The last thing she had expected to see when she got to Bart’s was Zeke Hart sitting on a barstool next to the town barfly. She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the dark interior. Rainy ran to her side and tried to distract her from the scene playing out in front of her.
“Come over here,” Rainy said as she pulled Sophie’s arm to lead her away from the bar and toward the table she and Melinda had picked out.
Sophie let herself be pulled along. She needed a stiff drink. Had Zeke not been acting? Was he upset with her? Why would he be hanging all over Marisol?
“I don’t think it’s as bad as it looks,” Melinda said as Rainy and Sophie sat down, still staring at Zeke and Marisol.
“I think it may be worse,” Sophie said. “I need something stronger than wine. I’m going to the restroom. Order me a double of something. I want to get drunk, fast.”
Her friends knew her well. When she returned, they’d ordered her usual glass of wine.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Zeke watched Sophie come in and meet up with Rainy and Melinda. He wasn't nearly drunk enough to deal with the disappointment swimming in his gut, so he ordered a double for himself and one for Marisol. She was her usual sloppy drunken self. He hadn't set out to find her, but she'd moved to his side when he sat at the bar alone. He wondered how he'd ever tolerated the woman for more than five minutes in the past. She smelled like a distillery when she spoke, and her eyes were already unfocused at this early hour. He'd moved to another stool, but she'd followed him. He knew from previous encounters with her that she was persistent. He wished he could help her. Maybe he'd suggest AA someday when she was sober enough to listen.
He had the paperwork for his new business in the glovebox of his truck. He'd considered getting a loan for years, but today's performance at the office by his brother and the woman he'd thought he might propose to had sealed the deal. She was a career woman. He'd always known that. What had surprised him was how quickly she'd thrown him under the bus. It hurt like hell. He was officially the world's worst at picking out women.
Bart poured drinks and set them before Zeke and Marisol. He wiped the bar and refilled the bowl of peanuts.
"Women are the bane of my existence," Zeke said when the man didn't move away.
"That's true for most of us," Bart said. He stopped wiping and tucked the towel in a loop on his belt. "Want to talk about it?"
"That one over there," Zeke said, pointing his thumb over his shoulder toward the table of three women.
"Which one?" Marisol asked. She squinted her eyes and lost her balance as she swiveled to see who Zeke meant. He had to catch her by the arm to keep her from falling to the floor. She snickered, too loudly to suit him, but what could a guy do?
"Sophie."
"Ah." Marisol nodded knowingly. Zeke felt guilty for talking trash about someone he'd recently been sleeping with, but the alcohol was loosening his tongue.
"What did she do to make you upset?" Bart asked.
"I should have known better than to trust a woman." Zeke wasn't one to air his dirty laundry. Having seen the curiosity in Marisol and Bart's eyes, he decided to keep his trap shut and simply drink until someone called a cab and got him home.
The next thing he knew, Bart was shaking him by the shoulder to wake him. He didn't remember doing it, but he must have laid his head on the bar and fallen asleep. Marisol was gone. Most of the other patrons were gone. His mouth tasted like dirty socks, and his head was pounding. He stood to leave and had to grab the bar for purchase.
"Whoa there, boss," Bart said. "Sit down. I'll call one of your brothers."
"Not Gabe. I'm not speaking to that traitor," Zeke blurted out. He sat and closed his eyes. He had to put a hand on the bar to keep the room from swaying.
Then, someone had him by the underarms and helped him stand. He smelled Sophie's perfume, so he opened his eyes and saw her standing beside Rainy.
"What?" he asked her, swiveling his head to see who was holding him up. It was Bart.
"You don't need to drive. I told Bart I'd get you home, but I needed help." Sophie turned her attention to Bart and said, "Put him in my car." He tried to protest, but tripped over his own feet and had to concentrate to stay upright. Bart got Zeke in her car with some effort. Bart shut the door in his face and walked away. Sophie dug his keys out of his front pocket and tossed them to Melinda, who had agreed to drive his truck to Sophie's house. Rainy followed, so she could take Melinda back to the bar to finish their night out.
Sophie got in and turned the air conditioner up full blast. She turned the vents so they all blew on his face, then she told him to drink and pointed to a paper cup of black coffee in one of the cup holders between them.
"Don't want coffee. Let me out. I'm not talking to you." He lifted the door handle, but she reached across and stopped him.
"I'm the one who shouldn't be talking to you. What was that scene with Marisol? Do you still have the hots for her?"
"No way. She was all over me. I couldn't make her leave me alone." He was slurring his words, so she thought he probably had enough alcohol in his system to keep him from lying to her. She'd seen Marisol pick up another guy and leave with him, and that gave more credence to his side of the story.
"Why aren't you talking to me? What did I do?" she asked as she sped toward her house. She didn't have a plan for getting Zeke inside, figured she'd cross that bridge when she got to it.
"You told Gabe you were sorry."
"Well, I was."
He crossed his arms and looked out the side window. His lower lip stuck out like a petulant child. She tried not to laugh, but he was acting pretty silly.
"Why are we going to your house?" his exaggerated head swing knocked him off balance, and he reached for the dash to set himself aright.
"Would you rather go to yours?"
"Damn shooting." He nodded, and his head kept bobbing up and down, up and down.
"Why? My bed's more comfortable."
"Don't want your bed. Don't want you." He was staring out the window again. She couldn't see his face.
She knew it was useless to reason with a drunk, but she wanted to know what had him so upset. She decided to get him home and ask him when he was sober. He leaned his head against the window and fell asleep before she made it to her house. When there, she shook him awake, and Rainy helped her get him into the house. Melinda gave Sophie the truck keys and left with Rainy. Sophie had him lean on her until she got him in her bed, pulled his shoes off, and covered him with the sheet. He started snoring loudly when his head hit the pillow, so she slept on her couch.
##
The sun came in through the windows the next morning way too early for Sophie's taste. She straightened the couch and put away the extra blanket and pillow she'd used. Zeke still snored as she made coffee and sat to drink her first cup.
"How'd I end up here?" he asked. He stood at the entrance to the kitchen, looking rumpled, angry, hungover, and as sexy as sin.
"I brought you home after you passed out at the bar."
"Thanks, but why didn't you take me to my place?" He poured himself a cup of coffee and sat across from her.
"Why? You like my bed."
"Look. I heard you in Gabe's office. Our relationship, and I use that term loosely, means nothing to you. You were willing to throw it all out the window for your career at the first bump in the road. I don't know why I believed anything you ever said. Guess I just wanted to." He'd taken only a couple of sips of his coffee, but she watched as he stood and poured the rest in the sink. He leaned his hands on the counter and gazed out the window. "I'll get out of your hair," he said.
"You misunderstood me." She wasn't awake enough to have this conversation.
"I don't think so." He turned, and fury blazed in his eyes.
"I was trying to calm Gabe down. And you and I both know we don't need a run-in with a disgruntled employee that could lead to a lawsuit. If you'd stayed around, we could've come up with a game plan. What's
with you storming off like a kid throwing a temper tantrum?"
"I don't want to fight," he said. He started for the door, but Sophie jumped up and grabbed his elbow.
"Oh, no. You're not storming out on me. You will tell me what's upset you. And don't give me some hokey story."
"Look. It's for the best. You said the Malloys and the Harts might as well be the Hatfields and the McCoys. Why fight it? I'll just let myself out and get on with my life."
She still held his arm firmly. He wasn't leaving if she could help it.
"I don't know where you're getting all these crazy ideas, Zeke, but you told me just yesterday that you were falling for me. Were you lying?" She couldn't keep the hurt out of her voice.
"No. But that was then."
"And you're going to throw everything out because of something I said in a lawyer's office to protect both of us? Come on, be reasonable."
"Reasonable never got me anywhere." He jerked his arm away, but she grabbed him again. She spun him around to face her.
"Look me in the eye when you break up with me," she demanded. Her heart threatened to pound out of her chest.
He couldn't look at her. She felt a ray of hope.
"I don't want you to leave. I'm in love with you, you big dope. Don't you understand that? I'll get a job somewhere else. Hell, someone already offered me a position in Dallas. I haven't officially said yes or no, was thinking I'd turn the offer down. I hate a commute, but if it convinces you that I'm telling the truth, I'll call him today." She let go of his arm and started looking around for her phone.
"You'd do that?"
She stopped what she was doing. She got in front of him and stood her ground. She looked him in the eye without blinking.
"In a heartbeat, if it'll make you understand that I'm not lying. You're more important than any job." She watched the anger fade from his face. The tension in his shoulders loosened. He searched her eyes.
"You're serious," he said. It was a statement, not a question.
"As a heart attack."
He swooped her up and kissed her soundly.
"Put me down," she said. She was laughing as he danced around the table with her in his arms. He walked her into the bedroom and dropped her on the bed. She was still laughing when he caught her mouth in a searing kiss. All thought of going into the office fled her brain. He filled her senses until there was nothing but him, surrounding her, enveloping her, loving her. She counted her blessings that she'd been able to make him stay.
Chapter Twenty-Six
He stayed, and they spent half the night talking. She convinced him to go back into the office if only to give two weeks’ notice like the professional he was. He hated the thought of the stuffy place, especially now that he had plans for his own business.
He shared his plans with her for his company using the old gas station he would turn into an office. She didn’t tell him she’d followed him and guessed his plan. She helped him come up with some promotional ideas before they fell asleep in one another’s arms.
The next morning, they lay together, legs intertwined as the sun rose and sent rays into the bedroom.
He got up before her and showered. She stretched and enjoyed the sound of a man puttering about her house. She was falling hopelessly in love with the man and didn’t know how to stop herself. He had the hottest head. She worried about his temper. But then, she was apt to fly off at the handle with the least bit of provocation herself. As long as they could keep talking things out, she thought they might make it. She turned over and let herself smile into the pillow. She was dreaming of a future with a Hart. It was inconceivable only a couple of months ago.
He walked into the room wearing nothing but one of her towels wrapped around his waist.
“You need to get some shampoo that doesn’t smell like flowers if I’m going to be over here like this.” He shook his head, and water dripped off him like a dog getting out of a lake.
“Hey,” she said as the droplets splashed her.
“Ooh, let me make that better,” he said. He whipped the towel off and got in the bed with her. She rolled into him and put an arm around his chest.
“I think it only fair that you buy your own shampoo and bring it over,” she said in a very bossy, professional voice.
“You’re not the boss of me,” he said. He tried to kiss her, but she stopped him by shaking her head.
“Not until we get this serious business out of the way.”
“I’ll show you serious business,” he said. His blazing kiss shut her up entirely. She’d never felt so treasured in her life. Could this possibly last? There was so much standing between them. She worried that their families would become a wedge pushing them apart.
“We’re going to be late if you don’t stop kissing me,” she said at last.
“Let me remind you; I quit,” he said. “What are they going to do, fire me?” He laughed and went right on kissing her, making her shiver with pleasure.
“Yeah, but I didn’t, and you already made me miss half a day yesterday with that temper of yours.”
He beat his chest and did his Tarzan yell for her.
She laughed and snuggled into his chest.
“We may be late after all,” she said. “Jane likes Tarzan when he’s feeling randy.” She was laughing as she sat up to get out of bed. He started toward her, but she held her hand out to stop him.
“No. You need to go on. I’ll see you there,” she said.
“Why don’t we ride together?” He seemed to think nothing of the idea. She shivered, thinking of her family finding out who she’d been seeing. That was nothing compared to the trouble at work should they walk in together after the last disastrous meeting with Gabe and Human Resources.
“I think it would be better if we didn’t.” She had her back to him as she rummaged through her closet, trying to decide which suit to wear. She jumped when she felt his mouth on her neck.
“Why? You ashamed of me?” He turned her around to face him. The expression on her face surprised him, because he stopped smiling and took a step back.
“You are.” He ran his hands through his hair, and for the first time since their first kiss, he looked uncomfortable.
“I…” she started, but she couldn’t put any words together. Her mind was still groggy with sleep, and she hadn’t thought through the ramifications of what they’d started. She tried to explain that she was worried about her family’s response, but all he heard was that she was embarrassed to be seen with him. The more they talked, the worse it got, until he’d finally had enough.
“I’ll just get my things and go.” He was gone before she could react. He didn’t slam the door, but she heard it as if he’d knocked it off the hinges. She slumped onto the bed and put her head in her hands.
“Way to go, Sophie,” she said aloud. “Way to blow it. Again.”
She heard him pull out, spinning his wheels in a hurry to leave her. Her heart sank along with her hopes. She’d known it wouldn’t last, but she’d hoped the affair would be longer than a few months. Her big mouth had gotten her into trouble once again. When would she learn to keep her trap shut? She scanned the messy sheets, and her eyes landed on his straw cowboy hat.
Had she really donned it and ridden him like a cowgirl last night? So carefree, with not a thought of being silly? How would she ever look at him again? She punched the pillow his head had lain on only an hour earlier. She fell back onto the bed and blew a raspberry into the air.
“Way to go, Soph.” A tear leaked out of her eye as she said the nickname that he’d always used for her. It took all her energy to get ready for work. She wore shoes with rubber soles, so she could sneak into her office without alerting anyone to her presence.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Zeke sped to his house. He wanted a fresh change of clothes, to forget his time with Sophie Malloy. He should have known better. His luck with women had not improved. If anything, it had worsened. He took another shower, letting the hot
water soothe his bruised ego. He felt used. So stupid. All the times Sophie had gotten in his face to tell him her hateful feelings passed through his mind. And to think, he'd opened himself up and told her all his plans. She'd even convinced him to go back to the office for a couple of weeks. He admitted that was the proper thing to do, but hated that it had been her idea. She'd exacted her revenge for whatever wrongs she thought he'd done. The cut was deep, and she'd performed it on him like a surgeon with a new blade with that one, horrible look. He hadn't felt it until it was too late. He feared the recovery time would be long and arduous.
He burst through the doors at the office, wholly ignored Marta's greeting, and missed her perplexed expression when he passed her desk. He bounded up the stairs, two steps at a time. Gabe was in his office when Zeke threw the door open so hard it smacked the wall with a bang. The smell from Gabe's coffee cup hit Zeke's nose, and his stomach flipped. He was afraid he'd lose his breakfast. He'd let her get too close, and he should've known better.
"You look like hell," Gabe said when he recovered from the noise and got a good look at his brother.
"Feel worse. I just came back to give my two weeks' notice. Sorry about storming out." Zeke stripped his jacket off and tossed it onto the chair next to Gabe. He rubbed his face with both hands and sighed.
"I knew you'd be back. Maybe my news will help." Gabe sat forward, eager to relay his message. His head swiveled as Zeke moved around the room.
Zeke sat down slowly, facing Gabe with a weary sigh. He brushed his hair back with shaky hands and left it standing up at all angles. He looked like he'd been shocked, and maybe he had.
"Good news? That would certainly be helpful." He blew air through his lips and finally looked up at Gabe. He wanted to lay his head on the desk and forget about the world. Instead, he watched a smile spread across his brother's face.
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