Page 97 of Bountiful
“Eh. I’ve seenworse.”
Her smile made an appearance. “Of all my brothers, his case of macho bull…crud is the most stubborn. How did you two get along?” she asked, pointing between NicoleandI.
“Just fine. You left good instructions.” We could just gloss right over the cerealdisaster.
Nicole began to wiggle in Zara’s arms, so she set the baby down. Nicole waddled off to see her toys in the corner oftheroom.
“You need to go,” Zara said, shutting offtheTV.
“Ah, there’s the Zara I remember,” Ijoked.
She gave me a sheepish look. “My mother is on her way over, okay? Unless you want to explain your presence, take the cab that’s downstairs for you, and run for it. I’ll get someone to help me fetch yourslater.”
“I’ll do it,” I offered. “If you give me the keys to my rental, Castro willhelpme.”
“The keys are in it,” she said. “Areyousure?”
“Of course.” I crossed the room to stand right in front of her. Already I felt a certain distance between us. Like she wanted to be rid of me and not just because her mother was ontheway.
That was my girl. “I’m going,” I reassured her. “Right after youkissme.”
She straightened her spine, but bit her lip. “Listen,Dave…”
“Hey, are you really going to give me a speech about how last night was a fluke, and we should never do itagain?”
“Well…” She cleared herthroat.
“Honey, don’t let your mouth write a check your body can’t cash.” I reached out and cupped the back of her neck, rubbing a thumb against the muscle at the base of her skull. Her eyes fluttered closed, as I knew they would. “You’ve been through a lot and you need me to go now, and I’ll go. But this isn’t over. I’m still drawn to you, Zara. Don’t see why that’s such a bad thing. I like you.Alwayshave.”
“I like you, too, you jerk. But I haveresponsibilities.”
I raised my hands in supplication. “You can tell me all about them the next time I see you.” I pulled her against my chest, and she came willingly, wrapping her arms around me. “Hey.” I stole a kiss. “I’ll see you real soon.” I kissed heragain.
“Soonish. I have to work more hours in the next ten days than I have in my life,” she said, looking up at me. “Don’t be too surprised if I’m not easy to getaholdof.”
“Okay. Then this will have to hold me.” I stroked my thumb down her nose and then leaned over and kissed her a good one. She sighed against me and let me plunder hermouth.
Until somebody grabbed my knee andsquawked.
We broke apart, looking down at the little person who was frowning upatus.
“No way! Look who’s jealous.” Zara leaned over and scooped Nicole up off thefloor.
“Thanks for putting up with an amateur,” I told my baby, then kissed her wispy forehead. “Goodbye for now.” I huggedZara,too.
“Wave bye-bye,”Zarasaid.
They watched me with matching big brown eyes as I let myself outthedoor.
ChapterTwenty-Nine
Zara
The following weekwas longer than a washed-outcountrymile.
With Audrey away on her honeymoon, there was no backup at the bakery. I worked the longest hours I’d worked in years, while my family pulled extra shifts with the baby. I couldn’t even get extra hours from Kieran Shipley, because that man had three jobsalready.
The hardest hours of the day were the early mornings. I discovered that the difference between getting up before dawn three days a week versus six days a week was worse than I’d predicted. I felt like crying every morning at quarter to five when my alarm clock went off. Alec felt the same. He grumbled loudly when I went upstairs to drag him down to sleep on mycouch.
