“Hadley…” Relief washed over Zane’s features as he stepped closer and seized her wrist, instinctively scanning her for injuries. Once satisfied, he exhaled—then caught himself, released her, and sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry about that.”

“It’s okay.” Hadley laughed gently, shaking her head. “What are you doing here?”

“I…” Zane hesitated, warmth rising in his face. He rubbed his brow, took a deep breath, then looked her straight in the eye. “I came for you.”

He had already told her how he felt. Still, their relationship had always remained firmly in the realm of friendship. Hadley had never returned his feelings in a romantic sense—and Zane had accepted that. He had no intention of pushing boundaries, at least not anytime soon. However, he couldn’t stay still after learning about the accident.

“I saw the news,” Zane said, his tone laced with guilt. “I’m sorry I got here so late. I didn’t even know you were in Tidebourne until I spoke with Colleen.”

“Why are you apologizing?” Hadley gave a soft laugh, shaking her head, uncertain how to navigate the sudden reunion.

They hadn’t stayed in regular contact. Given the nature of their connection, she hadn’t thought to tell him she was coming to Tidebourne. But the second he heard what happened, he came running. That kind of earnestness was rare. And Hadley felt it deeply—Zane’s feelings hadn’t been a casual confession. He meant what he’d said. He’d wanted more. She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t moved.

To be cared for like that—truly seen and valued—was a rare kind of grace.

But…

Hadley exhaled softly, the sigh nearly lost to the hum of the emergency ward. A quiet ache pressed against her ribs, invisible but heavy. She managed a warm, composed smile. “Thank you for coming all this way. Was it a rough trip?”

“It wasn’t too bad,” Zane replied. “Some roads were blocked, so I had to take a longer route… it just took a little more time.”

Before either of them could say anything else, Zane’s phone began to ring.

ЯE P?ΛTΞ? IИ GΛ?И?VΞ.

It was Colleen. Zane offered Hadley a reassuring smile before swiping the screen and putting the call on speaker. “Hey, Colleen.”

“Zane!” Colleen’s voice burst through, frazzled and fast. “Did you make it? Did you find Hadley? How is she? Is she okay? Her phone’s been off, and Brady called me—he’s practically losing it!”

“Calm down,” Zane said gently, finally getting a word in. “I’m here. And Hadley’s fine. Here, I’ll let her talk to you.”

He handed the phone to Hadley, who took it quickly. “Colleen, it’s me.”

“Hadley!” Relief flooded Colleen’s voice. “You’re really okay? You sound okay! How’s your body? Your arms? Your legs? Your head—did you hit your head?”

“Everything’s fine.” Hadley laughed, a soft sigh escaping her. “My head’s in one piece—no dents, I promise.”

“Thank goodness.” Colleen sounded like she had finally exhaled after holding her breath for hours. “Your phone’s been unreachable, and Brady wouldn’t stop calling me. I told him Zane was going to find you, but before we found you, how could he stay calm?”

Hadley’s phone had been lost during the chaos—no wonder no calls had gone through. “I’ll give him a call in a bit and let him know I’m safe.”

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