After securing the helmets onto the bike, they entered the restaurant. When they stepped into the bustling foyer, he placed a hand on the small of Zoe’s back to navigate her toward the hostess desk. He was pleased to note that Zoe didn’t seem to mind their close contact. It felt so natural for them to be together, almost as if the years were peeling back and reshaping themselves into what should have been.
A few minutes later, a cheerful hostess led them to a cozy table in a corner. As they walked, Briggs caught the interested glances that a few of the men gave Zoe. She seemed oblivious to the attention. How could the men not notice Zoe? She was a walking vision. Briggs stepped closer to her, so any interested men would realize they were together.
They got seated as the hostess handed them the menus. “Your server will be right with you. Enjoy,” she said before sashaying away.
Zoe tucked a lock of hair behind her ear as she opened the menu. Her eyes did a quick sweep of their surroundings before a smile slid over her lips. “I’ve always wanted to eat here.”
“I know. It’s me, remember?” He made a point of catching her eyes. “I know you, Zoe,” he murmured.
She blinked a few times before laughing hesitantly. “You know the girl I used to be,” she countered. “Lots of things have changed … from before.”
“That’s true,” he conceded, “but from where I’m sitting, my Zoe’s still in there.” He’d told himself that it was better to take things slow, not rush Zoe, but he just couldn’t seem to make himself do it.
She grunted. “Your Zoe?” Her eyes flashed in a challenge. “I haven’t been your Zoe for a very long time.”
Maybe it was better to get it all out in one fell swoop, the mistakes of the past dumped in a big heap on the table. Now, to strike the match and burn them to cinders so there wouldn’t be any more obstacles between them. He nodded, compressing his lips in tight, accepting lines. “I know.” A smile touched his lips. “You’ve lived a full life, have two beautiful children. I admire the woman that you’ve become.”
Surprise washed over her features before her eyes went soft. “Really?” He caught the note of vulnerability in her voice.
“Really,” he said assured her.
She scoffed. “I figured you shared the same sentiment as Daddy and my brothers.”
“Oh, what is that?” he asked lightly.
A grin quivered on her lips. “You don’t fool me one minute, Briggs McAllister, you know exactly what I’m talking about. My family thinks I’ve become some crazed Martha Stewart.”
He laughed. “Hey, I say more power to you. The old Zoe couldn’t boil water.”
“Hey,” she countered, making a face.
“You know it’s true,” he argued, pinning her with a look. “Remember that time you made us mac and cheese?”
She giggled. “Attempted to make us mac and cheese.” Color rushed to her face. “For some reason, I got a bit distracted, and burned the noodles to a crisp.”
“Uh, huh. I remember the cause of the distraction,” he murmured, making a point of looking at her lips. The two of them had been making out. It was cute how quickly her face turned cherry red.
Laughter rose in her throat. “When all that smoke started pouring out and the alarm went off, you panicked.”
His eyes widened. “Yeah, I don’t know which I was more afraid of—the fire department or Knox.”
She sniggered. “Definitely of Daddy.”
“You’re probably right,” he agreed. A mellow warmth cocooned around them as they shared a long, lingering look. It was then that Briggs felt himself relax, knowing that tonight’s date would go just fine.
Their server, a young girl in her early twenties, approached with a basket of steaming bread and glasses filled with water, garnished with lemons. She took their orders. Zoe decided on chicken marsala and Briggs the lasagna. They ordered bruschetta and calamari for appetizers.
“Remember the first time we ate calamari?” Zoe asked.
Briggs scrunched his nose. “You had to go there, didn’t you?” He shook his head. “Your mama meant well, but bless her heart, she’s never been a cook.”
“In her defense, she was dieting and trying to make the calamari lighter calorie.”
“Yeah, by boiling it! I think my shoelaces would’ve been more tender.”
“You’re probably right.” Zoe helped herself to a slice of bread before reaching for her silverware to get a pat of butter. Briggs did the same.
“It was a lot of years before I could even eat calamari,” Briggs said.
“I know, I was surprised you ordered it.”
“I’m living dangerously,” he winked. “These calamari are actually some of the best I’ve had.”
“I still remember your mama’s cornbread. I’ve tried to replicate her recipe, and I’ve come close, but it’s not quite there.”
“That’s because Mom never writes anything down.”
“I remember that.”
A grin stole over Briggs’ lips. “If you’re a good little girl, I might be able to talk Mom into giving you a tutorial.”
Her eyes lit with amusement. “I dunno.” Her head swung back and forth. “That might be a tall order for a rebel like me.”
He pursed his lips. “You might be right. I’ll see if I can get Mom to make an exception.”
Her head swung back and forth. “That’s mighty kind of you.”
“I’m a good guy,” he teased.
Their conversation flowed effortlessly with one topic leading to another. They talked about former classmates, getting caught up on their lives. The flickering candle on the table kept catching the light of Zoe’s silver dangly earrings. Every time she brushed the hair out of her face, Briggs’ fingers itched to reach across the table and touch her delicate cheek. Briggs was captivated by how refined and elegant Zoe had become. She was even more beautiful now than she’d been when they were younger. Age had brought a certain wisdom and stature to her brow.
They shared portions of their dinner with one another, as they’d done as teenagers. When the main course was eaten, they ordered a chocolate layer cake with ice cream to share.
Finally, Zoe sat back and touched her stomach. “I don’t think I can eat another bite.”
“But there’s still half a cake left.”
She waved a hand. “It’s all yours.”
“I don’t know if I can eat it.”
“Sure you can,” she grinned, “you’re Briggs McAllister—the man with the hollow leg. Remember how Daddy used to tease you about eating him out of house and home?”
Briggs didn’t skip a beat but deepened his voice to give it a barrel sound as he launched right into an imitation of Knox, “‘Boy, are you here eating my food again?’”
Zoe had just taken a drink of water. It went down the wrong pipe as she gurgled and then coughed.
Briggs leaned forward. “You okay?”
She hit her chest a couple times. “I’m good,” she squeaked. “It went down the wrong way. How did you do that? You sounded just like Daddy.”
“Easy. I just meshed John Wayne and Clint Eastwood together.”
“Yep, that sounds about right. Daddy’s a maverick, that’s for sure.” She rolled her eyes. “Could you believe he put Milo on Blue right off the bat?”
“I can. That’s Knox. His idea of teaching you to swim is to throw you straight into the lake—a sink or swim scenario.”
“Exactly,” she snipped. “And that’s not always good.”
The corners of Briggs’ lips quivered. “I have to admit, it was kind of fun to see you streaking out of the house in nothing but a long t-shirt.”
Zoe’s face flushed. “A long t-shirt and underwear, thank you very much.” Her hand encircled her neck. “Not one of my finest moments, I’m afraid. I heard Milo screaming, looked out the window, and panicked.” Her eyes met his. There was something simmering in their dark depths that he couldn’t quite discern. “Good thing you were there to save me.”
> He leaned over the table, hoping to convey the seriousness of his intentions. “I’m not going anywhere. Not this time.”
Briggs tried to get a read over the myriad of emotions that crossed Zoe’s features. Finally, a tremulous smile spilled over her lips. “I—I’m not sure how to respond to that comment.”
“No response necessary. I just wanted to get it out there.”
Uncertainty flicked in her eyes. “Briggs,” she began, “my life’s complicated right now …” When he started laughing, her brows bunched together. “Why’re you laughing?” she demanded.
“I live for complicated.”
She pushed out a soft grunt, but at least he had her smiling. He reached across the table and caught hold of her hand, not surprised in the least at the electric spark that pinged between them. He could tell from Zoe’s slight jerk that she’d felt it too. The certainty that flowed through him seemed to come from some place other than him. It was something more permanent and lasting than the wind and rain—something that whispered to his soul, letting him know that it was right to fight for them. They were cut from the same cloth—two hearts sharing the same beat. The die had been cast long ago, and neither of them would ever fully be whole unless they were together. He couldn’t voice all this aloud, however, or Zoe would think he was nuts, so he simply said, “I lost you once, and I’m not losing you again—” he squared his jaw “—end of story.”
She tipped her head. “Lost?” Her eyes narrowed, and he could feel the storm building. Still he kept hold of her hand. “Peculiar choice of words, considering you broke up with me.” Briggs felt her hurt, spilling out like damaged goods between them. Everything in him wanted to jump up from this table, sweep her into his arms, run his fingers through her glorious hair, and kiss her long and hard until all her doubts were completely swept away. “I made a mistake,” he said hoarsely. The temptation to tell Zoe the full story was so strong that Briggs could hardly contain it. Soon …
“What if I gave you another chance?” Her voice was low, a decibel above a whisper. “Who’s to say you won’t do the same thing again?” Moisture glittered like diamonds in her eyes.
Her question was a big, black monster that slithered between them, encircling Briggs’ chest in a tight fist. He had to get through to Zoe, make her understand. He squeezed Zoe’s hand, enunciating every word he spoke. “I’ll never leave you again. You have my word.” He gave her a beseeching look, silently pleading for her to believe him.
The server approached, breaking the spell. “Can I get you anything?” she asked tentatively when she realized she’d interrupted something important.
“Just the check,” Briggs said as Zoe removed her hand from his.
“Everything was delicious,” Zoe said with a strained smile.
“Yes, it was,” Briggs agreed.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” the server chirped. “I’ll be back shortly with your check.”
Zoe hugged her arms and Briggs could tell that she was withdrawing from him. He couldn’t let that happen. He cleared the tension in his throat with a cough. “The only way you’ll ever get rid of me again is if they carry me out in a box.”
She jerked, a giggle slipping from her throat. “Did you really just say that?”
“Yeah.” He grinned, relieved that she was somewhat amused. Humor was the best way to deflect tension.
Her head swiveled back and forth. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said heartily, “here’s to hoping.”
Her eyes sparked. “You’ve got a long way to go, buster, before earning my trust.”
He nodded in disappointment. “I know.” He searched her face. “Does that mean I’ve got a shot?” His pulse revved up several notches. He felt like the rest of his life was hanging in the balance.
An impish grin curved her lips. “Maybe.”
“Really?” He couldn’t stop the goofy grin from filling his face. He wanted to jump up and pump a fist in the air, do a little victory dance around the restaurant.
“Yeah.” She leaned over the table, wiggling her eyebrows. “Only if you’ll let me drive back.”
He laughed. “I see how you are. We had a deal—you drove here, I’m driving back.”
“But I’m so much better at it than you,” she purred, her lower lip thrusting out in a pout. Her eyes lit with mischief. “Should we settle this the old-fashioned way?” She held out her fist. “Paper, rock, scissors?”
Laughter rumbled in his throat. “Seriously?”
“Seriously. What’s wrong?” she taunted. “Are you chicken you’ll lose?”
“Nope. I never lose,” he boasted. Briggs loved their banter, how they’d shared so much and were so familiar with one another. Yet, everything felt so exquisitely new. He held out his fist. “Best out of three?”
“Go!” she said as they launched into battle.
13
Zoe tried not to think how great it felt to have her arms around Briggs. Mainly because she was so dang confused right now. Everything was coming at her so fast. She’d thought she had her life planned out and then everything imploded. Now? Now, she didn’t know what to do exactly. It was dang hard to ignore Briggs’ warmth flowing into her, or how his hard muscles flexed with his every movement as he maneuvered the bike. He was certainly fit, and virile enough to make her feel twitterpated. Zoe couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt twitterpated. Well, if she were being perfectly honest, it was probably the last time she was with Briggs. The wind whipping around them made the ride feel surreal. How many times had she dreamt of being with Briggs again? And now, here she was.
Did she dare give him another chance? Would he keep his promise and always be there for her? She couldn’t afford to be wrong about Briggs—not this time around. There was too much at stake: her kids, her sanity. She’d thought Carl was a safe bet, but how wrong she was. She was seriously starting to question her judgment when it came to men … and friends.
Furthermore, Zoe had always heard that it was not smart to make huge decisions on the heels of a major life event. Divorce and moving across country certainly qualified as major life events. She could fool herself by saying that she and Briggs would take things slow, but that had never computed in Zoe’s book. With her and Briggs there was no in-between. They were either all in or all out. She couldn’t deny that she felt more invigorated around Briggs than she’d felt in a very long time.
Briggs was easy to talk to. He understood Zoe. Often, all they had to do was share a look to know what the other was thinking. For instance, she got the distinct impression that there was more to the past than Briggs was letting on. She couldn’t put her finger on what, but it was there, tickling at her brain. She needed to find out what that something was.
Zoe had no idea where Briggs was taking her for the remainder of their date, but when he turned into the entrance of the ranch, disappointment cloaked her. She wasn’t near ready for tonight to be over. When they got to the house, Briggs rode right past, not even slowing down. Her spirits lifted. Good. He wasn’t taking her home. Where was he taking her? A thought seized her, causing her insides to tingle. Was he taking her to the swimming hole? It was their favorite spot when they were teenagers. Surely, he wouldn’t take her there now. The weather was warming, but it wasn’t hot enough to go swimming yet, especially at night. Plus, they weren’t teenagers anymore, and Zoe couldn’t imagine the two of them swimming right now. No way was she going to strip down to her underwear and swim. She went hot all over as she swallowed. Not a good idea. She had to keep this thing with Briggs aboveboard.
She was surprised when Briggs pulled up to a large barn used primarily for storage. As they got off the bike, she shot him a questioning look. “Okay, now you have me intrigued. I have no idea what we’re doing.”
There was only a single dim light over the barn entrance. Even so, Zoe could see the excitement brimming on Briggs’ chiseled features. In the pale light, his eyes were deep pools of my
stery, which only heightened the excitement of the evening. After depositing their helmets on the handlebars, Briggs took Zoe’s hand, lacing his fingers through hers. Her body swirled with awareness as he pulled her forward.
“Come on,” he said eagerly.
She laughed. “Okay.”
Before opening the door, he paused, turning to her. “Okay, cover your eyes.”
“What? Why?”
A grin curved his lips. “Just do it. I have a surprise for you.”
She eyed him warily. “You’re not gonna kiss me, are ya?” Briggs had done that once when they were teenagers—gotten her to close her eyes and then laid a big kiss on her. They’d just starting dating at the time.
He chuckled, the heat of his eyes moving over her face slowly, deliberately, “Oh, no. You know the drill … when we kiss, time will stop, and you’ll want it as bad as me. You’ll crave the feel—”
“I’ve got it.” She’d committed this speech to memory long ago. Thankfully, Briggs didn’t know just how often she’d recounted those very words. She stepped close to him and touched her finger to his lips as laughter floated gently from her throat. “I’ll crave the feel of your lips like I crave air.” Her voice took on a husky note as she traced the outline of his mouth. “Only then will we kiss.”
“Exactly,” he murmured. He leaned so close that she could feel his warm breath on her skin. Her cells swirled like particles of dust in a windstorm. Everything in her wanted him to kiss her right now. She did crave him as she craved air. She always had.
A reckless thought circled her brain. She wondered what Briggs would do if she kissed him. No, better not. She couldn’t totally lose herself just because he was heartbreakingly handsome. She knew firsthand how devastating it was to lose him. She traced the faint lines around his piercing blue eyes. His features were more defined, more manly, than they’d been before. Briggs had lived a completely different life from Zoe all these years, and yet, right here, right now, it felt as if they’d always been together.
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