by Cat Schield
“Can we talk?” Susannah asked, showing none of the hostility Zoe would’ve expected.
“Talk?” she countered, locking the door and sealing them in like two combatants in a cage fight. “Or are you here to yell at me for everything that’s happened?”
“I don’t yell,” Susannah replied tartly.
“No, you just shred people with your rhetoric.”
The corner of Susannah’s mouth kicked up. “While that’s more accurate, I’m not here to accuse you of anything. I want to understand.”
And Zoe wanted to explain.
“Come into the back,” Zoe said, flipping off the light at the front of the store and gesturing for Susannah to follow her.
Susannah’s keen gaze swept over the cot and packing boxes that held her extra inventory. Zoe had shopped at several thrift stores to find furniture pieces, lamps and decorative things to make the space more comfortable, but it was still a storage area in a retail space.
“Are you living here?”
“For another couple weeks and then I’m closing the store and moving to Greenville.” Zoe offered no more explanation and Susannah didn’t ask any follow-up questions. “Would you like some tea?”
“Do you have anything stronger?”
Zoe shot a glance at Ryan’s sister, trying to determine if she was being serious. How much stronger?
“There’s lemon vodka in the freezer for emergencies.”
“Perfect.” Susannah nodded. “Break it out. This is definitely an emergency.”
Unsure what the other woman meant, Zoe nevertheless poured shots of vodka over ice and gestured at the small table the staff used for breaks. Since Susannah had been the one who’d initiated the encounter, Zoe decided to let her speak first.
“Tell me about your relationship with Everly Briggs.”
Zoe winced. “Relationship is the wrong word. It started with a random encounter at a networking event.”
She then went on to lay out their conversation and how they’d arrived at the scheme to take down the three men who’d hurt them. Susannah listened in silence, asking no questions, but her eyes glowed with keen interest.
“It sounds like she played both you and London to get what she wanted,” Susannah remarked over an hour later as Zoe’s tale wound down.
“You’re probably right. We were stupid to get involved with her, but in our defense, we were both in a pretty bad place emotionally and mentally.”
During her narrative, Zoe hadn’t taken a sip of her drink, but now she swallowed nearly half the shot, closing her eyes as the watered-down liquor burned her throat and warmed her chest enough that the ache around her heart eased somewhat.
Regardless of whether Susannah remained angry, the confession had brought Zoe a modicum of peace. For so long she’d held on to fear, unhappiness, anger and remorse. Being filled with so many negative emotions had kept her from embracing the brighter, lighter feelings from all the good in her life.
Opening the store had inspired a sense of accomplishment and given her a community of women she could trust. Meeting Ryan had awakened hope and given rise to her sexuality in a way she’d never known. Yet full happiness had eluded her because she remained tethered to the revenge bargain she and London had made with Everly.
“I’m really sorry for everything that happened between you and your husband. I had no business going after you as a way to hurt Ryan. It was wrong and I have no way to make any of it up to you.”
“I’ve spent a great deal of time thinking about you these last few days,” Susannah said, her gray eyes—so like her twin’s—drilling into Zoe with all the force of her significant resolve. “As well as reflecting on my marriage and the choices I’ve made.”
Zoe resisted the urge to squirm as she awaited whatever hell Susannah decided to rain down on her, knowing she deserved everything the lawyer had to say.
“If you’d never showed up in my life, Jefferson would still be cheating. No doubt Abernathy and his dirty tactics would’ve broken the scandal as a way to muck up the race.”
“That’s not necessarily true,” Zoe said, but she didn’t fully believe it.
Susannah shrugged. “Regardless, Everly Briggs would’ve come after Ryan via my campaign if you’d never been in the picture. From what you’ve told me, she interfered between London and Harrison Crosby the same way she did by telling your ex-husband what you were up to.”
“I suppose you’re right.” Zoe wasn’t sure if she should let herself feel relieved that Susannah was showing mercy.
Since getting to know Susannah, it had bothered Zoe more and more that by betraying Ryan’s sister, Zoe had behaved like some of the women in her former social circle.
“If I asked you stay away from my brother, would you?” Susannah’s abrupt question wasn’t one Zoe had expected, but she should have.
“You don’t need to ask.” The tightness in Zoe’s chest made breathing difficult so the words came out in a wheezy rush. “He made it clear that he doesn’t want to have anything more to do with me.”
“He’s hurt.”
A lump formed in Zoe’s throat. “I hurt him.”
Susannah waggled her glass, setting the ice cubes to tinkling. “I think I could use a refill.”
Zoe fetched the bottle and more ice, setting both on the table within Susannah’s reach.
“You didn’t answer my question,” Susannah said. “Would you stay away from my brother?”
Susannah’s request wasn’t particularly difficult to agree to given Zoe’s last conversation with Ryan. “Yes.”
“Because I asked or because you’re not in love with him?”
“I don’t see why it matters. Your brother made it clear how he feels about me.”
“It matters because I’m trying to decide whether or not to fight for my marriage and I really need to believe that love can conquer all right now.”
“Love...” Zoe mused. “Before Ryan came along, I’d never believed in it. I think you know that my own marriage wasn’t based on anything romantic or grounded in respect and trust.”
“And now?”
“I love Ryan with all my heart. It’s why I couldn’t go through with damaging your campaign. You are so important to him that by harming you, I’d be hurting him.” Zoe blew out her breath. “I just wish I’d been truthful earlier. Maybe I could’ve saved all of us a lot of pain.”
“Not me,” Susannah said, her dry smile one of sorrow but also strength. “I created my heartbreak all by myself.”
Silence filled the room for several minutes while Susannah stared off into space, giving Zoe time to contemplate all that had been said. Did Susannah want Zoe to stay away from Ryan? Why not just say that instead of asking if she would?
Could Susannah be okay with Zoe and Ryan being together? More importantly, was it possible that Ryan could someday forgive her? And was she strong enough to fight for his love?
“Why are you closing Second Chance Treasures?” Susannah said, breaking into Zoe’s thoughts. “Ryan told me you’d gotten a handle on your financial troubles and that the store was doing better.”
“My ex-husband bought the building so he could evict me.”
“You could move somewhere else and start over.”
“I don’t have enough money.” Grief welled up in Zoe. She blinked back tears. “And even if there was, I don’t have enough fight in me to pick up the pieces.”
“So what are you going to do instead?”
“Go back to Greenville and get a job.”
“What about all the women you help with the store? If you aren’t able to fight for yourself, what about them?”
Zoe’s heart gave a painful wrench at Susannah’s question, but she set her chin and gestured around the space. “This is all I have. Once I lose it...”
“Let me help you.”
“You can and you will.” Susannah’s eyes burned with feverish intensity. “Now, why don’t you pull out the documents London got from Tristan and let’s see what we can do to get you a better settlement.”
“I gave everything back to Tristan.”
For several seconds Susannah regarded her in surprise. “Can you go after the company who bought the building? Tristan is the owner, correct?”
Zoe brightened. Here was a question she could answer. “TA Charleston Holdings, LLC. But it won’t do you any good. It’s an offshore company that isn’t subject to US laws.” She’d done some research.
“Don’t be so cynical. I know several very good attorneys who are quite familiar with the ins and outs of offshore tax shelters.”
“I don’t know if it’s worth pursuing,” Zoe hedged. While the idea of hitting Tristan where it hurt appealed to her, her instincts cautioned against trying. “You don’t know what Tristan is like.”
“You’re afraid of him.”
Zoe nodded. “He scares me more than Everly does.”
“Well, neither one of them scares me,” Susannah declared and Zoe hoped that wasn’t the vodka talking. “You deserve to be treated fairly and I’m willing to play dirty to make that happen.”
Twelve
“What brings you by?” Ryan asked, gesturing his sister inside.
“I wanted to talk to you about Zoe.”
Ryan’s first impulse was to snap at his twin about staying out of his personal life, but he swallowed it. Susannah’s concerned expression told him she was trying to help.
“What about Zoe?”
“I went by the store to see her.”
He led the way into his living room and turned off the TV. As silence pressed down on the space, he exhaled heavily.
“Why did you do that?”
Susannah sat on his couch, looking unruffled at his grouchy attitude. “I wanted to hear her version of what happened with Everly Briggs.”
“And now that you have?”
“She regrets ever meeting the woman and wishes she could change the decisions she made.”
“Don’t we all.” Ryan flopped onto the couch and leaned his head back against the cushion beside his sister. “Have you spoken with Jefferson?”
“Of course.” Susannah sounded surprised at his question.
“And?”
“And what?”
“Are you getting a divorce?”
“It’s far too early to make such a decision. He’s ended the thing with Patty.” Susannah’s even tone gave no indication how she felt about that.
Ryan’s heart ached for his sister. “I guess that’s a start? So, what’s next?”
A faint line appeared between Susannah’s brows. “I’d like to keep my family intact. We’ve decided to seek counseling.” With a fond smile, Susannah reached out and squeezed his hand. “But what I really wanted to talk about tonight is you and Zoe.”
“There is no me and Zoe.”
“She’s planning to leave Charleston,” Susannah said.
This news was a blow Ryan wasn’t ready for. “When?”
“As soon as she gets everything settled with the store. She’s being evicted.”
“Why?”
“Seems her ex-husband bought the property so he could continue to mess up her life.” Sympathy glinted in Susannah’s eyes.
The news roused his protective instinct. “Why didn’t she tell me?”
“She found out the same day she received the video,” his sister explained. “Maybe she thought my problem was more important than her own.”
Ryan closed his eyes against the sharp pain in his chest. “You can’t possibly be taking her side in this, too.”
Susannah waved away his accusation. “I’m not taking sides. What do you mean ‘too’?”
“Paul thinks I’m crazy to let her go.”
“I’ve always liked Paul. He’s very sensible.”
“You only like him when he agrees with you.”
“That’s not true.” Susannah grinned. “I had a huge crush on him in high school. We even dated for a month.”
“You what?” Ryan couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “When?”
“Spring of senior year.” Susannah’s eyes twinkled. Actually twinkled. “We decided you wouldn’t like it so we kept our relationship a secret from you.” While Ryan tried to wrap his head around his sister and best friend dating, Susannah continued. “Do you hate me? Or Paul? Are we less trustworthy because we kept something from you all these years?”
Ryan saw right away where she was going. “Of course not,” he snapped, but couldn’t ignore a tiny blip of discomfort. The feeling faded quickly, but there was no denying that his perception of Susannah and Paul had altered minutely. “And what Zoe did was so much worse.”
“Was it? She planned to do something and didn’t. In high school Paul and I actively spent a month lying to you and have kept you in the dark ever since.” Susannah paused, giving him a moment to absorb her point. “Your relationship with Zoe progressed faster and farther than any before it. You’ve probably been feeling a bit exposed and insecure, but latching onto her mistake as an excuse to dump her so you avoid getting hurt?” Susannah shook her head. “Not cool, brother.”
“I need to think about it.”
“Don’t think too long. She needs a hero to rescue her from that wretched ex-husband of hers.”
“How am I supposed to do that?”
“Paul and I have some ideas how to make that happen.” Susannah’s expression was positively devilish. “And to put an end to Everly’s revenge plot once and for all.”
* * *
Zoe started as a knock sounded on the back door leading out to the parking lot. She wasn’t expecting any of her artists to stop by to pick up their inventory and the next person who popped into her mind was Everly. Although she was tempted to ignore the summons, curiosity poked at her and she went to open the door.
“Ryan?” Her lungs seized as she stared at him, buffeted by longing and regret. “What are you doing here?”
“Susannah told me you were closing the store and leaving Charleston.”
A lump formed in her throat, preventing her from speaking, so she nodded. He looked so wonderful standing there with his dark hair tousled and his gray eyes somber and concerned. She clenched her hands into fists to keep from throwing herself against his wide chest, wrapping her arms around his neck and sobbing her misery on his strong shoulders.
“Do you want to come in?”
“Thanks.”
The instant he stepped across the threshold, she knew she’d made a mistake. Overwhelming despair swamped her, bringing tears to her eyes.
“I’m so sorry,” she murmured, turning away. She dashed moisture from her cheeks, but it was just as swiftly replaced with new tears.
“Zoe.”
It was just her name, but the throb of emotion in Ryan’s voice sent her anguish spiraling ever deeper. Over the last year she’d spent way too much time pondering all the poor choices she’d made. Yet, the entire list of regrets didn’t equal her remorse over what she’d done to lose Ryan’s trust.
When his hands closed over her upper arms, she covered her face with her hands and nearly doubled over as raw pain bloomed in her chest. She wished he wasn’t being so kind. His anger she could face without breaking down, but his compassion twisted her inside out.
“Ah, sweetheart, don’t cry.” He pulled her back against his chest and wrapped his arms around her. “I’m sorry.”
His apology shocked her into laughter. “Why?”
Ryan spun her around and wiped her tears away with his thumbs. “Because I overreacted when you told me what you’d
been up to.”
She gulped in several ragged breaths before she could speak. “You didn’t.”
“Everyone disagrees with you.” He pulled her back into his arms and set his cheek against the top of her head.
Zoe resisted his warm embrace. She couldn’t reconcile how angry he’d been at their last meeting with this loving, forgiving man. What had transformed his attitude in the days since she’d shown him the video? Zoe knew Susannah had gone public with Jefferson’s affair, and that must’ve taken a toll on the entire family. Yet Ryan’s twin had graciously reached out to Zoe. And forgiven her. Why did she believe Ryan would do anything less?
Because her perceptions of Ryan had been poisoned by Everly describing him as vindictive when crossed.
“I’m so sorry,” she repeated again. Surrendering to her heart’s desire Zoe wrapped her arms around his waist and held on tight.
“Let’s be done with all the apologizing. I forgive you. If you can forgive me, then we can get past this and move forward with our lives.”
She wasn’t surprised he wanted closure on their relationship. He wasn’t the sort who left things undone.
“Okay.”
Relief mixed with disappointment as Zoe pressed her cheek against his thudding heart. If they weren’t meant to be together, at least she could find peace in a warm parting, released from guilt and able to recall their time together free from shadows.
“Good.” Ryan’s gave her a squeeze before easing away. “Now, I have something for you.”
While Zoe wiped away the last trace of tears, Ryan pulled an envelope out of his jacket pocket.
“What is that?”
“Open it and see.”
Unsure what to make of his eager expression, Zoe opened the flap and peered inside. She glimpsed some sort of legal documents and frowned.
“Are you suing me?”
Ryan’s eyes went wide and for a long moment he appeared too stunned to speak. Then his breath hissed out and he shook his head.
“Damn, you’ve really been through the wringer, haven’t you?” He took the envelope back and pulled out the pages, turning them so she could read what was written. “You are now the proud owner of this building.”