by Tara Randel
Tapping the end button, Zoe walked the few steps to open the door, but Tim beat her to it.
“Have I told you how nice you look today?” he asked as, always a gentleman, he helped her into the cab.
For the wedding today, she’d found a pretty floral sleeveless dress with a flared skirt and strappy silver sandals to wear, in addition to getting her shoulder-length wispy-cut hairstyle trimmed and actually put on makeup. Very different from her stay-at-home uniform of mom jeans and baggy tops or the more professional wardrobe she used for her mayoral duties. It felt good to dress up for a change and, in a way, she’d wanted to please Tim.
She sent him a genuine smile. “Thanks. You look pretty spiffy yourself.”
Tim closed the door and jogged around the front of the truck. She tried to ignore the jitters that quaked over her at the thought of socializing at the reception. People still gave her the look, the one reserved for a wife who’d lost her husband early in life. Actually, Mitch had been lost to her a few years prior, but no one knew the miserable details. Placing her hands over her stomach, she told herself to calm down. She knew most of the people who would be at the party. Really, she could think of this as another one of her town events. Even though this party had more to do with hearts and arrows than a function benefiting Cypress Pointe.
Tim jumped back in the cab and placed the truck in gear. “I’m glad you decided to come with me today.”
“Thanks for asking. I was already scheduled to do the ceremony, but it’s nice to have your company,” she said, determined not to let reminders of the past ruin her present.
“Look, Zoe, I understand that I’m the first guy you’ve gone out with since Mitch...um...passed away. I know this decision wasn’t easy.” He paused. “You got this watery look in your eyes when you were reading the vows. I thought you might not make it through the ceremony.”
Yeah, she’d had a moment of self-pity. She’d hoped it hadn’t been that obvious. “Maybe we should talk about something else.”
“I want you to know I admire you,” he soldiered on. “Having a baby and finding out Mitch wasn’t coming home? I can’t even imagine the pain you must have gone through. And then performing this wedding today? You’re one tough cookie.”
In the past two years, she’d had to be. “Thanks. I think.”
“I just mean you’ll move on with your life.” He turned his head in her direction. The surety in his gaze made her squirm. “Someday, you’ll find another man.”
Tim continued extolling the virtues that were Zoe Simmons while her stomach churned. She really wanted to make a go of it with Tim. Stop holding him at arm’s length. Let the relationship advance naturally. Grow closer. Maybe if he kissed her, she’d be able to open up to him and get past the reservations about the way her marriage had ended.
Before long, they pulled into the hotel parking lot scattered with crushed white shells. The charming southern plantation facade of the building greeted guests like long lost friends finally coming home. After Tim pulled into an empty space, Zoe grabbed hold of the handle and opened the door without waiting for him to do the honors. She slid out of the cab, shaking off her misgivings. She could do this.
Her feet hit the shells and she made her way to the wide veranda of the Grand Cypress Hotel. The porch was stocked with cozy rocking chairs situated in front of the wide windows with thick plantation shutters.
“Hey, Zoe. Wait up.”
She was being prickly, and she knew it. He’d made her sound like a saint and she was far from one. If she’d been a better person, she wouldn’t have been filing for a divorce after making one last-ditch effort to fix her marriage. Wouldn’t have screamed, I never want to see you again, the final time her husband walked out the door because her heart was breaking and she’d had enough.
Yes, she’d picked up the pieces after Mitch’s death. Grieved the man, as well as the marriage that had been collateral damage when his career had carried him to every corner of the world. If there was the hint of a government coup, political upheaval or celebrity scandal, Mitch was there with his camera. But the idea of a new man, Tim or anyone else for that matter, took some getting used to. One day, she would be totally one hundred percent over Mitch. Today was now or never.
Stopping by the glass-etched main entrance, she faced Tim when he caught up to her. “Please go inside,” she told him. “I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
For the first time he looked unsure of himself. “Was it something I said?”
“I need to gather my thoughts.” She tilted her head toward the building. “I’ll be in soon.”
“If you say so.”
A blast of air conditioning drifted over Zoe as Tim went inside. Heaving a breath, she lowered herself onto a rocking chair a few feet away and smoothed the cotton skirt of her dress with shaky fingers.
Mitch still had the power to reduce her to uncertainty. It hadn’t always been that way. When they’d met in high school, then married young, he’d always made her laugh. Given her hope.
But once he’d become Mr. Hotshot Photojournalist, things had begun to change. Subtly at first. He was a thrill seeker from the get-go; she shouldn’t have been surprised when he thrived at his job. She, on the other hand, had always been leery about walking into the unknown. She had been wounded as an innocent bystander in a bank robbery, and the helplessness she’d felt then had never left her. It had, in fact, spurred on her commitment to the town and the people of Cypress Pointe. Mitch, meanwhile, had craved the action and on the way to success, her concerns hadn’t seemed to matter to him.
Can’t blame him. You had your part in the breakup.
It was true, but she’d hoped Mitch would put their failing marriage first. When he didn’t, she’d become even more civic-minded, throwing her energy into projects bettering the lives of her friends and neighbors. But what if she’d tried harder? Maybe battled her fears? Gone with him a time or two to show her support? If she’d known then what she knew now, she might have made a different choice.
A couple headed in her direction, dressed up for the wedding-reception revelry inside.
“Good afternoon, Mayor.”
She waved. It still felt odd answering to that title. She’d always been Zoe. Just plain Zoe. Mitch Simmons’s wife. Leo’s mother. Samantha’s daughter. Now she had a responsibility to the good people of Cypress Pointe. She wasn’t completely sure how that had happened. One day she was busy with her latest community project, a food bank, when her best friend suggested she’d make an awesome mayor. Next thing she knew, she was running an election and won.
Now she ran a town, dealt with a town council, worked closely with the police and fire chiefs, along with other officials, and found herself thriving. Her ideas were accepted and embraced, and best of all, successful. Her passionate goal of keeping Cypress Pointe safe for current and future generations was falling into place.
“Are you going inside?” the man asked as he held open the door.
Not wanting to appear rude, she stood and joined the couple as they ventured inside. Following them into the cool, spacious lobby, her heels echoed on the marble floor leading to the assigned banquet room. As she entered, voices carried over the soft music flowing from hidden speakers. Waiters moved about the room with trays of hors d’oeuvres and flutes of champagne. The yummy aroma of a loaded baked potato made her stomach growl. She took a small plate and helped herself to the potato and a BLT on a cracker. She’d forgotten to eat lunch in her rush to get ready and had to stop herself from swallowing the comfort food too quickly. Taking a bite of the potato, she closed her eyes and savored the gooey melted cheese spiced with bits of bacon.
“Whoever came up with these hors d’oeuvres is a genius,” a familiar voice said beside her.
Zoe’s eyes flew open. “Bethany. I missed you at the rehearsal party last night.”
“My flight got delayed. I ca
me in too late.”
“I knew you wouldn’t miss the wedding.”
“After hearing all your stories about Lilli making Max crazy by dragging out the wedding plans, I had to see the ceremony with my own eyes.”
Depositing her plate on the tray of a passing waiter, Zoe threw her arms around her best friend and squeezed. “I’m glad you’re here.”
Bethany squeezed back. “Me, too.”
Zoe pulled away to scrutinize her friend. Bethany’s shoulder-length brunette hair gleamed under the subtle banquet room lighting and her mocha eyes sparkled. “I see the road agrees with you.”
“What can I say? I love my job. Even if it does keep me away from Cypress Pointe.”
Zoe hugged her again. “Which is more often than I like. But now you’re here. That’s all that matters.”
“Just for the weekend. I fly out Sunday.”
Tomorrow? Pushing away the pinch of dejection, Zoe smiled. “Great. We can catch up. Leo would love to see his godmother.”
“And I’m dying to see him. Half of my suitcase is filled with toys and adorable little outfits I couldn’t resist buying.”
Bethany might be busy, but she always had time to dote on Leo.
“Stop by in the morning.”
“I will.” She sized up Zoe. “You okay with all this lovey-dovey, happy couple stuff?”
Zoe laughed. Bethany was not a believer in happily-ever-after.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re sure? I thought I saw you tear up during the ceremony.”
Good grief. “Did everyone notice?”
“I suppose only people paying attention. I’d say the majority were focused on the bride and groom.”
Which, hopefully, meant only Bethany and Tim saw the moment of weakness.
“No matter. I’m good. Better than good.” She scanned the room. “I even have a date roaming around here somewhere.”
“So you’ve stuck to your moving-on plan?”
“Absolutely.”
“I guess Tim is a good choice...” Bethany’s voice trailed off.
“But?”
“He’s a firefighter. Why do you pick guys who run to danger?”
Why, indeed?
“Forget I said anything. If you like him, that’s good enough for me.”
“I do,” Zoe insisted. “He’s a nice guy.”
“But he doesn’t get your pulse racing?”
“Been there. Had the broken marriage to prove it. Next time, I’m going for solid and steady.”
Bethany snorted. “Good luck with that.”
Yeah, Zoe had a thing for thrill-seekers. Could it be because she lived vicariously through them? How’s that working out for you?
Not well.
Bethany frowned. “My folks are sending me the stink eye. Gotta run.”
It took everything in Zoe not to turn toward Mr. and Mrs. Donahue. Since the ill-fated robbery when Zoe and Bethany were young teens, they hadn’t wanted much to do with her. Unconsciously, she rubbed her arm, her fingers brushing over the raised scar.
Growing up, she’d based the idea of what a family should look like by the Donahues’ example. Bethany’s parents had normal jobs, normal hours and normal relationships, while Zoe had cooked her own meals and basically ran her mother’s life. Even today, she missed the security of their home, the comfort of their friendship, a life she’d been a part of for too short a period of time.
A waiter passed by again. The zesty scent of mac and cheese, served in little porcelain ramekin bowls, drew her from her thoughts. She wandered around the room, admiring the wildflower theme carried over from the wedding. Each table resembled a picnic table with yellow gingham cloths covered with burlap and lace runners. The centerpiece consisted of a small galvanized bucket with overflowing greens and wildflowers, surrounded by candles flickering in mason jars. Fat water goblets and white plates with yellow napkins circled by a wooden holder adorned each place setting. Simple and inviting. Very Lilli.
A riser had been assembled at the far end of the room for Luke Hastings’s band to set up their instruments to play after dinner. The opposite wall boasted a large window overlooking the hotel pool. From there, the hotel lawn swept down to the beach. There was a wooden outdoor deck on the far side of the building with an amazing view of the sand and water beyond. Truth be told, the private deck was her favorite place at the hotel. With today’s temperate weather, Zoe imagined the party would eventually spill outside.
“There you are.” Tim came up beside her, handing her a glass. She took a sip of the sparkling wine, suddenly at a loss for conversation.
Guilt itched over her. She shouldn’t be thinking about the past when she was on a date. “Sorry about before.”
“No need to explain.”
There was, but she kept quiet.
“Pretty room,” Tim said.
“Yes. Nealy did a stellar job as usual. Between her event planning company and her boyfriend owning this hotel, they’re a real power couple.”
Silence fell between them and she took another sip.
“When do you think the wedding party will get here?”
“Soon, I would imagine.”
Tim shook his head, gazing around the room.
Yeah, this had turned awkward.
“The only thing that would top this day is if I get called out to a fire. A real date-killer.”
Zoe laughed. She knew Tim wasn’t on duty, but appreciated his attempt at levity. If he could try, she would, too.
“Or I could get called into an impromptu late Saturday afternoon town council meeting, because we all know council people have nothing better to do than call weekend meetings.”
He chuckled and sent her a warm smile.
Should she take his hand in hers to reassure him they were fine, or was that rushing things? It had been so long since she’d dated; she was definitely rusty. Just take the plunge. She could do this.
“Ah, the life we live as public servants,” he said.
Actually, a public life hadn’t turned out all that bad. She gave to the town and her work brought a sense of satisfaction. She was keeping Cypress Pointe a good place to live, work and raise a family, ensuring that nothing threatened this quiet community she treasured. She didn’t imagine her motivation would ever be swayed.
As she looked around for a place to set down her glass, deciding to take his hand and finally show Tim she wanted their relationship to move to the next level, the volume level in the room rose. Guests shifted to the open doorway.
“Must be the happy couple now,” Tim commented.
Her timing stunk. To cover her disappointment, she said, “Now we can get this party started. Have I told you I like to dance?”
“I believe you have.”
Thankful to get this date back on an even keel, Zoe joined in the clapping as the bride and groom made their grand entrance. Toasts were offered. The meal was just about to be served when she noticed a new face appear in the crowd. Wyatt Hamilton, Mitch’s best friend, searched the crowd until his gaze landed on her. With a determined air about him, he worked his way across the room. What on earth could he want? She’d noticed him at the church earlier, but he’d left through the backdoor before the ceremony started, talking on his cell phone. Then Zoe had gotten busy and hadn’t given his exit a second thought. At the time, she figured he was talking to his girlfriend, Jenna, the caterer for this reception. From his serious expression and focused stride, a note of worry scurried over her.
“Zoe, I’ve been trying to get ahold of you.”
She reached for her phone and came up empty-handed, which was highly unusual since she always kept her phone nearby when Leo was with a sitter. “I must have left my bag in the truck.”
He nodded at her explanation. “I need to borrow you.”
&nb
sp; Tim stepped closer. “Right now?”
Wyatt sent him a dark look. “It’s important.”
Zoe grabbed Wyatt’s sleeve. “Is it Leo? Is something wrong?”
His expression gentled. “No. Not at all. I’m sure Leo is fine.”
Zoe let out a breath, then met Wyatt’s gaze. “What’s up?”
“Come with me.”
Beyond curious, Zoe turned to Tim. “I’ll be back as soon as this mystery is solved.”
Frustration crossed Tim’s face. “I’ll be waiting.”
“Thanks, Tim.” Zoe glanced at Wyatt again. Something was off and she wanted to find out what was bothering him.
Wyatt cocked his head toward the door leading to the backyard outdoor area. Zoe passed by him and then he fell into step beside her as they approached the pool, the chlorine heavy and pungent. A few folks lingered at the open-air cafe, but most guests were inside enjoying the party.
“Care to give me a heads-up?” she said once they were out of hearing distance from the crowd.
“You’ll understand in a moment.”
Tendrils of unease trickled down her spine. “You’re making me nervous.”
His quick smile put her marginally at ease. “It’ll be worth it.”
“Really? Does Jenna know what you’re up to?”
“Yes. And she’s with me on this.”
“Okay. Lead on.”
They continued walking. Once they reached the arch exiting to the cement pathway that led to the far deck, he stopped. “Go on out there.”
“What?” She crossed her arms over her chest. “You got me this far and now I’m on my own?”
“It’s not my place.”
She stood her ground.
“It’s important.”
Disconcerted by this clandestine mission, she reluctantly made her way along the path. Tall sea oats swayed in the gentle breeze. A seagull squawked before diving for its prey. Out here, briny seawater tinted the air. As she grew closer, she noticed a tall figure standing on the far side of the deck, his back to her as he looked over the natural vista spreading out before him. She hesitated as fear gripped her. Surely, Wyatt wouldn’t have brought her here if it weren’t safe.