Page 69 of Solid Ground

I take a bite of my burger and moan. “I didn’t realise just how much I needed this.”

“Well, I figured we could take a breath before I introduce you to Mum and Dad.” She takes a large bite and fixes her gaze on me while she chews.

“That bad, huh?” I smile.

She finishes chewing and swallows before swiping the corner of her mouth with her thumb. “Everything will be fine. It’s just probably easier to deal with meeting new people on a full stomach.” After reaching for a fry, she sucks it down before continuing. “Thank you for bringing me here. Even sitting by the water makes me feel better.”

“I’d do anything for you.”

She meets my gaze. I mean it. I would go to the ends of the earth for this woman, and given how far we’ve travelled, maybe I have.

It’s not just that I love her. Being with Zoe settles me in a way that I’ve not known before. She’s so calm and level-headed, and she makes me feel the same.

We eat in silence, the cool breeze coming off the lake waking me up after our long flight and drive.

“We should go and do this,” she says.

“You almost sound like you don’t want to.”

Zoe loops her arm in mine and leans her head on my shoulder. “It’s just so peaceful here. I love that I get to share this with you.”

I plant a kiss on the top of her head. “I do too. I’d rather be here with you than anywhere else in the world.”

“Even if you’re about to meet my father?”

I smile. “Even then.”

She sighs before pushing herself to her feet. I gather our wrappers and put everything in a nearby garbage can.

“Ready?” I ask her, slipping an arm around her shoulders.

“Are you?”

Laughing as we walk toward the car, I nod. “I’m ready for anything.”

“Come on then.”

It’s a short drive to her parents’ house, and we soon pull down a driveway and into a backyard. A large garage sits on the other side of the yard, and a couple—I presume her parents—are out tending the garden. It’s a warm, sunny day, and they have both flowers and vegetables growing alongthe fence.

This is Zoe’s family home—the one she grew up in. They’ve been here her whole life, even though she wanted to buy them a new home when she sold her business.

I draw in a deep breath as she reaches across and squeezes my arm, and then I get out of the car, round it, and open her door.

She takes my hand and rises from her seat, giving me a reassuring smile.

“Zoe.” Her mother walks toward us, her face lit with excitement.

“Mum.” Zoe’s voice cracks and she walks around the front of the car and straight into her mother’s arms. “Declan, this is my mother, Serena.”

“It’s so good to meet you, Declan.” Serena smiles at me.

Her father’s right behind her.

“So this is him?” he asks.

He grunts and holds out his hand. “Brian Drake.”

I grasp his hand and give it a firm shake. “Declan O’Leary.”

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