Caleb’s voice had hardened. ‘Keep a better eye on her. Find out what she needs in order to stay on top of things. Watchfulness… paying attention to the little details that others miss and getting all up in their faces about it… isn’t that what you do?’
‘That’s not what she’s wanting from me.’
‘What does she want?’
She’d told him already. Zoey had been totally upfront about the way she intended to live her life. Full speed ahead and no regrets. ‘She wants to live life fully.’
‘Big, bad wishes there, man.’
‘She wants to go out on the trawler, dysfunctional heart and all.’
‘Now, wait just a goddamn minute .’
Hah!
‘She kisses like there’s nothing else she’d rather be doing. As if it’s the best thing in the world.’
‘ Jesus . Did I ask ?’
‘If I bring her home I’ll be asking all of us to care for her, worry about her. If I go all in, you’re going to cop it too.’
‘And you think we don’t put up with all of your shit already? This is just you pulling out every excuse you can think of to push her away.’
True.
‘I get it, Eli. I do. You want to walk away.’ Caleb sounded uncommonly wise all of a sudden. ‘But if you can’t, so be it. Bring her home. Keep her. You know damn well that we’ll cherish her too.’
His family… these people he’d been given… they could make him feel so goddamn blessed.
Eli sat on the bench and stared out at the vivid blue ocean, phone to his ear but saying nothing. Zoey would have liked it down here this morning, sun on her face and a playful breeze in her hair. He wondered if she’d ever had fresh golden snapper for breakfast, liberally slathered in tartar sauce. He wondered if she’d eat it with her fingers, same way he always did. He had a feeling she would. ‘I think—’ He cleared his throat. ‘I don’t think I can walk away from this one, Caleb. I’m gonna go all in.’
‘Like that’s a surprise.’
‘It’s a surprise to me .’
‘Shouldn’t be. When it comes to loving someone, you always go all in. It’s a gift. Wish I had it.’
‘No you don’t.’
Caleb laughed outright. ‘So we’ll see you Tuesday?’
‘Yeah.’ His voice sounded thick. ‘Thanks, man.’
‘Don’t mention it. Really. Ever.’
Zoey wasn’t in the honeymoon suite when he returned half an hour later. A handwritten note, the lettering full of extravagant loops and slashes, told him that she’d gone on ahead to the con and that if he wanted to find her he should look for a space pirate wearing a brown coat, thigh holster and suspenders.
Hopefully there were other items of clothes involved, because that vision right there in his head?
Pure erotic fantasy.
He drove himself to the convention hotel and handed the keys to the porter with a warning glance and a muttered, ‘Be careful with her. I want her out of the way and secure.’
‘Yes, Sir . Your room number?’
‘The Venexiana’s Queen Suite.’ Surely they’d be able to cross reference the rooms?
The guy nodded. Eli smiled, tipped the man plenty and strode inside.
She wasn’t in the foyer area or the bar. He headed for the convention hall, bracing himself for the people and the big screens, the sounds of battle and a lady warrior with ringlets in her glossy brown hair. He needed to tell her he’d been an idiot this morning and that he was sorry for storming out on her after the night they’d just shared. He needed to tell her he was sorry if he’d made her feel less valued and that it wouldn’t happen again. He needed to ask questions and get answers and just hold her for a while until he settled. Find out what she needed from him and give it to her. He had so much to say… so where the hell was she?
Eli could be impatient when he wanted to be.
Who knew?
It took him ten minutes to find her because the crowds were bigger than yesterday and they’d opened up new gaming rooms. She was in the motion capture sensors room and she was very definitely
‘That’s not what she’s wanting from me.’
‘What does she want?’
She’d told him already. Zoey had been totally upfront about the way she intended to live her life. Full speed ahead and no regrets. ‘She wants to live life fully.’
‘Big, bad wishes there, man.’
‘She wants to go out on the trawler, dysfunctional heart and all.’
‘Now, wait just a goddamn minute .’
Hah!
‘She kisses like there’s nothing else she’d rather be doing. As if it’s the best thing in the world.’
‘ Jesus . Did I ask ?’
‘If I bring her home I’ll be asking all of us to care for her, worry about her. If I go all in, you’re going to cop it too.’
‘And you think we don’t put up with all of your shit already? This is just you pulling out every excuse you can think of to push her away.’
True.
‘I get it, Eli. I do. You want to walk away.’ Caleb sounded uncommonly wise all of a sudden. ‘But if you can’t, so be it. Bring her home. Keep her. You know damn well that we’ll cherish her too.’
His family… these people he’d been given… they could make him feel so goddamn blessed.
Eli sat on the bench and stared out at the vivid blue ocean, phone to his ear but saying nothing. Zoey would have liked it down here this morning, sun on her face and a playful breeze in her hair. He wondered if she’d ever had fresh golden snapper for breakfast, liberally slathered in tartar sauce. He wondered if she’d eat it with her fingers, same way he always did. He had a feeling she would. ‘I think—’ He cleared his throat. ‘I don’t think I can walk away from this one, Caleb. I’m gonna go all in.’
‘Like that’s a surprise.’
‘It’s a surprise to me .’
‘Shouldn’t be. When it comes to loving someone, you always go all in. It’s a gift. Wish I had it.’
‘No you don’t.’
Caleb laughed outright. ‘So we’ll see you Tuesday?’
‘Yeah.’ His voice sounded thick. ‘Thanks, man.’
‘Don’t mention it. Really. Ever.’
Zoey wasn’t in the honeymoon suite when he returned half an hour later. A handwritten note, the lettering full of extravagant loops and slashes, told him that she’d gone on ahead to the con and that if he wanted to find her he should look for a space pirate wearing a brown coat, thigh holster and suspenders.
Hopefully there were other items of clothes involved, because that vision right there in his head?
Pure erotic fantasy.
He drove himself to the convention hotel and handed the keys to the porter with a warning glance and a muttered, ‘Be careful with her. I want her out of the way and secure.’
‘Yes, Sir . Your room number?’
‘The Venexiana’s Queen Suite.’ Surely they’d be able to cross reference the rooms?
The guy nodded. Eli smiled, tipped the man plenty and strode inside.
She wasn’t in the foyer area or the bar. He headed for the convention hall, bracing himself for the people and the big screens, the sounds of battle and a lady warrior with ringlets in her glossy brown hair. He needed to tell her he’d been an idiot this morning and that he was sorry for storming out on her after the night they’d just shared. He needed to tell her he was sorry if he’d made her feel less valued and that it wouldn’t happen again. He needed to ask questions and get answers and just hold her for a while until he settled. Find out what she needed from him and give it to her. He had so much to say… so where the hell was she?
Eli could be impatient when he wanted to be.
Who knew?
It took him ten minutes to find her because the crowds were bigger than yesterday and they’d opened up new gaming rooms. She was in the motion capture sensors room and she was very definitely
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