One Way Home

by Jennifer Youngblood

  With a heavy sigh, she looked at the TV, forcing herself to concentrate on the movie playing across the screen. Eventually, her eyelids grew heavy as she nodded off to sleep.

  “Come on,” Briggs urged, his voice floating above the babbling sound of rushing water in the nearby creek. He caught hold of her hand, pulling her along the trail.

  Zoe groaned. “I knew this was a bad idea. My daddy will tan my hide and yours too when he realizes we skipped chemistry class.”

  Briggs stopped in his tracks, his sudden movement causing her to barrel into his back.

  “Oops,” she said.

  He turned to face her, his blue eyes sparkling brighter than the azure sky above them. He pulled his trademark crooked grin that had most of the female juniors at Jefferson High School pining away for him. “That’s the best part,” he murmured, as his gaze moved over her face so slowly and thoroughly that it caused her blood to run faster. “What can be better than practicing real life chemistry? Right here. Right now.”

  Her breath hitched, and for an instant, she was spellbound. He brushed her cheek with the back of his fingers. His featherlight touch both tickled and tantalized. Her lips parted as she lifted her face to his. She soaked in his boyishly handsome features. Smooth, tanned skin, those piercing blue eyes that were hijacking her thoughts more than she cared to admit. A lock of his deep honey-blond hair slipped down over his forehead. It was so darn cute and so wildly attractive. The adventure in his eyes beckoned to her, making her forget how reckless it was to come out to the swimming hole alone with Briggs McAllister, who was notorious for being a player.

  At the beginning of the school year, she’d promised herself that she wouldn’t fall prey to Briggs’ charm. Then, he began working at her daddy’s ranch. She watched him with the animals, how kind and compassionate he was. Briggs was a hard worker and had a serious side to him that he rarely showed at school. Zoe began finding reasons to go to the stables more often. Then it happened. Their eyes met for one long moment, and Briggs finally saw her. They’d spent many an afternoon after that laughing and talking until the sun began its homeward track down below the horizon.

  Briggs leaned closer. She could feel his warm breath on her skin. Could he hear her heart, racing like a stampede of horses? She closed her eyes, expecting him to kiss her.

  Nothing.

  When she opened her eyes, he was studying her with an enigmatic expression. “What?” she mumbled, the heat of embarrassment climbing up her neck. “I’m not good enough to kiss?” she taunted, instantly embarrassed at her boldness.

  Conflicting emotions battled in his eyes. She felt his indecision, his complexity. Then the tough-guy mask slipped back over his face as a low chuckle rumbled from his throat. “Come on.”

  When they got to the swimming hole, Briggs began removing his socks and shoes. Next, came his t-shirt. She swallowed the tightness in her throat, trying not to gawk at his broad shoulders or his lean, sinewy muscles. Sheesh. Was that the beginnings of a six-pack? His swim trunks were red, white, and blue, with the stars and stripes of the American flag.

  He turned to her, pumping his eyebrows. “Your turn.”

  Crikey! She should’ve thought this whole thing through more carefully. Why had she worn a two-piece? Why?! Taking in a deep breath, she slipped off her sandals before removing her shorts, trying to act like it was an everyday thing to undress with Briggs McAllister watching. When she hesitated, amusement glimmered in his ice-blue eyes. “Scared to take your shirt off, Romeo?” he teased.

  Briggs got great delight out of calling Zoe by her last name and making a pun out of the word Romeo. She straightened to her full height, meeting his eyes. “Not in the least,” she retorted as she removed her shirt, making sure to hold her stomach in. The note of appreciation in Briggs’ eyes was flattering.

  He rewarded her with a large grin. “Chemistry.”

  A heatwave rolled over her. “What do you mean?” she demanded, even though she had a pretty good idea of what he was getting at. The attraction between them was zigzagging erratically like lighting in a summer storm.

  He winked. “I’ll let you figure it out. Let’s do it,” Briggs shouted exuberantly as he caught hold of her hand.

  She dug in her heels. “Wait. Where are we going?”

  “To the rope swing.”

  “Uh, I think I’ll just swim a bit first.”

  “Oh no, Romeo. This is all or nothing.”

  She winced. “Okay, then I’ll take nothing.”

  He laughed. “Not an option. You’re going off the swing if I have to carry you.”

  The thought of Briggs carrying Zoe, being so close to him, was almost more terrifying than going off the rope swing. When they got to the top of the ledge, overlooking the water, she swallowed hard, trying to calm her screaming nerves. It didn’t help that the rope was frayed and crudely tied to an overhanging tree branch.

  “It’s a piece of cake,” Briggs said. He caught hold of the rope. “You just have to use enough force so that you swing out far enough into the water.”

  Her gut churned as she peered over the ledge. “You mean so that I won’t hit the rocks on the side.”

  “Exactly,” he beamed.

  The ledge was probably no more than twenty feet high, but Zoe felt like she was standing on the edge of a skyscraper, looking down into oblivion. She hated being a chicken, but she detested heights. Her palms were oozing perspiration as she clenched her hands.

  “Here goes,” he said as he swung out into the center of the water with such torque that he flew up into the air when he let go. He hit the water with a loud splash as he went under. When his head broke through the surface, he looked up at her with a mile-wide grin. “Come on in. The water’s fine,” he proclaimed.

  Zoe’s knees were beginning to shake. “There’s only one way out of this, Romeo,” she told herself as she grasped the rope. She drew back, offering a silent prayer. Please protect me, even though this is one of the stupidest things I’ve ever done. She swung out into the open air and let go of the rope when the expanse of water was underneath her. The force of the water stung the bottom of her feet as she went in. When she came up, a swell of exultation ran through her.

  “You did it!” Briggs exclaimed.

  “Yes, I did.” And lived to tell the tale, she added silently as she threaded her arms through the water. It was cool and refreshing, making her feel reborn. Suddenly, she was glad that she’d skipped class to come out here with Briggs. Zoe couldn’t remember the last time she’d broken the rules. It felt kind of liberating.

  Briggs dog-paddled over to her. “Alright, Romeo. I’m impressed. You completed your first challenge. Now, it’s time for your final one.”

  Nervous laughter gurgled in her throat. “No one said anything about challenges.”

  He pumped his brows, making him look ridiculously charming. “Of course, there are challenges, that’s what life’s all about.” He moved closer, sending her cells swirling. “Now, for your final one. You have to complete this one before we can go home.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “Is that right?”

  “Yep,” he quipped, “because I have the keys to the truck, right over there on that rock.”

  A reckless thought tumbled through her. “I guess I’ll just have to get there first,” she said as she made a break for it. Zoe had never been a terrific swimmer, but she swam with all her might, her arms pulling through the water as she kicked. To her dismay, Briggs beat her by a mile as he climbed out. “Ah, ha!” he said, grinning broadly as she began scampering over the rocks to get out of the water. He turned and extended a hand, the warmth of his skin seeped into hers as he pulled her out.

  His eyes rounded. “Crap! I just realized we forgot to bring towels.”

  She hugged her arms as she looked up at the sun. “I guess we’ll just have to drip dry.” Even though the sun was shining brightly in the sky overhead, it was the end of May and still a bit chilly, especially when they were dripping wet.<
br />
  “I guess so,” he agreed, his eyes deepening to a smolder. “Unless …” his eyes slipped over her “… you want me to warm you up.” There was such a maddening sense of arrogance about him that ignited her senses. He knew the effect he was having on her and was enjoying every minute. Before she could utter a single word, he stepped close and slid his arms around her waist.

  Her breath caught as she peered into his eyes.

  “How’s that?” he asked.

  “Good,” she squeaked. The feel of his arms around her was electrifying, shooting heat through her entire body. His hair stuck flat to his head, emphasizing his chiseled features. How could anyone be so good looking, so mesmerizing? It was getting to where Zoe was living for the chance to earn one of his crooked grins.

  “You’re trembling.”

  It was being so close to him, but she wasn’t about to admit that. Her thoughts went back to what he’d said before they raced to the shore. “What’s the one thing I have to do before we can go home?”

  “Ah, that.” A teasing grin tugged at his lips. “I was going to say that you had to swim the length of the swimming hole. Now …” He tipped his head looking thoughtful. “How about a kiss instead?”

  She blinked, her pulse skittering as a deep longing stirred through her. She swallowed, forcing her voice to go light. “That’s a little underhanded, don’t you think?”

  He chuckled. “Why’s that?”

  “You do have the upper hand. After all, I’m standing in your arms. You know,” she continued, “if I didn’t know better, I’d say that you forgot the towels on purpose so you could offer to warm me up.” She tried not to think of how his muscular body felt pressed against hers. If her daddy saw her right now, he’d tan her hide and then ground her for the rest of her life.

  “Maybe,” he grinned. His eyes flashed with a wicked glint. “So, do I get that kiss?”

  A thousand tingles circled through her stomach as she sighed. “I suppose if that’s the only way I can get home, then so be it. Lay one on me,” she said bravely, as she closed her eyes and puckered her lips. She waited on bated breath for her very first kiss. As before when they were on the path, nothing. She opened her eyes to find him studying her with amusement. “What?” she squeaked. If he didn’t kiss her soon, so help her, she was going to bridge this distance and kiss him.

  He cocked his head. “I don’t think I will kiss you,” he mused. “Not here. Not like this.”

  She frowned, her stomach tumbling over itself and falling into a desperate heap at her feet. “I—I don’t understand.”

  His eyes deepened to a rich, intense cobalt. “When we kiss,” he breathed, “time will stop, and you’ll want it as bad as me.” He leaned in close, his breath tickling her face. “You’ll crave the feel of my lips like you crave air,” he whispered. “Only then will we kiss.”

  “I crave you,” Zoe replied, then jumped, waking up from her nap. She blinked, glancing around the den as a hot guilt surged through her. For a split second, her mind jumped back to the swimming hole with Briggs, the tender scent of honeysuckles lingering in the air.

  As she hugged her arms, she heard the sound of the garage door opening and realized Carl was home. Quickly, she reached for the remote and turned off the TV before going into the kitchen to greet him. She glanced at the clock on the microwave—eleven fifteen p.m.

  Waking up so suddenly from her sleep had left her feeling cold. She suppressed the shiver traipsing down her spine, willing her body temperature to regulate itself. Where in the heck had that dream come from? “Hey,” she began hesitantly as Carl came in through the side door. “How’d it go?”

  “Good,” he answered curtly as he moved to walk past her.

  Her stomach clenched with the knowledge that he was still mad from earlier. She caught hold of his arm, giving him an imploring look. “Can we talk?”

  They eyed one another. Finally, he nodded as he loosened his tie. “I just need to get out of this monkey suit first.”

  Zoe hated this distance between them. “Sure. I’ll go with you.”

  “How are the kids?” Carl asked when they got up to their bedroom.

  “Good. Milo’s team won the soccer game.” She couldn’t keep the slight bite out of her voice. Carl should’ve been there to see Milo’s victory. She removed the pillows from the bed and turned down the covers as he went into the closet to change clothes. She heard the water running in the bathroom sink. A few minutes later, he came back out wearing pajamas and a t-shirt. Placing his glasses on the nightstand, he climbed into bed. Having already washed her face and brushed her teeth earlier, Zoe climbed in on her side of the bed. She plumped up her pillow and rested her back against it as she angled to face him. “How did it go with the Breckinridge Group?” Zoe figured it was best to start on neutral ground. The idea was to reach a common understanding so they could grow closer together, not farther apart.

  “Really well. They’re signing up for the full program and additional coaching.”

  “Congratulations!” She paused, collecting her thoughts. “About this morning.”

  Regret simmered in his eyes. “I overreacted. I’m sorry, hon. I was just so keyed up about the Breckinridge Group coming in.”

  She nodded in understanding. “I get that.” She paused, trying to navigate the next part that needed to be said. “But the kids miss you.” She searched his face. “I miss you,” she added quietly. Was that why she’d had the dream about Briggs? Because she was craving human interaction? Probably.

  His features pulled taut like a piece of rawhide. “Are you trying to make me feel guilty for building the business?”

  Zoe was growing weary of every conversation ending in an argument. She selected her words carefully. “No, I’m just saying that if you’d spend more time with us, then maybe we could work through our issues.”

  He frowned, the skin between his brows folding into rows of deep creases. “What issues?”

  Her voice rose. “You and I never see each other. It’s like we’re living two separate lives!”

  “That’s ridiculous,” he scoffed.

  “Is it?” she flung back. “When’s the last time the two of us went out to dinner? Or did anything together.” She held up a finger. “And don’t tell me we can’t find a babysitter because Kate is always willing to watch the kids.” Her best friend Kate lived a few doors down. She was twice divorced and now lived alone. Zoe caught the sliver of guilt that crept into his eyes. He knew she was right.

  “It’s because you’re always so busy taking care of the kids and your PTA stuff,” he pouted.

  His comment was a slap in the face. She leaned forward, eyes narrowing. “That’s right. I’m busy taking care of our kids, our home, and that does occasionally involve a few PTA responsibilities.” It was more than a few, but who was counting?

  “I don’t want to argue with you,” he muttered. “I’ve had a long day, and I’m tired.” He reached for the remote and turned on the TV mounted on the wall directly across from their bed.

  Lightning rods of heat were zigzagging through Zoe to the point where she felt like her head would pop off her neck. She sucked in a breath, willing herself to calm down. She didn’t want to go off in left field. There were matters that needed discussing. “Carl,” she began, “what’s wrong?” Her heart cracked a little. Couldn’t he see how hard she was trying to make the two of them work?

  He looked at her with such annoyance that it made her sick to her stomach. “What’re you talking about?” he grumbled.

  Her eyes grew moist. “With us.” She swallowed, her hands clutching the sheets. “All we do is fight.” Silence settled between them like a dense smog that seeped into her lungs, threatening to choke off her breath. This is not how Zoe pictured this conversation going. She wanted to get through to Carl, wanted things to go back to the way it used to be between them. When had everything changed? It had happened so gradually—the light of the day being shrouded by the dusk—that she couldn’t pi
npoint a definite event.

  “I don’t know what you want me to say.” Carl’s voice was heavy, defeated. “I get up every day and go to work for you, the kids—” he motioned, his hand encompassing the room “—this. Our lifestyle is not cheap.”

  Zoe didn’t want to remind him that he was the one who wanted the big house in Park City, with all the trappings. “I’ve told you over and over again that I don’t need any of this. We can move to a smaller house in a different area and then—” His grating laughter cut her off short. “What?” she demanded.

  “So says the little rich girl.”

  Her breath froze in her throat. “My upbringing has nothing to do with this conversation,” she said stiffly.

  “Sure it does,” he countered. “You say that you don’t have to live here in Park City, but you don’t know the first thing about economizing. You wouldn’t last a day in a regular neighborhood. When’s the last time you followed a budget or clipped coupons?”

  Was he right? Maybe he was, to a degree. Zoe only knew what she knew. Was it such a crime that she’d come from a wealthy, successful family? Carl certainly didn’t think so initially. He was all too happy to take Zoe’s money and use it to build his business. “Where is all of this animosity coming from?” His jaw went slack as she rushed on. “Okay, if it’s money that you’re worried about, then I have the perfect solution.”

  A hard amusement flickered in his eyes. “I’m all ears.”

  She lifted her chin. “As it just so happens, I got a call from the Gads Art Gallery in San Francisco. They’ve commissioned me to do a piece for them, for a special exhibit they’re holding in August.” She’d not even thought to ask Judith Henley how much they would pay her. Money had not entered into the equation. For Zoe, it was about the self-expression that her art gave her.

  “When were you going to tell me about this?”