AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I just don't think she'll agree that it's a good idea for us to continue seeing one another, no matter how great things seem to be going for us right now.
But there's only one way to find out.
I'm going to have to ask her.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. Before asking her, I have to find her. And given that it's bright and early first thing in the morning, I happen to have an idea where she might be. With a smile on my face, I slip my phone into my pocket and head for the door.
With sure steps and a confident stride, I make my way to the bar where we met the first day. The second I step foot over the threshold, I see her sitting at the bar, sipping a mimosa. She's scanning the room as if waiting to see someone, and the second our eyes meet, she lights up. I'm not sure if she even realizes that she does a little happy dance in her seat, and I can't hold back a smile at how adorable she is.
I don't care about my reputation. I don't care who sees me at this bar first thing in the morning. I don't even care if my picture winds up on the front of a tabloid tearing me to shreds... I'm here for her.
She's sitting alone, and I can't help but wonder if she ditched her friends or if they're just not early risers. I love that she looks beautiful and relaxed, wearing a casual dress and sandals as I make my way to her side. She follows my progress, sipping her drink as the corners of her lips curve into a smile.
When I reach her, I can't hold back a devilish grin. “Isn't it a little early to be drinking?” I ask.
She laughs, and I realize I love the sound. She also looks so happy to see me that my heart flip flops in my chest.
I order a drink while lowering into the seat next to her. The bartender nods and gets my drink together as I focus on Zoe.
“What are you doing here?” she asks, her smile growing. “Besides getting a drink?”
“I’m here to see you,” I say.
Her cheeks go pink and she glances down at her drink, beaming into the glass. I love how easy it is to make her feel good and I want to do so all the time. “Oh,” she says softly.
I notice that she's fooling with her phone with one hand. I can't help but wonder if the silence is unnerving to her. I'm not about to say a word about her ex, however.
“How are you doing?” I ask, hoping to coax her back into that smile.
She lifts both shoulders and takes a deep drink of her mimosa. “I’m okay,” she nods as she says the words, and I sense she's trying to convince not just me, but also herself.
“Is everything okay? I ask, concerned about her suddenly down mood. Had I made a mistake having him arrested? Is she missing his contact now that he's not reaching out? Was all of this some kind of game? I don't think it is. I imagine she'd be nervous and worried about him before she would be upset about not having his attention anymore.
“Yes, everything is okay,” she says, putting her phone in her purse and smiling at me.
“But?” I ask, knowing she’s holding back.
Her shoulders slump slightly, as if she knows she's caught. “I don't want to sound silly, but Jake hasn't contacted me since last night. At first I thought that he finally got the hint, but now I’m worried that he did something stupid.” Even as she says the word, she shakes her head. “But I don't want to talk about him or think about him. I want to be present in this moment.” She plants both hands on the bar and I smile at her.
“I'm happy to see you again.” Even I can hear the absolute honesty ringing in my words, and I see her eyes widen slightly as joy fills her features.
“I'm happy to see you again too.” She says the words so softly that I almost miss them. In the moment, it feels natural and right to reach out and take her hand in mine. I expect her to pull away, but she doesn't. Instead, she laces her fingers with mine and smiles down at her hands.
“I don't know what we're doing or what this is, but I want to just enjoy it if that's okay with you.” She lifts her gaze to mine, and I agree with a nod.
“I'd like that.” There's so much warmth and gratitude in her expression that I feel welcome in her life and wanted. It’s a strange combination, and more intoxicating than the alcohol I’d just ordered. With my other hand, I pick up the Scotch I'd ordered and down the smooth liquor.
“I feel like I need to clear some things up,” she says, a smile on her face as she speaks. “I know that Cassie said I write romance stories, but that's only part of the truth.”
I love the way that she talks to me as if we'd never stopped talking. And as I listen, I settle in, ready to give her my full attention as she tells me this secret about herself. “I’m listening,” I say, and her smile widens.
“I have been writing stories since I was a kid, but I've always been too afraid to let anyone read them. Cassie came across an old notebook and flipped through and found one of the older stories that I wrote in high school.” There's something so vulnerable in her expression. I want to reach out and pull her into a hug, not only for trusting me with this, but because of the violation she must have felt with someone snooping around in her things.
She lowers her voice to a conspiratorial whisper as she leans in close. “But here's the thing. I never stopped writing. I have about eight full length novels on my computer right now that no one has ever read except for me.”
I love that she doesn't seem to want the other passengers on this cruise to know her secrets either, even though there's no way that we will see any of them ever again after the cruise ends.
“Why don't you publish them?” I want to know why she isn't willing to share her work with the world, because I have no doubt that she is an incredible storyteller. But even as I say the words, I see the fear in her eyes.
