Chapter 9

NINE

E llie perched on the edge of her grandmother's hospital bed, absently smoothing the crisp white sheets. The steady beep of monitors filled the room, a constant reminder of why they were here. But Abuela Elena's eyes sparkled with their usual mischief, belying her frail appearance.

"Elliot, mi amor ," Elena chided gently, "you're fussing. I'm not made of glass, you know."

Ellie's lips quirked into a sheepish smile. "Sorry, Abuela. I just worry."

" Ni?a , no," Elena waved her hand dismissively. "Worry is for old people. You're too young for such nonsense."

Before Ellie could retort, her phone buzzed insistently in her pocket. She fished it out, her eyebrows rising in surprise at the caller ID.

"It's Zy," she murmured, more to herself than her grandmother.

Elena's eyes lit up with interest. "Well? Are you going to answer it or just stare at it like it might bite?"

Ellie rolled her eyes but hit the accept button. "Hello?"

"Ellie, hi," Zy's deep voice came through, tinged with a hint of nervousness that made her heart skip. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything?"

"No, not at all. I'm just visiting my grandmother at the hospital. Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine," Zy assured her quickly. "I was actually calling to... well, to ask if you'd like to have dinner with me tonight? There's this amazing Mexican place I know, right on the river. The view is incredible."

Ellie's breath caught in her throat. Was he asking her on a date? She glanced at her grandmother, who was watching her with undisguised glee, clearly having guessed the nature of the call.

"I... I'm not sure," Ellie hedged. "My grandmother?—"

"Go!" Elena interrupted loudly enough for Zy to hear. "Your abuela commands it!"

Ellie clapped a hand over her face, mortified. "Abuela, please?—"

Zy's warm chuckle came through the phone. "I take it I have your grandmother's approval?"

"You have no idea," Ellie groaned. But she couldn't help the smile tugging on her lips. "You know what? Dinner sounds great."

"Wonderful," Zy's voice was warm with pleasure. "I'll pick you up at your place around seven?"

After confirming the details and hanging up, Ellie turned to face her grandmother's triumphant grin.

"Don't say it," Ellie warned, but there was no heat in her voice.

"Say what?" Elena asked innocently. "That my granddaughter is finally going on a date with a handsome, successful man who clearly adores her?"

Ellie felt her cheeks heat. "It's not... we're just colleagues."

"Mm-hmm," Elena hummed skeptically. "Sure you are. And I'm not a woman who's seen true love her whole life. Now, go! Make yourself beautiful. Not that you need much help in that department."

Ellie leaned in to press a kiss on her grandmother's cheek. "What would I do without you, Abuela?"

"Be very bored, I imagine," Elena quipped. "Now shoo! And I expect a full report tomorrow!"

Hours later, Ellie stood in front of her closet, scrutinizing her options. She'd settled on a flowy gold dress that brought out the warm tones in her skin, paired with strappy sandals. Her dark red hair fell in soft waves around her shoulders.

A knock at her door sent a flutter of butterflies through her stomach. Taking a deep breath, she opened it to find Zy standing there, looking devastatingly handsome in dark jeans and a crisp button-down shirt.

His eyes widened appreciatively as he took her in. "Wow. Ellie, you look... stunning."

Ellie felt a blush creep up her neck. "Thanks. You clean up real good Mr. Ashford."

The restaurant was everything Zy had promised and more. They were seated at a table by the window, offering a breathtaking view of the river glittering under the setting sun.

As they perused the menu, Ellie couldn't help but steal glances at Zy. In this relaxed setting, away from the pressures of work, he seemed... lighter somehow. His smile came easier, his golden eyes twinkling with warmth.

"So," Ellie said as they waited for their food, "I have to ask. How is it that a successful, charming CEO like yourself is still single? Surely you must have women lining up around the block."

Zy laughed, the sound rich and genuine. "Hardly. I think you overestimate the appeal of a workaholic who spends most of his time talking about code optimization."

"Oh please," Ellie scoffed playfully. "As if that's not the height of sex appeal."

Zy's eyes danced with amusement. "Well, in that case, let me dazzle you with tales of my latest database restructuring project."

They dissolved into laughter, the tension that had lingered between them finally dissipating completely.

As the evening wore on, Ellie found herself captivated by Zy's quick wit and self-deprecating humor. He regaled her with stories of his most disastrous coding mishaps, each tale punctuated by increasingly dramatic hand gestures.

"And then," Zy said, leaning in conspiratorially, "just as I thought I'd fixed the bug, the entire system crashed. In front of the entire board of directors."

Ellie gasped in mock horror. "No! What did you do?"

Zy grinned sheepishly. "The only thing I could do. I turned to them and said, ‘And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why we always back up our data.'"

Ellie burst out laughing, nearly choking on her margarita. "You didn't!"

"I did," Zy confirmed. "Surprisingly, they found it charming. Said it showed ‘quick thinking under pressure.'"

As their laughter subsided, Ellie found herself studying Zy's face. The way his eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled, the little dimple that appeared in his left cheek. She was struck by a sudden, overwhelming urge to reach out and touch him.

Instead, she took another sip of her drink, willing her racing heart to calm down. "You know," she said softly, "I'm really glad I agreed to come out tonight."

Zy's expression softened, his gaze warm and intense. "So am I, Ellie. So am I."

As they clinked their glasses together, Ellie felt a spark of something she hadn't experienced in years. And for once, she didn't try to push it away.

The mariachi band in the restaurant struck up a lively tune, the vibrant notes filling the air. Ellie found herself swaying slightly in her seat, a smile playing on her lips as she sipped her second margarita of the night.

"You know," Zy said, "I don't think I've seen you this relaxed since we met. It suits you."

Ellie felt a warmth that had nothing to do with the tequila spread through her chest. "Oh? And how do I usually look?"

Zy pretended to consider for a moment. "Hmm... intense. Brilliant. Slightly terrifying."

She laughed, tossing a tortilla chip at him. "Terrifying? Me?"

"Absolutely," Zy nodded solemnly, though his eyes danced with amusement. "You should see yourself when you're in the zone, coding. It's like watching a force of nature."

Ellie felt her cheeks heat at the compliment. "Well, you're not exactly a pushover yourself, Mr. CEO."

Ellie couldn't take her eyes off Zy's face. The way the soft lighting caught the golden flecks in his eyes, the slight stubble along his jawline that she had the urge to run her fingers and tongue over.

Shaking herself out of her reverie, Ellie took another sip of her margarita. "So, tell me," she said, aiming for a lighter tone, "has your mother ever tried to set you up with anyone, because mine seems to be the queen of terrible matchmaking."

Zy groaned dramatically, dropping his head into his hands. "Oh god, don't get me started. Our mothers might be twins."

Ellie leaned forward, intrigued. "Oh, this I have to hear."

"Okay, picture this," Zy began, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "My mother's idea of the perfect woman for me? A professional organizer who color-codes her sock drawer and has a five-year plan for her houseplants."

Ellie nearly choked on her drink. "No!"

"Oh yes," Zy nodded solemnly. "She showed up to our ‘date' with a label maker and a stack of spreadsheets. I think she wanted to optimize my life or something."

"That's nothing," Ellie countered, grinning. "My mom once tried to set me up with a guy who collected vintage calculators."

They traded increasingly ridiculous matchmaking stories, each tale punctuated by bursts of laughter and playful one-upmanship.

As the evening wore on, Ellie found herself captivated by more than just Zy's stories. The way his whole face lit up when he laughed, the gentle timbre of his voice, the way he leaned in slightly whenever she spoke, as if hanging on her every word.

During a lull in the conversation, Zy's expression softened, his gaze warm and intense. "You know, Ellie, I have to say... you look absolutely beautiful tonight. Especially when you smile like that."

Ellie felt her breath catch in her throat. The sincerity in his voice, the way he looked at her... it made her feel seen in a way she hadn't in years.

"Thank you," she murmured, suddenly shy. "You're pretty handsome whether you smile or not."

Zy's lips quirked into a smile that made her heart skip. "High praise indeed. I'll have to remember that the next time you're yelling at me about code optimization."

Ellie laughed, the tension broken. "Oh please, as if you don't love our debates."

"Guilty as charged," Zy admitted, raising his glass in a mock toast.

As the night drew to a close, they lingered outside her building, neither quite ready for the evening to end. The city hummed around them, but Ellie was only aware of Zy, of the way he stood close enough that she could feel the warmth radiating from his body.

"I had a wonderful time tonight," Zy said softly, his eyes searching hers.

"So did I," Ellie replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

For a moment, they stood there, the air between them charged with possibility. Then, Ellie smiled and turned to her building. She glanced over her shoulder once inside and smiled. As she got into her elevator, she frowned at the emptiness in her chest.