Gabriella's routine was busier than ever. Between her job at the hotel, making candles, and fulfilling orders, she barely had time to think. But the buzz of productivity couldn't drown out the nagging questions about Zay.
Why was he helping her? What was he getting out of it?
Her trust in him had grown, but so had her fear that he might be too good to be true.
One afternoon, while Gabriella was restocking towels in a guest room, her coworker Myra leaned against the doorframe, smirking.
"You've been glowing lately," Myra said. "What's his name?"
Gabriella chuckled nervously. "There's no 'him.'"
"Girl, please. You think I don't see that fancy car that picks you up sometimes? Whoever he is, he's got money."
Gabriella hesitated, unsure how much to share. "His name's Zay. He's just...helping me out with some things."
Myra raised an eyebrow. "Helping you how?"
Gabriella shrugged, trying to play it off. "He's just a friend."
"Mm-hmm," Myra said, unconvinced. "Be careful, Gabby. Guys like that don't usually do stuff for free."
The words stung, but Gabriella couldn't shake the uneasy feeling they left behind.
That evening, Zay showed up at the shelter as usual. He leaned against his car, scrolling through his phone until she walked out.
"Hey, boss lady," he greeted her, grinning.
Gabriella managed a small smile. "Hey."
As they drove through the city, Gabriella kept glancing at him, trying to read his expression.
"What's on your mind?" Zay asked without looking away from the road.
"Why do you do all this for me?" she blurted out.
Zay's grip on the steering wheel tightened slightly. "I already told you—I see somethin' in you."
"Yeah, but why me? There's gotta be a reason."
Zay sighed, pulling into a parking lot and putting the car in park. He turned to face her, his expression serious.
"Look, Gabby. I've been where you are. Struggling, not knowin' if things are ever gonna get better. Somebody helped me when I didn't have nobody, and now I'm just passin' it on. That's it."
Gabriella studied his face, searching for any sign of deceit. But all she saw was sincerity.
"Okay," she said softly. "I just...needed to know."
Over the next few weeks, things between them seemed to settle. Gabriella focused on her shop, which was starting to gain traction, and Zay continued to encourage her every step of the way.
But one night, as they were driving back from the coworking space, Zay's phone buzzed on the dashboard.
"You can grab that," he said casually.
Gabriella picked up the phone, her eyes catching the name on the screen: Reese.
"Who's Reese?" she asked, handing him the phone.
Zay glanced at her, his jaw tightening. "Just a friend."
Gabriella's stomach twisted. "What kind of friend?"
"It ain't like that," Zay said quickly. "Don't overthink it."
But Gabriella couldn't help overthinking. The name Reese had been saved with a heart emoji, and the message preview read, "I miss you."
She didn't say anything else, but the rest of the ride was filled with an uncomfortable silence.
Back at the shelter, Gabriella replayed the moment in her head, her chest tight with unease. She wanted to trust Zay, but moments like this made it difficult.
For the first time, she wondered if he was keeping secrets.
And if he was, what did that mean for her?
To Be Continued...
