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“A buddy of mine is coming to pick me up. Thanks for the offer though.”
Erik must have sensed I wasn’t going to give him much more. He took out his phone as the plane hit some turbulence.
My thoughts, as they tended to do, meandered to Zoe.
I couldn’t remember ever wanting something, unrelated to staying alive, as badly as I wanted to meet Zoe. I could go another year without pizza or steak or beer—three of the things I’d missed most in Africa—if necessary. But no way I could go a year without seeing her or kissing her or making love to her for the first time.
How often had we talked about our first kiss? Or the first time for pretty much everything, as neither of us had held much back in our texts. I just hoped Zoe understood our exchanged scenarios weren’t just for the sake of getting her off. I’d told her, “It’s happening,” more than once, and wasn’t kidding.
But our relationship wasn’t just about the sexting. I’d probably gotten to know Zoe more these past few weeks than most of the women I’d dated in real life. I knew when we met there would be things we didn’t like about each other, but as of now, I couldn’t find much to dislike.
A free spirit, Zoe was obviously the life of the party, a fun and endearing woman, not to mention stunning with a great body, most of which I’d seen by now in one way or another courtesy of some very nice pictures she’d sent me. She talked about being too anxious, but I didn’t really see it except here and there when she had something big happening at work.
All in all, I wasn’t worried about not liking Zoe when we met in person but just the opposite. The second we started talking about the future, it was game over. My parents had lamented the whole time I was home how sorry they were about the restaurant. Asked about my plans.
Truth was, I still had no idea. My life had been the military these past eight years. I had no idea who I was or what I wanted beyond that. Did I want to use enlistment bonus money to buy a restaurant? But I didn’t really cook, and that had only been the plan because of my uncle’s place.
Which brought me back to thoughts of Zoe.
We’d debated having her come with Lucas to pick me up but decided we wanted our first meeting to be more private than that. Plan was for him to drop me off at her apartment. As I’d done a million times, I pictured what would happen the second she opened the door.
“Good evening, folks. As we prepare for landing, please put your seats and tray tables in the upright position. . .”
Holy shit. This was really happening. In less than an hour, I’d be able to see her. Touch her. Kiss her.
“Nice to meet you,” Erik said as the plane skidded to a halt. “Maybe I’ll see you around in town.”
“Maybe so,” I said standing as soon as the “unbuckle seatbelt” sign lit up.
Here went nothing.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
zoe
“Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod.”
“Girl, you’re going to give yourself a heart attack,” Natalie said over the phone. As she drove to pick up her boyfriend, she’d called to see how I was doing.
“Freaking the fuck out,” had been my answer. And it hadn’t gotten any better in the last five minutes since she first called. “I think my heart is going to beat out of my chest.”
“Probably won’t happen but—” Natalie teased.
I looked in the mirror for the millionth time. “I really wish my ears were smaller.”
“Zoe. . .”
“I’m just saying.”
“Do we put negative things about ourselves out into the universe?”
Now I was in for it. Speech time. “Ummm. . .”
“Turn down the volume of that negative inner voice and tell me something you like instead.” So quintessential Natalie.
“I have great tits.”
“See? There you go.”
