Chapter 86

A warm golden light spilled across the small café’s terrace as Cyrus and Zoe settled into their seats. The late afternoon sun filtered through the canopy of wisteria vines overhead, casting dappled shadows on the wrought-iron table between them. With a soft breeze tucking stray hairs behind her ear, Zoe tilted her head and flashed a teasing grin.

“You really like big dogs, huh?” she asked, her voice light, as though she were coaxing a secret out of him.

Cyrus leaned back in his chair, absently tracing the rim of his coffee cup with one finger. He nodded, cheeks warming slightly. “Well,” he began, adjusting the collar of his shirt, “I’m big as well, so…”

His words trailed off when he realized how they might sound. His cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red. Shit. Did she think he was flirting? He hadn’t meant it that way at all.

Zoe’s eyebrows rose in mock seriousness, and a slow smile curved at the corner of her lips. “Didn’t mean what?” she pressed, clearly sa