When Kelsey and I get back home I go straight upstairs to my room and call Zak. I needed to make sure everything was okay with him and with us. "Hey."

"Hey. You just left my house. Miss me already?"

"I just wanted to make sure everything was okay. You didn't have much to say when I dropped Gracie off."

"Yeah. I'm good."

"Are you sure? Did I do something wrong?"

"No, why would you think that?"

"Things have just felt a little weird between us since we kissed."

"Can we just not talk about that right now?"

"Why? When do you wanna talk about it?"

Silence.

"Okay, well, clearly it was a mistake that will never happen again. I hope Gracie does okay. I'll talk to you when we do our first investigation. Bye, Zak." I don't give him a chance to talk and hang up. I couldn't believe he was doing this! I knew this was too good to be true. I turn my phone off so Zak doesn't try to get a hold of me. I was so shocked, disappointed, and upset about our conversation just now. I try to erase him from my mind, which is nearly impossible, close my eyes and drift to sleep.

"Shawn! Wake up! We're going to be late!" I snap awake to Kelsey shaking my shoulders. I squint at my phone as my eyes have not yet adjusted to the bedroom light.

"Shit! I forgot I turned my phone off last night."

"Come on! We have to leave in like ten minutes!" Kelsey retreats to her room to finish getting ready. I quickly throw on a clean pair of scrubs and brush my teeth. No time for makeup or coffee this morning. After quickly tying my shoes I race downstairs while throwing my hair in a messy ponytail. I grab my purse and my keys and run out the door, Kelsey following closely behind.

This morning at work was pretty busy as Tuesdays usually are. We had four surgeries lined up, but we managed to get them all done before noon so everyone was able to take their lunch. That made for a good day. I was in desperate need of coffee at this point in the day and I was starting to feel a headache coming on. I wasn't really sure what I was doing for lunch today since we were in such a rush to leave the apartment I didn't bring anything. I had just clocked out and sit in our break room trying not to think about him. "Someone is up front for you," Bailey says quickly not giving me a chance to ask who, though I think I could guess. Even though I don't want to I walk to the lobby and there he is. It's Zak.

I motion to him to meet me outside by my car. This should be fun. "What do you want?"

"I wanted to apologize from last night. I didn't mean to upset you. You're right. We should talk about what happened between us. I've tried calling you but it keeps going straight to voicemail."

"Yeah, I turned it off last night and I must've left it at home." Actually I think I did in all the rush of this morning.

"Oh." We both just awkwardly stare and wait for the other person to say something when Zak finally breaks the ear piercing silence. "Can I take you to lunch? You have time?" I didn't really want to go because I was still upset with him, but I was hungry and I thought maybe this would be a good time for us to actually talk.

"Yeah, sure." We pile in his car and we ride in silence to a local diner down the street from work.

"Water, please," I tell the waiter. There's another long pause between the two of us. Zak looks around the diner like he's trying to avoid eye contact. "Zak." I finally see his beautiful dark blue eyes. "I have to ask. Do you regret what happened at the studio?"

He furrows his eyebrows. "No. Of course not. I like you, Shawn."

"Then why are you toying with me? You just seem like you almost don't want to talk to me or something. I've had this with a guy once, I don't need this again." This was not exactly the location I wanted to have this conversation, but it was happening.

The waiter place two waters on the table interrupting us. "Do y'all know what you'd like?"

Zak starts, "I'll have the grilled chicken sandwich."

"Broccoli cheddar soup."

"I'll get those orders in right away."

"I'm sorry. I don't mean for it to seem like I'm messing with you. I guess at one point I did second guess the kiss," Zak admits.

"Then why would you even let it happen?"

"Because, like I said, I do like you. I have feelings for you and I think it scares me."

"Why? I thought our age difference didn't bother you."

"It doesn't. It's not that."

"Then what, Zak?" I ask trying not to get too upset.

"I've never had these feeling before, honestly."

"What are you talking about? You've been with women, I assume."

"Yes, but I haven't had true feelings for any of them."

"Right. It was just for the sex." Zak sighs and looks around the restaurant to make sure no one was staring. "Zak you told me that I didn't have to be scared with you. Or nervous. And you also told me not to distance myself from you which is what you just recently started doing."

"I know, I know. I said I'm sorry. I'm just trying to tell you my feelings. I've never really expressed them like this before."

"It's okay." I can't help but smile at Zak's innocence. "Thank you," I tell the waiter as he places our meals in front of us. "Just so you know, Zak, I've grown feelings for you as well and I'm not usually so bold to just say that to a guy." He laughs between taking bites of his sandwich. "Now you have to promise me not to distance yourself from me if you want this to work. I'm also not interested to be your sex girl."

"I promise and you really think of me like that?"

"I don't know. You said you've never felt feelings before..."

"Before you!" He cuts me off, quickly looking around the restaurant making sure he wasn't too loud.

"So then why the sudden feelings for me? You could have any girl, Zak, and you chose the nobody from Florida."

"You're not a nobody, Shawn. I've never really talked to a girl and hung out with them long enough to get feelings. Most women I've been with have either cheated or just used me for my money. It's been a long time since I even given someone a chance, honestly. But when you came over to us at the Bellagio I knew there was something I liked about you right off the bat. Then we started talking and hanging out and we just clicked. Please don't say you're a nobody or ugly or there's someone better, prettier, funnier, whatever, because in all honesty, I don't think so. I don't care what I have to do to prove to you that I want to be with you and no one else. Just you."

My eyes start to well up with tears. I never would've believed something like this, but I could tell Zak was telling the truth. He wanted me. He focuses on me, waiting for me to say something, anything, but I was lost for words. All I could do was smile and I was thankful a tear didn't decide to run down my cheek.

We finished our lunches, pay, and Zak drives me back to work just in time for me to clock back in. "Will I see you later?"

"You get off at 6, right?" I nod. "Come over to my place. I have some information about our first lockdown with you on the crew." My eyes grow wide with excitement.

"Okay!" I smile. "Bye, Zak. Thank you for lunch."

"You're welcome, sweetheart." He pulls me in a tight hug and holds me. I take in his scent in the short time I can before he releases me and kisses my temple. "Bye," he smiles. I head back in to work elated that Zak and I were able to smooth things out.

"What's got you all happy?" Crystal asks and I round the corner to the treatment area. I ignore her continuing in my own thoughts with Zak. "Hello! Shawn!" I snap out of my thoughts.

"Hmm?" I let out a chuckle.

"Ohh, boy. You're thinking about your man." Crystal joins in on the hysteria of the situation.

"He just took me to lunch and we had a good conversation, I think. We're gonna be alright."

"Well, good. I'm going to lunch now. Are you back in?"

"Yeah, go ahead."

The rest of the afternoon goes by fast. It wasn't too busy at work and we were able to leave at a decent time. Getting back home, I race upstairs and change out of my scrubs. "Where are you going in such a hurry?" Kelsey plops on my bed laughing at my eagerness to get out of the apartment.

"I'm going to Zak's. He said he has information to tell me about our first lockdown."

"Right, the investigation. You sure that's why he wants you over there?"

"Kelsey. We're not doing anything," I say to her as I pull over my shirt. I slip on my black skinny jeans and touch up my make up.

"Well, you sure are making yourself look a little extra to just get information about the lockdown." I give her a look to emphasize that we really weren't going to do anything. Kelsey sits up in my bed and throws her hand up in defeat. "Okay, fine."

"I just want to look nice is all." I apply the last bit of mascara and buckle my black wedges.

"Nothing wrong with that. I do think you should wear another shirt though."

"What's wrong with this one?" I point to my black tank top.

"Well, it's black. You've been wearing a lot of black since you met Zak," Kelsey points out. I hadn't really noticed, but I guess she was right.

"Hmm. Didn't realize. I'll wear this one then."

"Really, grey? That's not much better," she laughs.

I slip off the black tank and quickly pull over the grey one. "Where's my feather necklace?"

"You wear that a lot too."

"I like it!" I wasn't really sure why, but I had a thing for feathers.

"Here. It was on your desk," Kelsey hands me the necklace and I pull it over my head. I look in the mirror one last time checking my long, reddish-brown waves that stretch down to my mid back.

"I gotta go. I promise we'll have a day to just us soon. I feel like we haven't hung out in a while."

"We better!"

"We will." I run downstairs as quick as I can without tripping over my wedges.

"I still think you should wear a different shirt!"

"Bye, Kels!" I playfully roll my eyes and I'm out the door.

I get to Zak's in no time. It was about 6:45pm. Not too bad. I think to myself. I knock on his front door and another guy answers the door. "Oh, hey Jay!"

"Shawn!" Jay wraps me up in a bear hug and spins me around. "It's been a while since I've seen you!" He sets me down gently inside the house and we laugh. "How are you?"

"I'm good. What about you?"

"Been pretty good. Busy."

"Yeah," I agree with him.

"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear about your grandfather. That sucks."

"Yeah," I say again as I slowly nod my head and purse my lips.

"Sorry, Shawn," Jay apologizes realizing he brought up sad memories.

"It's okay, really. It's hard, but I'm doing alright." I give everything I have to show a smile.

"Hey Shawn!" Billy and Aaron say together.

"Glad you could make it over," Billy says giving me a hug followed by Aaron. We all gather in Zak's living room and wait for the one and only to show.

"So what's the news about lockdown?"

"It's gonna be a creepy one," Zak interjects coming down the stairs to join the crew. He comes over to me and hugs me, softly wrapping his hands around my waist. I can feel a couple of his fingers on my bare skin making me shiver. Hopefully not a noticeable shiver. Zak chuckles as he pulls away from me, giving me a smile as he knows what he did. "I'm glad you made it."

"Me too. Sorry it's a little late. I had to change."

"You look beautiful," he assures me.

"So what's so creepy about this place?" I get settled on the couch and everyone else follows suit.

"It's called Old Alton Bridge and it..."

"Goatman's Bridge?!" I interrupt. The rest of the crew give me surprised looks as I know what Zak is talking about. "I've heard of it, y'all. Really? You're making that place my first investigation?"

"Yes, why?"

I shake my head, "nothing. It's just super intense."

"You haven't been there have you," Jay asks curiously.

"No. Sorry, Zak. Go on."

"That's alright." He continues. "There have been sightings of a black cloaked figure with horns, like a goat, walking the bridge."

"Hopefully we don't see it," I shiver at the thought.

"That would make for some pretty awesome evidence though," Billy argues.

"I suppose."

"Well, I just wanted to let everyone know that's where we're going. We'll leave next Tuesday, so in a week from today. Shawn, you'll be done with your two weeks at the hospital then, right?" I nod. "Perfect. So we'll leave Tuesday. Interview on Wednesday and Thursday. Lockdown Thursday night and come home Friday. That way we'll have the weekend here at home to chill and recover."

"Recover?"

"You never know what can happen on lockdown," Aaron says trying not to scare me.

"Great."

"It'll all work out. Everyone will be fine. We just need to read up and do our studying before we go. Shawn, maybe you can help me with that part," Zak looks at me hoping I'll agree to his request.

"Sure."

"Awesome. Well, I guess that's it."

After a good 30 minutes of hanging out and talking, Aaron, Billy, and Jay say their goodbyes. I sling my purse over my shoulder and follow behind them when I'm stopped by a forceful hand on my forearm. It takes me aback, looking behind me to find Zak practically begging with his eyes for me to stay longer. "Bye, guys!" I yell out the open front door to the rest of the crew. They respond back and I shut the door. "What's up, Zak?" He releases my arm and I turn to him.

"You, uh, wanna stay?" I give him a look internally reminding him that I'm not to be used for sex. "Just to hang out. That's all. I would never do anything to hurt you."

"I know," I smile. "How about a movie?"

"Sounds nice." Zak makes a bowl of popcorn and I stare at his giant movie collection in his living room. I'm surprised by some of the movies he had collected.

"The Notebook?" I asked confused as he walks back in the living room with the popcorn, setting it on the coffee table.

"Hey, it's a classic." I laugh and continue my search.

"How about Accepted? I could use a good, stupid laugh right now." I pull it off the shelf.

"Fine with me." Zak puts the disc in the DVD player and we settle on the couch together. He inches closer to me and grabs my hand, interlocking his fingers with mine. I glance at our hands and smile. I still couldn't believe this was us and he makes it seems like not a huge deal. Looking back and forth at each other we finally caught eyes and stared. "May I kiss you?" Zak asks innocently.

"Zak, you don't have to ask." The only words left spoken are by the actors in the movie. We slowly draw our heads closer together and share a beautiful kiss. It was short, but sweet. As we pull away I rest my head on his shoulder and bring my attention back to the tv, though all my thoughts were about him.

This was definitely something I could get used to.