Page 106 of My Promise To Keep

‘Because I truly believed he’d never act on it. I thought his loyalty to Luke meant nothing would ever happen. Yours too.’

‘I was loyal to my husband, Doug. I loved him.’

‘I know, Zo. I know. I’m sorry. You were right. I was out of line.’ I shiver again, and he wraps a huge arm around my shoulder. I’d push him off if he weren’t so warm. ‘I think seeing you look at each other the way I’d always dreaded, hearing you say you were together, just triggered an old, highly emotional response that had been ready to go for so long. I fucked up, Zo, and I am so, so fuckin’ sorry.’

‘It doesn’t matter. It wasn’t real anyway.’ I hear the defeat in my tone and swallow down the lump in my throat.

‘Honey…’

‘Don’t, Doug. You didn’t want us to be together, but you pushed, and the truth came out. He was only with me because, for some fucked reason, my husband asked his cousin to date me.’

‘Okay, so hear me out.’

‘You have got to be kidding me.’ I turn my body to face him, and those defensive hands come up again.

‘He’s pretty fuckin’ cut up right now, Zo. He just watched you walk away, then dropped to the goddam floor.’ I inhale. The idea of him hurting even after this guts me.

‘I was an obligation, Doug.’ My emotions burst out of me. Tears I thought I had a handle on fall, and my voice trembles. ‘He pursued me because he promised to. I fell in love with him, and it was all a lie.’

‘You’re an idiot if you believe that to be true, Zo.’ I cover my face and cry, and Doug pulls me to his chest, his warm embracecomforting. ‘I couldn’t see him that way, hurting like that, and I needed to understand what the hell he was talking about. I sent everyone inside and sat with him. He told me everything, and I believe him.’

‘Go on.’ I sniffle against his chest, and he chuckles — a low, slow vibration.

‘I’m not the one to tell you that story. You need to talk to Leo about that.’ I try to pull away, but he holds me there. ‘As much as I was afraid of it, I saw the love between you at that dinner table. If I’d just chilled the fuck out and pushed you both in the right direction, you could have been happy together long before now.’ He releases me, and I straighten to look at him in the moonlight, the regret etched into his features. ‘I blew it all up with a knee-jerk reaction, and I’m sorry, but it’s real. You can trust that it’s real. I promise you that.’

‘Promise.’ I huff out a laugh. ‘That fuckin’ word. Was he playing a game, Doug? Get me to promise this, you to promise that, and Leo to promise to fuck his wife.’

‘Please don’t talk about you two fuckin’.’ He groans, and I smile despite my feelings.

‘Why do you think Luke did that?’

‘You really want my answer?’

‘Do I make a habit of asking questions Idon’twant answers to?’

He smirks. ‘There she is.’ I shove his shoulder. ‘Because he was giving him permission, Zo. He wasn’t asking him to date you. He was giving him his blessing to love you the way he always has.’

Baby, You’re It

Zoe

I’d run to thelake, so despite my wanting to be alone, I was grateful for Doug’s truck when it came to going home.

When he pulls up outside my place and I see Leo sitting on the doorstep, I inhale deeply.

‘Hear him out, Zo.’ I turn to my brother. ‘As fuckin’ weird as it is to think of you two together, I love you both. I want you to be happy.’

I lean in to hug him, then climb out. Leo stands, hands in his jacket pockets, and I take a breath before approaching.

‘Munch.’

‘Let’s get inside.’

Unlocking the door, I turn on the light, kick off my shoes, and head for the kitchen.

‘Do you want tea?’ I ask as I reach for two mugs.

‘Um…’

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