Self

Chapter 79

“Is that for real?”

Wade nodded and said, “Yeah.”

She inhaled deeply. “Thanks, I feel a lot better now.”

Wade watched her bounce back emotionally and felt relief wash over him.

“Feeling hungry? There’s this barbecue joint around the corner.”

Yara paused, then nodded.

The barbecue joint was famous for its smoked ribs, but since Wade was not a fan of overly spicy food, he went for the mild barbecue sauce.

The red glow of the smoker filled the air with tantalizing aromas, making everything look mouthwatering.

Yara still felt a bit down, but the buzz of the place lifted her spirits. The smoked ribs melted in her mouth, and the coleslaw added a refreshing crunch, waking up the appetite she didn’t know she had.

Outside, the storm was throwing a tantrum, but inside, it was all cozy vibes.

Chatter floated around them, not too loud or soft, and Yara’s spirits started to lift.

She glanced up to see Wade had hardly touched his food. His leisurely pace seemed like he was there to cheer her up.

She remembered another stormy night, how he had been there in the same quiet, comforting way. She was deeply thankful.

“Today… thanks.” She had not expected to get tangled in such a mess, and without Wade, she doubted she could have wriggled free on her own.

“That whole thing earlier was like a bad dream to me.”

Even when she told herself not to sweat it, deep down, she could not just switch off her feelings.

That was when she caught Wade’s gaze, those eyes like pools of clear water, and a smile broke through her gloom.

“Lucky for me, you dropped in like some kind of hero.”

“Hero’s not really the word,” Wade said with a laugh he could not hold back.

Yara peered into the depths of his eyes behind the lenses and heard his voice again. “You’re way tougher and more unbreakable than you give yourself credit for.”

Wade was not just throwing her a lifeline of words because she was bummed out; he was dead serious, letting her know she was already a rock.

Yara froze for a heartbeat, then something clicked, and she giggled. “Your glasses are all steamed up. Can you even see through them?”

His glasses were a foggy mess from the smoke, which looked pretty hilarious.

Wade took them off with a resigned sigh and grabbed a napkin to clean them. “And that’s why I hardly ever hit up barbecue joints.”

Yara’s eyes danced with amusement as she leaned in. “So, not a fan of barbecue, huh?”

“It’s not that I’m not a fan, just that it’s a hassle,” he explained.

After cleaning and putting his glasses back on, Wade caught her drifting off again. Try the ribs, it’s really good.”

“Thanks, I got it,” Yara replied.

Wade had lab work waiting, so he only walked her to their building.

The rain had let up, leaving the streets damp and the air filled with a fresh coolness. Yara shuddered from the chill, hugging her coat closer, and that was when she smelled it–a familiar, woody fragrance.

She glanced down at the dark coat she had on and chuckled to herself.

She thought of Wade in his light sweater and hoped he would be okay.

However, as Yara listened to Wade’s non–stop sneezing the next day, she figured men were not as tough against the cold as she thought.

“I’ve sent your coat out for dry cleaning. It’ll be back in a few days.”

Wade waved it off. “No worries.”

It was just a coat. He had plenty more.