, softly but not quite soft enough. Audrey caught every word.
And just like that, the warm atmosphere they'd built cracked a little. Audrey didn't react—not right away. She simply turned her gaze out the window.
A thought flickered through her mind. It would feel odd if she didn't ask something about his wife. Even if it came across like the most forced kind of small talk, Audrey figured she had to say something. After all, they'd just spent hours together.
Audrey just didn't want her jealousy to be that obvious.
"So… where's Kim now?" she asked, trying to sound casual—though the way her eyes flitted between Zavier and the window view betrayed her unease.
Zavier raised both eyebrows at her, his gaze lingering a little longer. He looked slightly disappointed, though he masked it well.
"California."
"California? Why? Didn't you guys just move here?" The words slipped out before she could stop them—and the next second, Audrey smacked a hand over her mouth.
Seriously, brain? Could you catch up to my mouth for once?
Zavier chuckled softly at her flustered reaction. Far from offended, he actually looked… entertained.
"Kim's got work—there's a shoot," he replied, lighthearted as ever. "She just flew back yesterday. I'll probably see her again in a week or so. Can't wait to show her around here."
Audrey nodded, lips curved in a faint, bitter smile.
Still, something about it didn't sit right. Why would they move to Wellington if Kim was still busy in California? Sure, the distance wasn't crazy—about 272 kilometers, maybe a three-hour drive—but wasn't that exhausting? What was Kim thinking? Was she still commuting because Zavier couldn't support her financially?
Audrey kept all those questions to herself. She had no right to ask. They stood for a moment longer outside the restaurant, taking in the ocean view before preparing to head out.
"So… where to next, senior?" she asked.
Before he could answer, Zavier's phone rang. He turned away slightly to take the call, murmuring a few quiet "I understand"s before finally hanging up.
When he turned back to Audrey, his smile was faint. His once-easy expression now looked strained, his brow drawn and lips twitching like they wanted to say something—but weren't quite ready to let it out.
Audrey's pulse began to rise. Who had just called?
Kimberly Roderick?
But if it was her—why didn't Zavier look happy?
Wasn't it just yesterday she'd flown back to California? Had something happened?
Had Kimberly been in an accident?