Page 26 of The Prince and the Double Shot
“Do you, babe? I know that you like working here, and not having any real commitments, but at some point, isn’t this going to get old? I worry about you.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
“I’m serious.”
“I know you are, and I know that it’s… that I should think about it. I do… But it’s hard to plan for a future when you’re not even sure what kind of future you can have.”
“Is it worth it? Is it really worth it, Zane? Maybe they’re not even looking for you–whatever they are? Maybe you really are free?”
“I can never be free. Trust me. My life before is not the kind of life you walk away from. Not without major repercussions.”
“I wish you could just… I wish you would just tell me.”
“I think I will one day.”
“Cool. That’s enough.” She glanced up. “I think that your next appointment is here. Are you really going out in your work clothes?”
I turned to see Phil standing outside the door in the courtyard. I waved. He looked too good, and I sniffed myself to see how bad I smelled. I was ok.
“I brought clothes, but I forgot to go get them from the car. It’s cool. I’ll change shirts before we leave. Do you want me to wait for Justice, or are you ok?”
“It’s my long shift, so go. I’ll be cool since it’s so late. Go on your date and have fun. Maybe even get to know him,” she chuckled, but I knew what she meant. I didn’t usually get to know the person beyond how much fun they were or were not in bed. But Phil had already started to crack my shell. I needed to figure out what that meant, didn’t I? He had already been hurt, and I didn’t want to be the cause of him getting hurt again.
“Alright, babe. See you soon.”
“Be good, Zane. Maybe be good to yourself too.”
I hung my head as I left. She was right, of course. But how could I plan for anything when I was ready to run away at a moment’s notice if I had to? I opened the door, and the breeze blew my curls down into my face.
“Hey,” Phil greeted me with a smile that brightened his eyes. I swear they almost twinkled.
“Hey.” I leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before I could think better of it.
“Oh… Ok.” His laugh was musical, and it made my stomach flip.
“I thought we could go to the beach today, but you look perhaps too nice for that.” I winked. “Want to grab dinner?”
“I guess I could eat, but a walk on the beach sounds lovely. I haven’t really explored much of the town.”
“Beach it is, then. There’s a sweet place by the marina we could walk to. They have great fish.”
“Perfect. I’ve been eating a little too heavily since I’ve been here. Fish sounds great. How was work?”
“Busy, but good. My friend Di was working with me, and she’s my favorite. She only works at the shop every now and then when they need someone. She left us for another job in her field, and… Come on.” I grabbed his hand, and he laced his fingers through mine. We held onto each other tightly as I walked him towards my car. “Was your day nice?”
“Yes. I’ve been blessed to have my hands in the dirt. While I was… recovering, I buried that part of myself away. The plants here were needy, but in good shape. They just needed someone to listen and to give them what they were missing.”
“You like to garden?”
“It’s not just a hobby if you love it. It becomes your life’s work, an obsession even for those that the soil calls to. My… uh… house is filled with plants.”
“I think you can saypalaceto me, can’t you?”
“Yes. I forget myself, I suppose. The lands around our palace are green and fertile, and the plants grow without hesitation. I love them.”
“Greenery?” I filed it away. It didn’t really matter what country he was from, and as long as he wanted to keep it a secret, I would not pry. Not even on the internet. It didn’t matter. The lives that we led were too different – I knew that, even if I was trying to forget it.
Besides, if he told me where he was from, he would expect the same. I wasn’t sure that I wouldn’t tell him if he asked. My walls were crumbling around him, and I didn’t have the strength or desire to shore them back in place. I needed to be careful.
