“Nothing.” He shot her a hateful look.
“Something’s going on.” It was almost time for Briggs to pick Zoe up. Her mama and daddy had happily agreed to watch the kids. They were making homemade tacos, watching a movie, and then making smores in the fire pit out back. She sighed in exasperation. “I don’t have time for this.”
“Because of your date,” he sneered.
She rocked back. “Is that what this is about?”
Milo just sat there, his expression stony as he looked straight ahead.
Zoe’s heart cracked as she looked at her oldest child. She tried to think of a way to get through to him. “Milo, just because I’m going on a date doesn’t mean I love you and Madison any less. You know that, don’t you?”
He looked at her, his dark eyes raging with wrath. “What about Dad?” he squeaked.
“What about him?”
“Don’t you love him anymore?” Tears rose in his eyes.
Zoe’s throat tightened to the size of a toothpick as she swallowed. All day long, she’d been deliberating about the date—on the one hand, she couldn’t wait to be with Briggs again. On the other hand, she was scared to death. Scared that the date wouldn’t go well, scared that it might go too well, scared of herself, wondering if she had the resolve to keep from falling hard for Briggs all over again. The hurt and confusion on Milo’s face chipped away at her resolve. Maybe going on the date was a huge mistake.
“Dad’s sorry for everything that happened. He wants us to come home.” His voice broke. “We can go back and be a family again.”
Zoe felt like she’d been sucker-punched. “Did your dad tell you that?” A white-hot anger splintered through her.
Milo bit his lower lip. He looked hesitant before nodding.
She touched his arm. “I’m so sorry about how all of this has affected you.” Tears misted her eyes as she blinked to stay them. “What happened between your dad and me—” she paused, searching for the right thing to say “—well, it’s not something that can be fixed.”
Milo gave her a pleading look. “Why not? He loves you.”
“It’s too little, too late,” she spat, then stopped when Milo’s face drained. Carl was using Milo to get to her. Did the man have no shame? “You’re just going to have to trust me on this,” she said firmly yet trying to be kind.
“I hate you!” he shouted as he jumped up and ran out of the room.
Daddy came in just as Milo left. She could tell from the look on his face that he’d heard the bulk of the conversation. Zoe rubbed a hand across her forehead. “Maybe this is a mistake.”
Knox crossed the distance between them with a few quick strides as he sat down beside her and put a hand on her knee. “No, it’s not. Going on this date is the best decision you’ve made in years.”
“Where’s the remote?” Madison asked.
Zoe looked around. “I don’t know. Maybe in between the cushions.” She and Knox stuck their hands in the cracks, feeling around.
“Got it,” Knox said, holding it up with a grin. “Here you go, butter bug.”
“Thanks,” Madison said as she took it from him and switched the channel.
Knox looked Zoe in the eye, speaking in a low tone. “Carl has hijacked enough of your life. Don’t let him have another minute.”
“He’s turning Milo against me.”
“He’s certainly trying, but it won’t work. Milo’s a smart kid. He’ll figure out what’s going on.”
She shook her head. “I dunno.”
“Trust me on this. You go on your date. Milo and I will have a good talk.”
Panic fluttered in her stomach. “He doesn’t know the full story about Carl and the affair,” she whispered, glancing back at Madison to make sure she wasn’t eavesdropping. Thankfully, she was engrossed in her cartoon. “I’ve tried to protect him from the ugliness of that.”
“What does Milo think happened?”
She shrugged. “That Carl and I were having problems. That we needed space.”
Knox gave her an incredulous look. “What did Milo think was happening when Carl moved in with the other woman?”
“Milo thinks Carl got together with Kate after the divorce.”
His eyebrow shot up. “You’re not doing yourself or Milo any favors by sugar coating the situation.”
“Yeah, but if Milo knew the truth, it would taint his view of his dad. Milo has enough on his plate without thinking his dad is a scoundrel.”
“And if a bull frog had wings, he wouldn’t hit his rear-end every time he hopped. You can’t protect your kids from everything. What happened between you and Carl is not your fault.”
She let out a long breath. “Just don’t tell him anything, okay?” When he didn’t answer, she gave him a warning look. “Okay?”
“Okay,” he agreed.
Milo stepped back into the room. His cheeks were puffy and streaked with tears as he held out Zoe’s cell phone. “It’s Dad. He wants to talk to you.”
Fire burned through Zoe’s skull. If Carl wanted to talk to her, then she was more than happy to accommodate. She looked at Daddy and could tell he was within an inch of grabbing the phone and giving Carl a piece of his mind. Before he could, Zoe sprang to her feet and took the phone.
“Let’s you and me go out on the front porch,” Knox said as he stood and draped an arm around Milo who had a deer-in-the-headlights expression. “I wanna hear about how it’s going with you and old Blue. Briggs tells me you’re getting pretty good at riding.”
“Yeah,” Milo said tentatively, throwing Zoe a glance.
Zoe looked at Daddy, trying to convey with her eyes that she expected him to keep his word and not say anything to Milo about Carl’s affair. He gave her a surreptitious nod that said he got the message loud and clear.
“Go on,” Daddy said to Zoe. “Take your phone call.”
Zoe walked out of the den and went into the kitchen. Without preamble, she jumped right into the conversation. “What do you think you’re doing?” she demanded.
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t play innocent with me! You’re trying to manipulate me and are using our son as leverage. You disgust me,” she hissed.
“Hold on. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
She paced back and forth, her hair flying out behind her like a battle flag. “Telling Milo that you’re sorry.” Her voice escalated to a screech. “That you want us to come home so we can be a family again!” She chortled out a hard laugh. “You’re unbelievable!”
“First of all, you need to calm down.”
“I will not calm down,” she growled.
“Zoe, just listen to me. Everything Milo said is true. I love you.” His voice trembled. “I made the biggest mistake of my life. I want you and the kids to come home.”
She squeezed her eyes shut, fighting the urge to scream. Had it just been yesterday when she was actually contemplating giving Carl another chance? It seemed like a lifetime ago. Maybe it was her pointed conversations with Daddy that had caused her thinking to shift, or maybe it was the bachelor auction and the message Cash had relayed through Jax, or maybe it was the hurt expression on Milo’s face and her realization that Carl was manipulating him. At any rate, she felt different now—stronger somehow. “That’s not going to happen,” she said flatly.
His tone became plaintive. “Zoe, I can’t sleep, I can’t eat, I can’t work. I’m miserable!”
She grunted, thinking of all the times Carl had played on her sympathies in the past. The experiences melded together in one long black smear that wouldn’t go away, no matter how much scrubbing anyone did. “That sounds about right. It’s always about you. Let me ask you this; when you were with Kate, did you even once stop to think about how that would affect me or the kids?” She clenched her hand to stay the tremors. “Did you?” she screamed. “I turned myself inside out for you.” Her words came out in hard rasps. “I gave up my sculpting, put everything on the back burner for you
and your career. I gave you the business, even though it was started with my money.”
A gurgle sounded. It turned to a whimper as he began to cry. “I told you I was sorry. I’ll do anything to get you back. Maybe if we go to counseling—”
If she could have, Zoe would have reached through the phone and squeezed Carl’s traitorous neck. “The only counseling you need is how to keep your zipper up!”
Zoe heard movement and whirled around, shocked to see Briggs standing in the kitchen entryway, wearing an amused expression.
For some crazy reason, the situation struck her as funny as a giggle escaped her throat. “Hey,” she said, her voice going soft as a smile touched her lips.
“Hey,” he said back.
Her gaze flicked over him. He looked fantastic in a black button-down shirt, jeans, and his well-worn leather boots. She looked down at her jeans and sweatshirt as she ran a self-conscious hand through her hair. She’d been about to change into her new outfit when the debacle with Milo had occurred. “Sorry I’m not dressed yet,” she lamented.
He waved a hand. “No worries. You always look great.”
“Now, I know you’re lying,” she countered.
“Who are you talking to?” Carl demanded.
That’s right she was still on the phone with the numbskull! “None of your business,” Zoe shot back.
“Is that Briggs?” Carl sneered. “Are you going on your little date?”
She’d tried to be respectful to Carl, recognizing that he was the father of her children. But that didn’t mean being his doormat, and it certainly didn’t mean allowing him to manipulate their son as he’d manipulated her for far too many years. “We’re done here, Carl.”
“Put Milo back on the phone,” he demanded.
It took all the intestinal fortitude Zoe could muster to keep her voice even as she spoke. “Milo is spending time with Daddy. You’ll have to talk to him later.”
Carl started swearing as she ended the call. She straightened her shoulders, offering an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry you had to hear that.”
Briggs stepped up to her, his magnetic eyes moving over her with such tenderness and concern that it nearly moved her to tears. “I’m not.”
Her head jerked up. “What do you mean?”
He touched her hair. “I can handle it, Z. I want to be part of your life.” He hesitated, studying her.
“What?”
“I’m just sorry that you’re having such a rough time with that scumbag.” Anger flashed over his handsome face. “When I think of him hurting you, it really grinds my grits.”
She sniggered at the Southernism.
“I’m serious,” he countered, looking a little miffed.
“Really?” she asked reflexively, even though she could tell that Briggs was speaking from the heart. It was nice that he cared so much.
“Really.” A wry grin pulled at his lips. “Just remind me not to get on your bad side.”
“Oh, you’ve been there a time or two,” she countered, but regretted her words when she saw remorse trickle through his eyes. She wanted to kick herself for speaking without thinking. She didn’t want to start out tonight on a negative note.
His jaw tightened as he nodded. “I know. I’m hoping I can rectify that.” He peered into her eyes. “If you’ll give me a chance,” he finished softly.
Zoe felt like she’d left the safe zone and was standing on the edge of a tall cliff. And the crazy part? She wanted to jump … badly. She peered into those beautiful eyes that had stolen her dreams and her heart so long ago and had never given them back. “How about we start with a first date?” she managed to say.
An approving smile tipped the corners of his lips. “Sounds good to me.”
Dizzying currents throbbed through her. One little movement forward was all she had to make for their lips to connect. His taunts from the night before rushed through her mind. You’ll crave the feel of my lips like you crave air. Uh, yeah. She was fast approaching that point. She stepped back to put distance between them. “Okay, I’ll go change clothes. What’re we doing?”
“That’s a surprise,” he said mysteriously.
She tilted her head, a smile curving her lips. “Alright. I’ll play the game.”
His eyebrow slid up. “Is that what we’re doing?” he murmured in a husky tone that was just downright sexy, no other way to describe it. He reached out and touched her arm, his eyes deepening to a rich, liquid blue. “Because I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life.” Her skin both tickled and sizzled, even through the thick fabric of her sweatshirt, when he traced a line up her arm. So much for putting distance between us. How’s that for a fine red wagon! She was already having a hard time controlling her attraction and they were standing in the kitchen, not even having officially started their date. How was she going to keep a clear head around him tonight? Her senses were incredibly heightened right now, adrenaline coursing through her veins and giving her a heady vibe, which she rather liked.
“How should I dress?”
Adventure skipped a pattern across his features. “Dress nice, but casual enough to go on the bike.”
A thrill shot through her, and she couldn’t stop a pleased smile from stretching over her lips. “The bike, huh? You’re pulling out the big gun now.” Briggs knew how much she loved to ride. “Only if I get to drive.”
He chuckled as he pursed his lips, giving her the once-over. His head swiveled back and forth. “I dunno, to hear your brothers talk, all that uptight, city living has made you soft.”
Her jaw fell. “Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
“Which brothers?” she demanded, the tomboy in Zoe rising up full force. She felt like she was sixteen, trying to show her brothers that she could hold her own.
“Oh, I can’t tell you that,” he laughed. “I’d be breaking the ultimate guy code.”
“I’ll show you just how tough I can be, mister,” she taunted.
He grinned. “I’ll hold you to that.”
She jutted out her chin. “I will!”
He laughed. “We’ll see.” He motioned with his head. “Now, go get changed. Our dinner reservations are at six.”
“Reservations, huh? That sounds interesting.”
He rolled his eyes in mock exasperation. “Go.”
“Okay, but don’t get into any trouble while I’m gone.”
“You know me.”
“Yes, I do,” she chimed as she traipsed out, her feet hardly touching the ground.
12
“Well, I guess it’s true what they say,” Briggs shouted over the wind as he tightened his hold on Zoe’s small waist.
“What’s that?” Zoe asked, her voice floating back.
He leaned close to her ear. “You can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl.”
“Amen!” Zoe said exuberantly as she accelerated the bike. Adrenaline surged through Briggs as they sped up. He liked going fast and knew that Zoe did too. In the old days, the two of them would sometimes race. Briggs welcomed the opportunity to scoot closer to Zoe. He’d let her drive his bike all day long if it meant being this close to her. He caught the faint fruity scent from Zoe’s shampoo as her hair flapped beneath the helmet. She was so feminine, and yet her body was lean and toned. She handled the bike like an expert. This is the girl he remembered—the one who dreamed big and lived every day to the fullest. Oh, how he’d missed her. Briggs was glad he’d gone with his gut and brought the Harley instead of his pickup truck. How many girls would be okay with going to a nice restaurant on a motorcycle? Very few. How many girls would insist on driving the said motorcycle? He grinned. Zoe was one of a kind.
When they got into Nashville, Zoe navigated the heavy traffic, finally bringing them to their destination—Francesco’s, an upscale Italian restaurant. Zoe loved Italian food, at least the Zoe he remembered. Briggs wanted to surprise her, but that was kind of hard considering that she w
as the one driving. When he told her the restaurant, Zoe seemed genuinely excited and impressed with his selection.
So far the date was going great. Briggs had been a little trepidatious when he stumbled upon Zoe having it out with Carl over the phone. Then when he heard the bit about the counselor and the zipper, he couldn’t help but laugh. That was his Zoe, all fire and sass, tongue as sharp as a blade when the situation warranted. Over the years, Knox and Jax had expressed concern about Carl turning her into some soccer-mom robot, but the girl Briggs knew and loved was still in there. And from the looks of things, that part of Zoe was coming back pretty quickly. It thrilled Briggs to see Zoe in her element.
They got off the bike and removed their helmets. Zoe gave her hair a toss, her rich dark tresses flowing like water over her slender shoulders.
“What?” she asked, a corner of her lip lifting in a question.
“You’re beautiful,” Briggs murmured, their eyes catching for one, long delicious moment, causing his blood to run faster.
“Thanks,” she said softly, almost shyly, as a rose-colored hue brushed along the lines of her high cheekbones. She lowered her eyes, her long lashes sweeping her skin with a featherlike grace.
Briggs took in Zoe’s dark, form-fitting jeans, her scarlet, button-up blouse, and matching red pumps. At his insistence, she’d slipped on a jean jacket right before they left the ranch. Briggs had worried about the wind making her cold. A smile crept over his lips. “I guess you did okay with the heels.” He motioned to her red pumps.
Her dark eyes sparkled with determination as she lifted her chin. “Told you I would.”
He chuckled. What a woman! Zoe was doing strange things to Briggs’ insides. For so many years, he’d tried to squelch the memory of Zoe and move on with his life. There were periods of time when he felt like he was moderately successful. However, being with her now, he realized that he’d just been puttering along. Now that he was with her again, Briggs was firing on all cylinders. He just had to make sure he didn’t blow his chance to win back her love.
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