by Tara Randel
“She’s always had her own life,” Zoe whispered, glanced into the crowd as if seeking out her mother.
“Not as much as you’d think.”
Zoe’s head jerked at this.
“I’m not denying she put a lot of responsibility on you. She depended on you when you were a kid because she didn’t have a partner. It was always the two of you. Now, you have a child, a job. A husband.” He sent her a pointed look. “I’ll bet she feels out of the loop.”
Zoe’s face softened as the truth dawned on her. “I hadn’t thought of it that way.”
“Life doesn’t always turn out like we plan, Zoe.”
A grudging smile crossed her lips. “How’d you get so philosophical?”
“Almost dying puts life in a different perspective. That, and being a parent.”
“True.” She took a flute of champagne from a nearby table and handed it to him, then took one for herself. “Toast?”
“To what?”
“Finally figuring out what being an adult means.”
They touched glasses with a clink and drank.
He wanted to stay here and talk to his wife. Pretend the rest of the world didn’t need them. Maybe later he’d suggest they get a quiet drink together. “I should get back to taking photos.”
She stopped him from leaving by placing a hand on his sleeve. He looked down at her slender fingers, the one with the slim gold band on the fourth finger, and back to her.
“Thanks.”
“For what?”
“Talking some sense into me. Being so good with Leo.” She swallowed. “Being alive.”
“Not like I had much control over that, but I’m glad I’m alive, too.”
They stood looking at each other when Nealy interrupted their moment.
“Mitch, we need pictures of the bride and her friends before lunch starts.” She looked at Zoe. “That includes you.”
Mitch bowed. “After you.”
Zoe giggled and joined the other women, Mitch snapped picture after picture, enjoying the sparkle in his wife’s eyes. She’d had so much to handle on her own since he’d been gone and that was on him. If she let him, he would make it up to her. His patience might be running thin, but he owed her time to make up her mind. Running the studio was fine right now, and the freelance job would keep him in Cypress Pointe. It would keep Zoe happy.
Maybe, in time, they could venture out to other locations, the three of them, where he could show her that she didn’t always have to play it safe. That they were stronger together, something they’d missed the first time around.
He’d meant it when he said nearly dying had changed him. Each day was a gift. His health was improving. And even if returning to the physical state before the accident might not be in the cards, at least he was surrounded by his family, able to commit himself to a job he loved.
In time, he’d get answers about the accident and the past would be firmly behind him. He’d be able to place all his attention on his family.
Playing it safe had never been his strong suit, but as he watched his wife laugh with her friends, he decided she was worth making adjustments for as long as they stayed together. Now all he had to do was wait on her.
“See you’ve taken to wedding photography,” the police chief said as he strolled up beside Mitch.
“Piece of cake. Wyatt and Jenna are easy subjects, especially since they can’t pry themselves away from each other. Makes my assignment simple.”
Bob chuckled. “They do make a good-lookin’ couple. Wyatt needed to find himself a measure of happiness.”
The men went quiet. Wyatt deserved a second chance. It reminded Mitch that he and Zoe did, too.
“How about you and Samantha?” Mitch asked, checking the settings on his camera. The light under the tent had begun to fade. Were rain clouds rolling in?
Bob took a hardy swallow of the bubbly in the delicate glass that looked like a fragile hostage in his beefy hands. “Zoe figured us out.”
“She told me.”
“She isn’t happy.”
“Did you really think she wouldn’t be upset that you guys hid the truth?”
“Tried to tell Samantha otherwise.” Bob shook his head. “That woman has a stubborn streak a mile long.”
Mitch chuckled. “True. But Zoe’s not a kid anymore. She deserves to be spoken to plainly.”
“That whole mother-daughter dynamic doesn’t work well for those two.”
“I guess Zoe was hoping that had changed.”
Bob’s gaze scanned the tent, grimaced when he spied his ladylove. “I’d hate to be the thing that comes between them.”
Mitch slapped him on the back. “Don’t worry. I talked to Zoe. Tried to get her to see your side.”
“And?”
The hopeful expression on the normally stern man’s face would have been uncomfortable if Mitch didn’t understand how the guy felt. “They’ll be fine.”
Bob let out a shaky breath. “This datin’ thing is harder than I remember.”
Mitch twisted a dial on the back of the camera. “Some milestones in life never change.”
“Speakin’ of datin’, how’s it going on your end?”
“We’re moving closer to middle ground.”
“That’s good, right?”
“Pretty sure. At least, I feel like we’ve talked things through. Heading toward a good chance at working out our issues.”
Bob glanced across the room and frowned. “I know datin’ is a younger man’s game, but maybe you two talk too much. Go out and have fun.”
After looping the camera strap around his neck, Mitch glanced at the older man. “Are you giving me advice?”
“Go take that girl for a walk on the beach. Hear it’s romantic.”
“Who told you that?”
The chief sent him a grin. “Samantha. Been out there at sunset a couple times.” He winked. “Scores major points.”
Mitch laughed. “I’ll see what I can do.”
As the chief strolled away, Mitch’s mind started turning. They lived in a beach town. Gorgeous sunsets that translated into sharing romantic moments, if a guy were to take advantage of the opportunity in his own backyard. He weaved through the guests to find Wyatt, who was alone for the first time since saying “I do.”
“Nice ceremony.” He decided to rib his friend. “You really wrote those vows?”
“Yep. Did a pretty good job, if I do say so myself.”
“Heard plenty of women sigh afterward.”
Wyatt grinned. “That was my intention. Of course, Jenna’s sigh was what I was going for.”
“Speaking of making women sigh, I have a request.”
“Shoot.”
“Mind if I grab a bottle of sparkly and two glasses? I’d like to take Zoe down to the beach later for a stroll.”
“Sure, since you insist on not charging me for your time today.”
“You’re my best friend.”
“And in the spirit of friendship, let me say you’re making a good call here.”
They shook hands.
The rest of the afternoon flew by and before Mitch knew it, he was packing up his gear. Most of the guests had departed and the event crew had moved in to start clearing up. Zoe was chatting with friends when he made his way to her.
“Ready to take off?”
She glanced up at him, her smile bright. “Let me get my purse.”
Minutes later, they were pulling out of the driveway.
“Do you mind if we stop by the beach?” Mitch asked.
Zoe glanced up at the gray sky. “It looks like it’s going to rain.”
The weather might be problematic, but Mitch was determined to see this through. “Humor me.”
She sent him a curious glance. “Okay. What did you have
in mind?”
“You’ll find out soon.”
As Zoe parked, dark clouds were gathering over the water. Most of the beachgoers had scrambled to their cars to head home. Still, the old electric sensation of excitement sizzled through Mitch’s veins.
“Are you sure about this?” Zoe bit her lower lip as she scanned the horizon.
“It’s time you and I had an adventure,” he said, opening the door before common sense stopped him. He wasn’t a guy to hold back just because a little rain might interfere with his mission.
He fished the bottle and glasses from the back seat and held them up. “You and I are celebrating.”
“We are?” She laughed, her hair tousled by the wind as she exited the car.
“I’m alive. We’re together. That’s all I could ask for.” He rounded the vehicle and took her hand, leading her to the sand. “Lose the shoes and let’s have fun.”
Despite the heavy humidity and promise of a storm, his heart lightened at Zoe’s laugh. They might not be kids any longer, but they could still enjoy a special moment together.
The waves were choppy and white tipped, the scent of rain and sand tickling his senses. Stopping just before the surf, he opened the bottle, the cork zinging into the sky with abandon. Zoe held the glasses while he filled each one. Setting the bottle down, he held up his glass, the wind baring down on his upraised arm.
“This wasn’t exactly how I pictured this, but here’s to us. To finding each other again.”
They clinked glasses and drank. The surf eddied around their ankles. Zoe cried out and nearly lost her balance until Mitch steadied her. They stood close, gazes locked, the wind and threat of rain growing stronger around them. He moved in for a kiss, as electrifying as the static in the air. He missed this. Missed them.
Before he had a chance to deepen the kiss, a loud crack of thunder had Zoe jumping away. As if on cue, fat raindrops hurled down on them.
Mitch grabbed the bottle and they ran through the downpour, laughing the entire way. Once in the safely of the car, shivering and wet, Zoe reached in the back seat for a towel.
“You always carry towels with you?” How like her to be prepared for the worst while he ran straight into the storm.
“It’s Florida in the summertime. We’re bound to get caught in the rain one time or another.”
He flashed her a smile. “But it was fun.”
She picked up the wet weight of the skirt and let it fall. “If you call getting drenched fun.”
“C’mon. It was an adventure. Like we used to share.”
Zoe ran the towel over her face. Droplets of water ran from her hair to her slender neck.
“We should do this more often now that I’m home.”
Her brows rose. “What are you talking about?”
He angled himself in the seat to face her better. “I have the beach photo shoot scheduled for Monday. Come along.”
“Mitch, I have a job. Responsibilities.”
“Ditch them for a few hours. You said you’d rearrange your calendar.”
“You’re right, I did. And I will.”
She tilted her head toward the heavy rain. “Getting caught in the rain kick-started you, didn’t it?”
At the change in her voice, he grew wary and reined in the exhilaration still feeding his racing heart. “I’m happy to be back on course. Look, the shoot is just a few hours. You’ll be there in case I need help.”
Her eyes narrowed.
He wiped the water from his face, his high spirits sinking at her dubious expression. “I’m still getting headaches.” That was true.
Her lips twitched. “You’ve convinced me,” she said. Sticking the key in the ignition, she fired up the engine. Tossing the damp towel at him, she backed out of the parking space.
The drive home was quiet. His elevated mood plunging as the storm passed as quickly as it had kicked up. Sun streamed through the cloud cover.
Today, he’d felt more like himself than he had in months. His old self, muted by the effects of the accident, had been revived by the power of the storm. But he had to question, would the jaunt to capture beach scenes be enough to satisfy his inner adventurer? He’d vowed to make things right with Zoe. To give her, and Cypress Pointe, a chance. But would staying put really satisfy him? He wanted to do the right thing, but the freedom he’d just experienced on the beach opened up his eyes to the truth. He ran on risk and adrenaline. The very things Zoe shied away from.
He’d just have to try harder. Find ways to make his career more exciting here. He’d do it for Zoe.
Chapter Fourteen
MONDAY MORNING, ZOE found herself sitting in her office instead of out at the beach location with Mitch. He was supposed to come by the house yesterday but called off the visit, claiming a ferocious headache had sidelined him. Although she couldn’t see him through the phone line, his voice had sounded muddy, masking the pain.
She’d wanted to soothe him somehow, but he’d told her to stay home, as he was lying low for the day. Then, early this morning, he’d called to say he’d canceled the photo shoot. At her urging, he promised to call his doctor and go to the clinic if necessary. No point in being foolhardy, she’d told him, which only got her a responding grunt.
He probably wouldn’t call the doctor.
Stubborn man.
It shouldn’t bother her, it was his hard head after all, but she was concerned and wanted to take care of him. That part of their relationship hadn’t changed: the need to care.
She’d come to terms that this was the way she was wired. But her family? Friends? She knew they thought she was borderline extreme. Deep down, she agreed. Problem was she never made any changes. Why didn’t she make changes?
Because it’s easier to ignore what makes you tick than to fix it. Easier to make excuses than face your fears.
Ironic, coming from the woman who wanted to make everything better.
Since her husband refused her help, she’d come to the office instead, to a morning full of calls to return, fires to put out and decisions to make. The reality of it all was enough to give her a headache.
She rose from the desk and moved to the window. Her office gave her a second floor view of Main Street and just a hairbreadth sight of the beach. Her gaze caught and held on to the small piece of sparkling water visible to her.
Today, the sun shone bright, but her mind replayed the Saturday afternoon romp in the rain with Mitch. She didn’t want to admit it to herself, but the race to the car had been fun, the vibrant current coursing between them an aphrodisiac. She’d wanted to keep kissing him in the storm, reinforcing the underlying certainty that she’d gone and lost her heart to him again, no matter how cautious she was determined to be. Mitch, holding her hand, laughing as carefree as when they’d been in high school, had awakened a long dormant part of herself, the curious take-a-chance young girl she’d lost at the bank the day she’d been held at gunpoint. The cautious girl who’d walked away from the experience and never looked back, despite the flicker of exuberance she’d kept buried, and ignored, deep down inside. Why else would she have ever fallen for a guy like Mitch if there wasn’t still a living ember of risk waiting to be fanned to life?
Since she was being totally honest with herself, she comprehended what struck her most while dashing through the rain was the look in Mitch’s eyes when they finally found shelter in her car.
Freedom.
There was no denying Mitch Simmons was addicted to freedom.
This was the first glimpse she’d had since he’d returned home, the first whisper of the old Mitch. It scared her as much as it electrified her. Which made her shiver in her shoes because she had to ask herself, where was the old Zoe? The one who didn’t take chances or controlled every minute of every day? The wife who’d been the one to put limits on their marriage?
Gone. Wre
nched from her and tossed into the turbulent storm-fueled depths of the Gulf waters. Along with all her fears and trepidations?
No. If anything, seeing the real Mitch brought her back to her original fear that he’d leave her again. Leave behind the woman who wanted to run through the rain, but didn’t want to do it alone. Didn’t want to raise her child, like she had her mother, all by herself.
If she gave her heart to Mitch again, if he broke it a second time, she wouldn’t recover.
Shaking off her melancholy, she turned her gaze to Main Street. Townsfolk hurried about, running errands, rushing to work. She noticed Police Chief Gardener talking to a young man. Reassuring a tourist, maybe? Why not? That was part of the man’s job. Making people feel secure.
Not stealing away their mothers.
“Stop with the pity party,” she admonished herself at the thought of her mother with a serious boyfriend and returned to her desk. Samantha had made it clear she and the chief were going to continue seeing each other.
“We’re in love and you can’t stop us,” Samantha had said with trembling surety when they’d finally hashed it out, which only made Zoe stand her ground more. Once again, she’d been thrust into the mother role. Once again, she needed to take control of the situation.
“Why would I try?” she’d retorted. “You’re an adult.”
“I am and that’s why I’m ninety-five percent sure we’re staying together.”
“How does the chief feel about those odds?”
“Eighty percent sure we’ll get married.”
Zoe had finally broken down and laughed. It had eased the mood in the room. Her mother was just as unsure about life as ever. Once they talked it out, apologized and shed a few tears, they’d ended up watching While You Were Sleeping, their favorite rom-com, and eating popcorn. One of the many good memories she’d had with her mother since Leo was born. Maybe the last, if Samantha married the chief and Zoe had to find a new place to live.
The intercom buzzed. She pressed the red button on the phone console. “Yes?”
“There’s a call for you. Says he’s with the military.”