by Tara Randel
Mitch checked the screen again. Priceless. A picture no one but him would ever see. His personal reward for tonight’s job well done.
“Glad to see you here. Zoe was right to ask you to cover the event.”
Mitch lowered the camera and looked up to find Wyatt standing beside him.
“Just like she corralled all of you?”
Wyatt chuckled. “It’s what she does.”
“Seems I’ve missed quite a bit in my wife’s life.”
Wyatt pulled out a chair, turned and straddled it, his arms resting against the top of the back. “It took everything in her to keep going after we thought you were dead.”
Mitch glanced at his friend’s solemn face. If anyone could relate, it was Wyatt; having lived through much the same experience after his young son had died. “Once she found out she was pregnant, that’s what gave her the power to carry on. Leo saved her.”
“Unlike me, who caused all her problems?”
“I’m not saying that.” Wyatt ran a hand through his hair. “You guys had hit a dead end. And to be fair, it wasn’t only you. Both of you had your fair share in the failing marriage.”
There had been more than one night of Mitch sleeping on his good buddy’s couch.
Mitch caught sight of Zoe again. “She’s something else.”
“You have no idea.”
“Guess I should find out.”
“I wasn’t gonna come right out and say it, but yeah. You need to figure out what you want and make it happen.”
Mitch sent him a sideways glance. “Is that what you did with Jenna?”
Wyatt’s brow rose.
“Heard you set a wedding date.”
His friend’s chest puffed. “Yep. And since you mentioned it, I can officially ask you to be the photographer.”
Surprise struck Mitch. In all his career, he’d never covered a wedding. Or baby and family photos. Not that he had anything against the domestic angle, but his path had taken him in a different direction. But this was Wyatt, a good friend to him through the years.
“I’d be honored.”
“Thanks, man. I’ll give you the details when I find out more.”
“You mean Jenna hasn’t already started the grand plans?”
“No. We both agreed on small and intimate.”
“Congrats.”
Wyatt grinned as he stood and replaced the chair in its original position. “Can’t wait.”
As his friend walked away Mitch thought back to his and Zoe’s wedding. They’d been out of high school a few months. Their mothers had been on board, his father a holdout, as usual, insisting they were too young to make such a huge commitment. He tried one last-ditch effort to convince Mitch to enlist in the military before, as he put it, Mitch ruined his life. Which had been a great big bust because, yeah, in time, his career had wrecked the marriage.
His father had boycotted the ceremony. Mitch always told himself it didn’t matter, but deep down it had hurt when his father hadn’t shown. Another moment in a long history of episodes where a son disappointed his father and vice versa. The more his father disapproved of Mitch’s decisions, the more Mitch went after his career with a vengeance.
Look where that got you. You never speak to the man and your marriage suffered because you were trying to prove...what? That you knew better than your old man?
Running off to the far ends of the earth hadn’t fixed anything, and now he had a broken marriage as a result. Did he want that kind of childhood for Leo? A father in and out of his life? Could his own father have been right about so many things? Mitch didn’t even want to ponder the possibilities.
“You look like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders.”
Zoe plopped down in a chair beside him and kicked off her high-heeled shoes. She reached down to massage one foot. “Ah. Much better. My toes went numb.”
“You probably walked five miles tonight.”
She sat up and waved a hand. “My calves will hate me tomorrow, but it was worth it.”
The crowd began to dwindle. The big donors Zoe had been courting left, mostly those remaining had worked on the event. Jenna had cleaned up after her food disappeared in record time. A few of the teens were starting to collect the decorations for Nealy as the event planner instructed Dane to pull out the plastic bins she’d hidden so they could pack up for the night. Other helpers blew out candles, whirls of smoke lifting toward the fluorescent lights above, carrying with it a waxy residue smell.
“Are all your events this successful?”
She grinned, unrepentant. “You bet.”
He chuckled. “Well, I for one am impressed. I can’t believe the way you worked the room.”
“It goes with the territory.”
“Really, Zoe. You did great.”
She lowered her eyes. His chest grew tight when a cute red flush covered her cheeks. Confidence mixed with the humility. Very attractive.
She met his gaze. “I hope you got some good pictures tonight.”
“I’ll go over them tomorrow. Get back to you to see which ones you want for your promotional needs.”
She nodded, all business again. “I have a list. The local newspaper, the chamber of commerce and the city website. Some other sites that cater to those who want to lend a hand in feeding those in need. We can meet in my office next week.”
“You really have turned into the mayor.”
“Like you had any doubt?”
He shouldn’t have. Cypress Pointe was her safe haven. She would do anything to make the town the best it could be.
“Not really. It was just amazing to watch.”
She met his gaze and all he could think about was kissing her. Until a shout pulled her attention elsewhere.
“I’ll be right back,” she said as she jumped up and hurried over to talk to Nealy. After an in-depth group discussion, most everyone cleared out. The gym suddenly seemed cavernous. The voices of the few teens removing the canned goods from the display echoed and the wheels from a large trash can rumbled as the janitor rolled it into the room for the final cleanup.
Zoe gathered her belongings, placing them on the table before collecting her shoes. “Well, we can officially call it a night.”
Mitch didn’t miss the single rose lying beside her small clutch purse. He nodded toward it. “So, where’s Tim?”
She looked away as she pulled on her heels. “Got a call.”
“Huh. Happen often?”
She sat up. “I wouldn’t know.”
“I thought you were dating?”
“More like...talking.”
“Talking?”
“That’s what the kids say when they start to get to know someone before actually dating.”
He chuckled. “The kids, huh?”
“You hang around teens, you pick up a thing or two.”
“So, you and Tim?”
She exhaled. “I don’t know what you want to hear, Mitch.”
“How about the truth?”
Her brows angled. “You want the truth? Okay. Here it is. I don’t know where we stand. I like Tim. He’s a nice guy. We have fun together.” Her expression turned dark. “But you and I aren’t divorced, so to be honest, I have a hard time agreeing to go out with him. He says it doesn’t matter, but... Well, it does.”
Mitch digested her words, silent for a long moment. “Why didn’t you file the papers?”
She sighed. “You were dead. What was the point?”
“And now that I’m very much alive?”
She met his gaze again. Spoke softly. “I don’t know.”
Tension stretched between them.
“He picked the wrong color,” Mitch finally said.
She looked at him, confused. “What?”
“The rose. Yellow is yo
ur favorite, not red.”
Surprise replaced her look of puzzlement. “You remember?”
“I didn’t lose my entire memory. And just because I haven’t given you flowers in a long time doesn’t mean I forgot what you like.”
She gaped at him, pulling herself together when one of the teenaged girls approached them.
“Sorry to bother you, Mrs. Simmons. I just wanted to let you know my mom won the bid for me on your Spend a Day With the Mayor silent auction. I’ve always been interested in politics.”
Zoe smiled. “I can’t wait, Ashlee. Give my office a call and we’ll set up a day.”
“Thanks.” The teen looked from Zoe to Mitch and back. “I should go.”
“Be safe,” Zoe called out as the girl joined her friends before leaving the gym.
“You’re a mentor, too?” Mitch teased. “How do you have time for it all?”
“I manage,” she said, trying and failing to hide her pleasure. “Besides, I like working with young people. I love their energy and ideas.”
“Then it’s a good thing you offered your services.”
“I learned a while back that silent auctions pull in a lot of extra revenue. And people love to outdo each other in the bidding.”
“Tell me about it.”
She raised a questioning brow.
Mitch reached into the camera bag and pulled out an envelope. Handed it to Zoe. “Watching you bustle around all night wore me out. I won this for you.”
She took the envelope, fingered the flap to pull out a certificate. Her face lit up. “You bid on a spa day?”
He shrugged. “Maybe you can take a couple of your friends with you.”
She glanced at him. “Why would you do this?”
“Like I said, you work hard. You’re a mom and the mayor. A couple of hours being pampered is the least you deserve.”
“Okay, where is my husband and what did you do with him?”
* * *
“WHAT? I CAN’T give my wife a gift?”
She’d hurt his feelings. She could see it by the disgruntled scowl and the stiff set of his shoulders. But why wouldn’t she be surprised? She wasn’t used to this selfless side of Mitch. To say his gift caught her off guard was an understatement.
“I’m sorry.”
“Are you, Zoe?”
Was she? Her mind had been in a constant state of flux ever since she’d found Mitch on the deck at the Grand Cypress Hotel. She’d finally accepted his death, and there he was, in the flesh and very much alive. So, sue her for being confused. She’d been angry with him when he’d left, and if she were completely honest, she was angry at his sudden return. She’d gotten into a routine, a new way of life with Leo, but now felt like she was on an emotional teeter-totter. Her husband was back and she was sixes-and-sevens about what to do with all the changes.
“I seem to say all the wrong things around you.”
He blew out an exaggerated sigh. “It’s not like I haven’t made things difficult for you.”
“Not so much difficult as perplexing. I’m afraid I’m not handling all this very well.”
The janitor returned and moved the mobile trash can on rattling wheels, reminding Zoe that they should leave and let him get to work.
“Do you need a ride home?” she asked as they both rose.
“No. I’ve got a ride lined up.” He glanced at his watch. “Should be here in fifteen.”
“I can stay with you until then,” she said as Mitch pulled the strap of his gear bag over his shoulder and they exited the gym and walked down a dark corridor.
“You don’t have to. I can take care of myself and besides, you probably want to go home and kiss Leo.”
Her heart expanded. Any mention of Leo brought her immediate joy. “I do miss him when I’m away from him for long periods.”
“I get that now.” He moved with less of a limp, she noticed, even though he still leaned on the cane. “He’s captured my heart.”
What about mine? she wondered. Despite all they’d been through, did he still hold her heart in the palm of his hand? Better yet, did she want to give him that privilege?
“Do you remember where our lockers were?” Mitch asked, thankfully changing the subject.
“I haven’t thought about high school in years.” She looked around to get her bearings. “Down this hallway?”
“Looks right.”
Instead of continuing outside, they turned left. The old familiar scent of cleaning supplies masking the odor of leftover remnants of sweat and dirty gym clothes took Zoe back to those long ago days. The light grew even dimmer, obscuring the scuffed floors and leaving the trophy case at the end of the corridor in shadows. She ran her fingers over the cold metal of the lockers, could still make out the numbers on the doors despite the limited light. “Twenty-three, twenty-four... Here we go. Twenty-five. My old number.”
“Wonder if the combination is the same.”
“Who even recalls those numbers?”
“I do. Yours was ten-fourteen-one.”
She stared at him, incredulous. “How, after all this time, can you rattle off my combination?”
“Certain things are imprinted on my memory.”
His words and intent features sent chills over her skin. Looking away, she tried the number sequence. “No luck.”
“It was fun to try.”
It was. In fact, she hadn’t had a whole lot of fun in a long time.
“What else do you remember about high school?”
“Let’s see.” He glanced up at the ceiling, then back to her. “Skipping English.”
“Which you would have failed had it not been for me.”
“True.” He thought more. “Playing basketball.”
“I never missed a game.”
“Taking pictures for the yearbook.”
She forced away a frown. When she thought back, his intensity on the yearbook committee should have been a clue to how serious he would take his career. They’d been young, not thinking about the future. She’d ignored, or at least hadn’t recognized, the warning signals when he’d started traveling early on. Learned the signs only too well in the subsequent years.
“We should probably leave,” she said. “Someone will be locking up the building soon.”
“Before we leave, let me tell you the most important thing I remember.”
She swallowed.
“Meeting you here every morning before the first class bell rang. Kissing you was the only way to start my day.”
This was the second time he’d mentioned kissing. It shouldn’t have mattered, yet her stomach flopped and her heart raced in anticipation.
“And your point is?”
“I’d like to kiss you again. See if there’s still a spark.”
No. Oh, no, no, no. “I don’t think—”
“Chicken?”
“Of course not,” she sputtered even as her belly swirled harder.
He moved closer. Captured her gaze with his. Held it while her breathing grew labored.
“Sure about that?”
His words brushed over her lips. Before she could stop her reaction, she leaned closer, easily ignoring the reasons she shouldn’t kiss him. Seeing her agreement, Mitch touched his lips to hers.
Slowly, at first. Almost like savoring a distant memory.
She moved in, responding to the tug of tenderness, angling her head to deepen the kiss. This, she could never forget. The heat. The man. The years they’d shared together as a couple, dating. Their wedding and the hope of a long future together. All shattered because Mitch had wanted a career that took him from Cypress Pointe, leaving her behind, aching for a child she thought she’d never be able to have.
“Wait. I... This is too much.”
He took a step back, giving her ro
om. The distant jangle of keys reminded her where they were and why. “We really need to leave.”
Increasing their pace now, they exited the building into the flower-scented night. A full moon lit the sky. There were only three cars in the parking lot. A dog barked in the distance. An ordinary night, except she was more emotionally topsy-turvy than ever.
She needed to get home.
“It must be getting late. Will your ride be here soon?”
“Should be. Go on.”
“If you’re sure...”
He nodded.
Yes, she had a tendency to control her surroundings, especially when off kilter, like right now. “Right.” She opened her clutch to remove her keys. Realized something was missing. She looked around her feet.
“Lose something?”
“Yes. Um, the rose.”
“You left it on the table,” he said, his tone low.
“And you didn’t tell me?”
“Figured if it was that important you wouldn’t have left it behind.”
She narrowed her eyes but couldn’t tell if he was playing games with her or not. He’d made his point, though, because she hadn’t given the rose from Tim a second thought.
“I’ll see you next week when you come by the house to visit Leo?”
“There’s nowhere else I would rather be.”
“Speaking of places to be, have you come up with a plan yet? You know, for work?”
“I’m not leaving Leo. That means I’ll find something local.” He held his arms out. “I can’t go anywhere like this. Who knows when I’ll be medically cleared to travel.”
“The doctors seem positive.”
“They do. But I still have to put in the time and effort.”
She opened her mouth, but he held up his hand to stop her. “You can’t do this for me, Zoe. Just let me go to my appointments and work with the professionals.”
“You’re right.”
“Leo and I will find plenty to do.”
Her son had enough energy to keep most people busy, but how long would that hold Mitch’s attention? He may not admit it, but he needed more. He’d always been that way, craving nonstop activity, for as long as she could remember. Once he started feeling better physically, he’d need a challenge. Otherwise, he might leave her again. And not only her, but their son as well. He might say otherwise, but she would only believe him when she saw his words in action.