The Broken Road - A Zac Efron Novel (18+)

Chapter 89 - Coffee and Tears

The next morning I went back to my normal routine, like nothing happened. I was up at 5 and back from the gym by 6:30. As I chugged an ice-cold bottle of water after an 8-mile run, I read through my messages on my phone.

My heart sank when I saw Zac's name with that little blue dot next to it. My palms were sweaty as I prepared to open his message, assuming he'd try to explain away what happened the night before. I clicked on his name and instead of a lengthy, detailed explanation, I found a stream of photos of my dad and I from the night before. I sighed as I responded with the photo I took of him in the dugout. I set my phone down and got a pot of coffee going. Before the first drop fell, my phone chimed and I knew who it was.

Zac: Are you up? I can't sleep.

Jess: Just got back from the gym

Zac: Can I come over? I don't like how we left things last night

Jess: I have a 9 o'clock meeting downtown

Zac: I'm on my way

Twenty minutes later, my house phone rang.

"Good morning Ms. Vanderbilt. Sorry about the early hour. There's a Mr. Stillwater here to see you. Should I let him up?" my doorman, Chris, asked me.

"Yes, it's fine," I said as I hung up the receiver and unlocked the deadbolt on the door, leaving it ajar for Zac. I went back to my coffee and emails.

"Knock knock," Zac said softly as he poked his head in the door.

I stood up from my laptop and looked him over. He looked stupid good in a white v-neck t-shirt and jeans and his hair was messy from just getting out of bed

His shoulders sank when he saw me and his eyes wandered over me in a sports bra and yoga pants. He held up his peace offering to me...a cup of coffee and a small brown paper bag.

"What's this?" I asked as I took the items from him and we walked into the kitchen.

"A dirty chai...and a confetti cupcake," he smirked. "I never wished you a happy birthday last week. The cupcake is for your birthday. The chai is...because I couldn't sleep last night and I'm pretty sure you couldn't either."

"You can't just buy me cupcakes every time you mess up..." I teased him.

"It's served me pretty well so far," he winked at me.

I simultaneously wanted to smack him in the face for being so smug and strip that shirt off of him, throw it on the floor and cover his lips with mine.

"So, do you want to talk about it?" he asked as he stood in front of my makeshift work station at the counter. "May I?" he motioned down at the stool.

"Yeah, sorry," I replied as I cleared the space for him. "Can I get you some coffee?"

"Sure."

I poured him a cup of coffee and retrieved creamer and sugar for him before returning to my position across the counter from him. I took the lid off the tea he brought me to let it cool and continued to drink from the cup of coffee I already had.

"I..." I started, but Zac interrupted me.

"What happened last night?" he asked as he took a sip of coffee.

"It's pretty obvious, isn't it? I made a total fool of myself when I kissed you, because you neglected to tell me you had a girlfriend."

"Jess...I'm sorry. I didn't know...that you were feeling that sort of way."