After a beat, he stepped forward slightly and spoke, voice gentle and sincere.
"You can take the bed, Zeph. It's fine. I'll sleep on the floor." He gave her a small smile. "The rug actually looks... decently survivable."
Zephany blinked at him, almost surprised by how naturally he said it. Polite, unbothered, just... Kendrick.
She opened her mouth to argue, but he was already kneeling down, inspecting the floor as if assessing it for comfort. "See? Not too bad. Might even be character-building."
That earned a soft laugh from her, easing the tension just a little.
Then, clearly eager to shift the mood, Kendrick stood and clapped his hands together lightly.
"Actually," he said, his tone turning brighter, "didn't the clerk say this place is known for their local wine?"
Zephany's face lit up. "They are. I've read about it before. Something about lavender blends and oak-aged flavors, right?"
Kendrick nodded. "Exactly. You wanna try it?"
