One Way Home

by Jennifer Youngblood

  Briggs straightened his shoulders. “Well, it’s certainly a surprise.” He gave Trista a polite smile.

  “Okay, let’s announce the winner,” Trista said. She paused dramatically before booming, “Zoe Romeo!”

  For a split second, the words didn’t register. Then Zoe felt all eyes on her. “Come on up here and claim your prize,” Trista urged.

  A hot shame cloaked Zoe, her mind racing. What the heck! Was this some sort of cruel joke? No, this was a nightmare!

  Trista chortled as she turned to Briggs, talking to him like the two of them were old friends. “Ah, now I see the rest of the picture. Y’all have been cozying up together all night. I guess Zoe wanted to check out the goods before making the purchase. Smart girl,” she added, giving Briggs a wistful look.

  That’s all it took for Zoe to spring to her feet. Her face burning, she strode up to the stage, her head held high. Yes, she might be humiliated, but she’d be darned if she showed it. On her way up the side stairs, she saw Jaxson standing in the wing, along with Mason and his band.

  She pointed a finger. “You and I are gonna have a long talk,” she hissed, zeroing in on Jax. He was standing with his arm slung around the woman who’d bid on him.

  Jax chuckled. “Go on now. Claim your prize.”

  Zoe marched across the stage toward Briggs. She wanted to wipe that cocky grin right off his handsome face.

  “Ladies and gentlemen,” Trista trilled, “Briggs McAllister and Zoe Romeo.”

  Thankfully, the lights were bright enough so that Zoe couldn’t see all the people staring back at them. She could only imagine what people were thinking, her coming back to town after her husband had the affair, her bidding on the man who’d shattered her heart. Yep, she looked pretty desperate.

  Briggs stepped closer and slipped an arm around her waist. He leaned in to her ear. “This is an interesting turn of events,” he murmured, his warm breath tickling her skin. “So, do I get a kiss like Jaxson did?”

  “Don’t press your luck,” she warned. Her mind pieced together what had happened. When Jax left the table during Mason’s concert, saying he was going to the restroom, he’d gone to place a bid on her behalf. Where in the heck had Jax gotten hold of that much money? Regardless, she was gonna kill that traitor with her bare hands!

  A low chuckle rumbled in Briggs’ throat. “Well, at least you saved me from a portly middle-aged broad.”

  “At least,” she spat.

  “I guess you’ll be the first one on my bike, after all,” he winked.

  “Go ahead, honey, kiss your bachelor.” There was a hint of a challenge in Trista’s eyes as she homed in on Zoe. “You’ve certainly paid a pretty penny for him,” she drawled.

  “Kiss him,” Jax yelled from the wing. This started a chain reaction from the crowd as everyone began chanting, “Kiss him! Kiss him!”

  Zoe looked up at Briggs whose blue eyes were sparkling gemstones. “Well?”

  “Fine,” she sighed, “let’s get this over with.”

  She slid her arms around his neck as she pulled his face down to hers. Well, as close as she could get it. His lips were still a fraction out of reach. Amusement was playing over his rugged features like sunlight skipping over a creek bed as he assessed her. “Well? Aren’t you gonna meet me halfway?” she grumbled.

  He encircled her waist, pulling her to him with a forceful jerk. Her breath caught as he touched her cheek, the tip of his finger trailing a scorching path over her skin. Instinctively her lips parted as she leaned closer, her body melting into his. Time seemed to stop as she waited.

  He looked thoughtful.

  “What?” she whispered.

  He pursed his lips. “I don’t think I will kiss you. Not here. Not like this.”

  She blinked, recognizing those words. It was the same thing Briggs had said to her all those years ago at the swimming hole, shortly before the two of them began dating. Zoe had lost count of the number of times she’d dreamt about that day.

  A ghost of a smile tugged on his lips. Everything else faded into the background. The timbre of his melodic voice reverberated through her chest as he continued in a low, husky tone that only she could hear. “When we kiss, time will stop, and you’ll want it as bad as me.” His eyes moved over her with such depth that it caused a tender ache to ribbon through her body. “You’ll crave the feel of my lips like you crave air,” he promised. “Only then will we kiss.”

  With that, he leaned in and gave her a peck on the lips.

  The crowd booed as he set her upright and released her waist.

  Zoe stepped back, her mind tumbling through time and space. She could still feel the burn of his lips on hers.

  “Careful,” Trista chirped with a snarky laugh as she looked at Briggs, “or your girl might demand a refund.”

  Briggs winked, and drawled out a cavalier, “I thought there was a no return policy.”

  Laughter roared from the crowd as people began clapping.

  Trista shook her head, grinning at him like he was the greatest thing since air conditioning. Zoe had to fight the urge not to scowl.

  “Alrighty folks,” Trista said, “Give it up for Briggs and Zoe!”

  As Briggs and Zoe exited the stage, Trista began wrapping everything up. “Thank y’all for coming out tonight. Be sure to stick around. We’ll have dancing till two a.m. and all the food and drink you can shake a stick at.”

  Fury raged in Zoe’s veins as she marched over to Jaxson. “How could you?” she seethed. “You humiliated me in front of the whole town!” She was so mad that tears burned her eyes.

  Jax gave the blonde a look of apology as he pulled his arm away from her shoulders and turned to Zoe. “Take it down a notch, would ya?” He glanced around like he was embarrassed.

  “No, I won’t take it down a notch,” she said loudly. “You had no right to bid on my behalf.”

  “What? That wasn’t you?”

  Zoe turned, realizing Briggs was beside her. The stricken look on his face caused her gut to churn. Her words spilled out like hot coals. “No, it wasn’t me. I’m dead broke.” A brittle laugh rattled her throat. “I couldn’t afford to pay a thousand dollars, much less ten thousand.” She straightened to her full height, glaring at Briggs. “Nor would I have. The whole thing was demeaning.” Rage was mounting inside Zoe to the point where she felt like she would explode.

  “You need to get ahold of yourself,” Jax warned. “You’re embarrassing yourself and the entire family.”

  Zoe glanced around. Jax was right. She was drawing attention, but she didn’t care. She balled her fist, hauled off, and socked him in the gut.

  His eyes rounded as he doubled over with a grunt. “Seriously, Zoe? You’ve got this all wrong. It wasn’t me who placed the bid.”

  “Then who was it? Daddy?”

  “No, it was Cash.”

  She sucked in a startled breath. Her head swung back and forth. “Why would Cash do something so stupid? So humiliating?”

  “Hey,” Briggs countered, giving her wounded look. “You make it sound like it’s the end of the world that you have to go on a date with me.”

  Fire flashed in her eyes. “We’re not going on a date.”

  “The heck we’re not! Your brother paid a truckload of money for this little shindig to play out, and we’re seeing it through. If I had to go up there on that stage and be put through that torture, then the least you can do is to follow through with the date.” His jaw was set in stone as he glowered at her.

  Zoe couldn’t stop laughter from rising in her throat. “Are you serious?”

  “As a heart attack,” Briggs said without flinching.

  She threw up her hands. “I think y’all are all nuts!” She turned on her heel, intent on leaving, but Jax caught her arm.

  “Wait,” he said, his voice coated with desperation. “Cash said to tell you ‘one way home.’”

  The words came at Zoe like a fist that battered her insides as she jerked. “What?”
r />   “Are you talking about Cash’s hit song?” Briggs asked.

  Jax’s eyes held Zoe’s. “No, I don’t think this has anything to do with the song. Cash said that you would know what it means.”

  Zoe’s eyes grew moist as she swallowed. Leave it to Cash to completely take the wind out of her sails. A humorless laugh escaped her throat as her head swung back and forth. She turned to Briggs. “Okay, when do you want to go on our date?”

  He rocked back. “Just like that? Now you’re willing to go?”

  She lifted her chin. “I said I was,” she ground out through clenched teeth. “Are we going or not?”

  Briggs rubbed his jaw like he was thinking it over.

  “I’d take the chance while you can, man,” Jaxson piped in.

  Briggs nodded. “Okay. Tomorrow night.”

  Zoe blinked. “So soon?”

  A ghost of a smile tugged at one corner of Briggs’ lips. “Not chickening out, are you, Z?” His voice hung like a caress on her nickname.

  She grunted. “Okay, tomorrow night. What time?”

  “Five o’clock.”

  “Five o’clock it is.”

  “I can hardly wait,” he murmured.

  She shot him a look that said drop dead, but he only laughed.

  This time, she did turn and walk away.

  “Remind me to thank Cash,” Zoe heard Briggs say just before she got out of earshot.

  11

  “Hey, girl,” Briggs said in a cooing voice as his golden retriever came up and nudged a cool nose against his hand. Ruby began panting happily as he rubbed her thick coat. “How ya doing there, Ruby Doo?”

  Ruby let out a whiny howl in response.

  Briggs laughed as he patted her head. Ruby had earned her nickname of Ruby Doo from the cartoon character Scooby Doo because of her mournful sounding barks.

  Ruby hopped up on the leather couch beside Briggs and scooted next to him. He stroked her fur absently as he stared unseeingly at the soccer game playing on the TV. His date with Zoe was in a few hours. Briggs felt a combination of anticipation and angst. He got the feeling that the date was do or die—his one and only chance to make a breakthrough with Zoe. Would she like the surprise he had for her? It would either go off fantastically well or be a complete disaster. Briggs wasn’t sure which way the pendulum would swing.

  His thoughts went back to the auction the night before. Briggs had felt like he was cheating the heartaches of the past and getting a few stolen moments with Zoe as he’d sat with his arm around her, never imagining what would happen next.

  When Briggs learned that Zoe had bid on him, his heart had nearly burst out his chest he was so ecstatic. Then, when he saw Zoe breathing fire as she tromped up on the stage, he figured she’d been set up. Like Zoe, he thought Jax had done it. Then he heard the outrageous sum that had been bid for him, and it really threw him for a loop. Just for a moment, when they were on stage and Briggs said the spiel about the kiss—he’d done it to remind Zoe of everything they’d once had—he felt like he was getting through to Zoe. He saw the mixed emotions playing over Zoe’s face and knew she was remembering. The raw longing on her beautiful face gave him cause to hope for one wonderful second that he might have a chance. Then, the enraged warrior on a warpath took over when they left the stage, and Zoe went on a full-scale attack. He grinned, thinking of how her hair had flown out behind her like liquid flames, her dark eyes glittering with determination. What a woman she was with her smooth, olive skin, delicate features and high cheekbones. It was more than just Zoe’s looks that captured him. She had more fire and torque than any woman he knew. He loved the artist in her that got such joy out of creating intricate sculptures from items most people discarded. Also, he loved the classy side of Zoe, the one who wanted to create a good home for herself and her family. He could tell that she dearly loved her children. They were good kids. Briggs was enjoying getting to know them, especially Milo whom he’d been teaching to ride.

  One way home. Briggs had no idea why that phrase had brought about such a change in Zoe, but he was glad it had. Briggs called Cash to thank him for the bid, but it went to Cash’s voicemail. No surprise as Cash was on tour. Briggs knew that Knox and Jaxson were both on board with him trying to win Zoe back, but he had no idea that Cash was on his side too. He was itching to know the full story, and what One Way Home meant, but his curiosity would have to wait.

  From the time he was a teenager, when he first started hanging out at the ranch, Briggs’ path had been linked to the Romeo family. The only child of older parents, Briggs had always enjoyed the hustle and bustle of being part of a bigger family. His dad passed away five years ago, leaving only Briggs and his mom, Mary Frances, who lived in the historical section of downtown Franklin.

  His phone rang. He reached for it thinking it might be Cash, but it was his mom instead. “Hey, mom,” he said warmly.

  “Hey, son. How’s it going?”

  “Good.”

  “I hate to bother you, but would you mind coming over and changing out the lightbulb in my laundry room? It went out this morning.” She let out a low chuckle. “I would change it myself, but I know how irate you get when I get up on a ladder.”

  He sat up. “No, I don’t want you up on a ladder.” His mom was in her eighties but looked like she was in her late sixties. Still, that didn’t mean she wasn’t prone to accidents. To her credit, his mom was active, and heavily involved with the ladies committee at church and the singles activity center. She thought she could do anything. Still, he didn’t want to tempt fate by having her climbing up and down a ladder. He did a quick mental calculation. He had time to change the lightbulb and get back, but he’d need to get moving.

  “Oh, and would you mind checking on Ruthie? She didn’t finish her breakfast this morning. That never happens. I hope she’s not sick.”

  “Sure.” Ruthie was his mom’s Himalayan cat, and from the way she doted on it, one would have thought Ruthie was a member of the family.

  “I’ve got a big pot of pinto beans on the stove, and I can whip us up some cornbread to go with it. Would you like to stay and have dinner?”

  “Shoot. I would, but I have a previous engagement.”

  “A date?”

  He grinned at the interest in his mom’s voice.

  “Yep.”

  “Do I know her?” she fished.

  His mom was ready to get him married off so she could have some grandchildren. He shifted Ruby slightly as he got up off the couch. “Uh, yeah, I believe you met her once or twice,” he hedged. Once he let this cat out of the bag there would be no putting it back no matter how much it scratched and clawed.

  “Who is it?” she pressed.

  He rubbed his neck. “Zoe.”

  Mary Francis giggled in delight. “That’s the best news I’ve heard all day. It’s about time y’all got back together.”

  He rolled his eyes. “We’re not back together. It’s just one date.”

  “Well, at least it’s a start.” She paused. “Are you going to tell Zoe the truth?”

  His stomach tightened. “I’m working on it.”

  “You owe her the truth.” Her voice hardened. “Every time I think about that whole situation, it makes my blood boil.”

  He held out a hand. “I know, Mom.” It made Briggs’ blood boil too. He’d thought he was doing the right thing at the time, but then everything went sideways and blew up in his face.

  “Do you want me to step in?” Her voice rose as she spoke faster. “Because I can. I’ll just trot down to that dress shop and have a nice little chat. It’s about time that all of this mess got sorted out and—”

  “I said I’m handling it, Mom,” he reiterated, grinning inwardly at her feisty nature. She was a petite woman with one ginormous personality. “Careful, dynamite comes in small packages,” Briggs’ dad would often say when affectionately referring to his wife.

  “Okay,” she said, “but you have to promise me that you’ll come clean.”
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  He pushed out a heavy breath. “I will.” As soon as I can, he added mentally. Briggs was a man of his word. He’d promised to hold his tongue a while longer, and he would even if it killed him. “I’ll see you in a few,” he said as he ended the call and hurried to his bedroom to grab his wallet and keys.

  Briggs was grateful his mom needed his help. That way, the time would pass faster. A feverish anticipation was burning through his veins. Even though Zoe had nothing to do with it, the auction bid dictated that she get a ten-thousand-dollar date, and a ten-thousand-dollar date was what she was gonna get—Harley motorcycle and all.

  “Mo-om,” Madison shrieked as she ran into the bedroom where Zoe was getting ready. “Milo won’t change the channel back to my cartoons!” Her fists were knotted, her dark eyes blazing, tears trickling crooked paths down her cheeks. She was so darn cute with her pigtails and denim overalls that Birdie had given her. Zoe had to admit—there were advantages to having a mama who owned a boutique. Zoe had gone to the boutique earlier today to get something new to wear on her date tonight. Madison had gone along and came out like a bandit, getting the overalls, a pair of jeans, and a dress. Birdie was spoiling her granddaughter rotten.

  Zoe sucked in a deep breath as she rubbed Madison’s head. “Okay, Toots, let’s go see what we can do.”

  “Milo, what’s going on?” Zoe asked as she and Madison stepped into the den.

  “I’m sick of watching SpongeBob SquarePants,” Milo grumbled, his dark eyes hidden behind deep slits, arms clamped over his chest.

  Zoe sat down beside him on the couch. “I thought we agreed that you and Mads were gonna take turns watching TV. You watched The Flash, and now Mads is watching SpongeBob.”

  “He turned the TV right in the middle of my show, now I won’t know what’s going on,” Madison cried.

  “Oh, shut up,” Milo growled.

  “Hey,” Zoe countered, “watch your mouth. We don’t use that kind of language.”

  Milo rolled his eyes. “Whatever.”

  A hot flare of anger swept over Zoe. It was one of those moments when she had to take a deep breath and count to ten. Milo had been a bear all day, complaining about everything. His favorite pastime was tormenting his little sister. She searched Milo’s face. His fair cheeks were bright red, his expression sullen. “What’s going on with you?”