The bar was behind them now, but Alexa still felt it. The weight of Zaiyo's presence, lingering even as she walked beside Ethan.
She shouldn't feel that way.
She should be focused on Ethan. On whatever the hell he wanted to say after all these months.
But her mind kept circling back.
Zaiyo let her go too easily.
Ethan stopped near a streetlamp, his hands still in his pockets.
"You really didn't see my texts?"
She folded her arms. "I've been busy."
He scoffed. "Busy with him?"
She flinched. She hated how quickly he got to the point.
"That's not what this is," she muttered.
Ethan studied her. "You sure about that?"
Her jaw tightened. "What do you want, Ethan?"
He exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "I heard you were back in town. Figured we should talk. Clear the air."
Alexa frowned. He heard? From who?
She hadn't told anyone she was back—not really. And Ethan wasn't the type to just run into people she knew.
Her stomach twisted.
"Who told you I was here?"
Ethan hesitated. Just for a second. But it was enough.
"I don't know, Lex. Word gets around."
No. That wasn't an answer. That was an excuse.
Something was wrong.
Her mind raced, trying to put the pieces together. But she had one problem.
Zaiyo.
Because this felt like him.
And if it was—
She had walked right into it.