Page 32 of Full Throttled

Zayde pauses and takes a deep breath. “Look, I’m sorry. I’m not trying to make you cry, I just want you to understand what I went through the way I’m trying to understand what you went through. I’m sure after you left here that your life was no rose garden. I remember Gregg and can’t imagine he’s changed much over the years. Please don’t cry.”

I wave my hand dismissively. “It’s okay. I needed to hear what you said. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you what was really going on, but I thought I was doing the right thing. I was just trying to protect you guys. I would have never been able to live with myself if something had happened to either of you. I mean, I’m so mad at myself right now for putting either of you through this. I’m so sorry, Zayde. I never wanted to leave you. I never would have left you if I thought there was another way but then again, I guess it’s true what they say ‘hindsight is twenty-twenty’.”

“It’s okay,” Zayde tells me, as he pulls me into his arms. Therehavebeen so many moments over the past six years, that I wondered if I would ever be back here. If I’d ever be forgiven. I’m sure I still have a ways to go to get Zayde’s trust back, but at least I know I’ve started down that road. Now, if I could only mend things with Drake. I thought I was heading that way, but then everything just feels derailed now.

The rest of the evening is quiet. Zayde and I go out to dinner and it’s surprisingly relaxing even though I can barely eat as my stomach churns with worry. I can’t help but worry about what Drake is thinking at this moment. I’ve never seen him so angry before. It was a whole new side to him. I used to wonder if Drake ever lost control of his emotions when we were teenagers. I had never seen it, but today I had seen the answer.

On the way back to the clubhouse I’m beyond distracted. So, distracted that I don’t even notice that Zayde isn’t going towards the clubhouse. It isn’t until he puts his truck in park that I notice that we are parked in a parking lot, facing a long two story structure in a pretty decent neighborhood. I remember when the former building that sat on this lot of land was demolished. I used to find myself sitting in this exactsame spot. You could hear the waves from here and usually you could catch glimpses of the stars in the night sky. If I didn’t have Zayde or Drake to run to I’d come here. I’d sit on the steps facing the street, hidden in the shadows of the dark building and just listen to the world move around me. There were many times since I had left that I wondered what they finally put on this land. I wouldn’t have guessed an apartment complex, but it seems fitting.

The building is a brilliant white brick with sky blue trim and doors. There are flower beds lining the sidewalks, separating the parking lot from the building. It’s a well-lit place. Small balconies look out over the street and it might be possible that you could see the ocean that is a few blocks away, but doubtful. I don’t think the building has the height for that. I look to Zayde. “Where are we?”

“Drake lives here.”

My eyebrows knit together and I frown. “So, why did you bring me here? I can guarantee I’m his least favorite person right now. He doesn’t want to see me.”

Zayde shakes his head. “That’s where you’re wrong. Drake always wants to see you and I promise you aren’t his least favorite person. He cares too much for you, he always has. Besides, you’ve been completely distracted since he left the clubhouse. You need to talk to him.”

“And what if he doesn’t want to talk to me? I can’t blame him besides it’s not like I can just walk up to his door and knock,” I tell Zayde.

Zayde smirks. “Why not? Isn’t the element of surprise supposed to be a good thing?”

I giggle. “Only in the art of war I believe. Besides, it’s late. Aubree is probably asleep and I don’t want to wake her up or confuse her by showing up in her home.”

Zayde studies me for what feels like an eternity. I start to fidget from his relentless stare. “You really care about her, don’t you?”

“It’s hard not to. She’s an amazing little girl, so full of life. She brightens up the whole day.” I shrug with my explanation.

“I’m sure it doesn’t hurt that she’s an extension of Drake,” Zayde tells me, with a nudge of my shoulder. I sigh heavily. “Look, Drake has been through hell. You’ve been through hell. You two both deserve some happiness and a whole lot of love. You two have always had a thing for each other, so why fight it now? I could never figure out why the two of you fought it back then. It’s useless. Life is too damn short to not reach for the stars, Zo. Go for it, lay it out on the line,” Zayde tells me.

His pep talk reaches into my heart and squeezes it so tight, I feel as if I can’t breathe. I don’t know when Zayde became the one that gave the pep talks, but he’s damn good at it. “I didn’t bring my phone.”

Zayde slips his phone from his back pocket and extends it to me. “Take mine and call him. Tell him you’re out here.”

I scroll through Zayde’s contacts until I see Drake’s name. It rings and rings. I hold my breath and just when I expect the call to go to voicemail Drake’s deep voice with that little southern accent comes through the line. “Z, I’m fine, but I’m really not in the mood to talk right now.”

“It’s Zoey.”

There’s a long pause. The silence makes me fidget again so I release my seatbelt and climb out of the car. I may need some privacy while talking to Drake. Plus, pacing will run some of this nervous energy down. “Is everything okay? Why are you using Zayde’s phone?”

“I don’t know if everything is ever truly okay. I’m with Zayde and I didn’t bring mine. It just keeps ringing, driving me insane, so I left it at the clubhouse when Zayde insisted we go get dinner.”

Drake clears his throat. “That makes sense.”

The silence weighs heavy between us and I blurt out. “Can we talk?”

“Isn’t that what we’re doing?”

I sigh. He has a point, but I need to see his face to gage his reaction. “I mean, face to face. I’m outside in the parking lot.”

It sounds like Drake is moving around or moving something. The silence carries on. “I’ll come out. I’m on the second floor. Aubree is asleep already, but we can stay outside the door.”

“Okay,” I reply. I disconnect the call and go back to Zayde’s car. I open the door and hand him the phone. “He’s coming out. Do you want to wait?”

Zayde chuckles. “Hell no. I’ll be down the street at the ice cream shop, have Drake give me a call when you’re ready.”

“Okay, thank you for this,” I tell him. Emotion clogs my throat and Zayde smiles at me before waving me out of the car.

I watch him leave out of the parking lot before making my way across the asphalt. I notice Drake’s Dodge Charger, white Ford work truck, and a motorcycle but it’s covered and it makes me curious what bike he chose. As I’m climbing the stairs, I hear a door open. When I reach the top, I see Drake leaning against the door frame.

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