A New Chapter

by Susan Coventry

  Kelly had been sympathetic and had told her to go home and relax, but now Emma was home, and she didn’t know what to do with herself. The house felt emptier than usual, and whenever she looked at the couch where she and Zack had made love, she was flooded with conflicted emotions all over again.

  The one thing that Emma knew for sure was that she missed him terribly. She missed his voice, his laughter, his presence. She missed everything about the man, even though he was being a stubborn ass. Of course, one could argue that she was being stubborn too. She could easily have picked up the phone to call or text him, but she hadn’t. So Emma sat in her silent house and tried to distract herself with mundane tasks until it was time to go to bed.

  She had just slipped into her favorite sleepshirt, the one labelled “I woke up like this,” when the doorbell rang.

  “No, it couldn’t be.” Emma padded to her bedroom window and peered out through the blinds. It was pitch black, and she hadn’t left a porch light on because she hadn’t been expecting company.

  “Maybe it’s Kelly, coming over to check on me,” Emma mumbled while she went down the stairs.

  The doorbell rang again, followed by a loud pounding of a fist against the metal door. Only a man’s fist could make that kind of noise.

  “Emma, open up. I know you’re in there,” Zack demanded.

  “Just a minute,” she replied haughtily.

  She managed to unlock the door even though her hands were trembling. She flung it open, and a lump immediately lodged in her throat. Zack stood on her porch barefoot in a pair of gray sweatpants and a University of Michigan t-shirt. His hair was rumpled, like he had just rolled out of bed, and he sported a light smattering of facial hair.

  He looked sexy as hell when he held up a McDonald’s chocolate shake and said, “Peace offering.”

  Emma waved him inside and accepted the shake cup from his outstretched hand. “You brought me a shake at ten o’clock at night?”

  He shrugged. “When I screw up, I bring food.”

  Emma gave him a slight smile. “If you bring food every time you screw up, I might get fat!”

  Zack’s expression told her that he deserved that comment. “Can we sit down for a few minutes and talk?”

  “Sure,” she said and led him into the kitchen. She purposely avoided the living room since it was the scene of the alleged crime. Once they were seated at the kitchen table, she took a long slurp of the shake and then said, “So, talk.”

  Zack ran his hands through his messy hair and sighed. “I don’t know why, but it feels like I’m constantly screwing things up, when what I really want is for things to be perfect for you. For us.”

  Emma set down the shake and replied, “That’s just it, Zack. I don’t need things to be perfect. Life is messy, but that’s also what makes it interesting. Life doesn’t follow an exact time table, even when we want it to, so why not just let go and enjoy the ride?”

  “How’d you get to be so smart?” He reached out for her hand and held it across the kitchen table.

  “Lots of books,” she quipped.

  Zack gave her hand a squeeze. “I missed you, Em—so, so much.”

  “I missed you too,” she admitted.

  “I came to the bookstore the other day to apologize, but…”

  “You saw me with Mike. I know, and what you saw was a conciliatory hug. I felt bad for him, but he understands that you and I are…”

  “Together,” Zack stated firmly.

  “Together,” she confirmed right before he pulled her into his arms. There was no mistaking the type of hug that Zack gave her; it was a possessive “you’re mine and don’t you forget it” kind of hug, and Emma ate it up. It was also the kind of hug that made her lady parts stand up and take notice.

  After a minute or so, Zack pulled back and looked her directly in the eyes. “Emma, I need you to know something. The other day, when you made a comment about me just wanting sex—you’re wrong. I want you for so much more than that, and…”

  Emma put her finger to his lips. “It’s ok, Zack. I think that you’ve apologized enough for one night.” She was just about to lean in and kiss him, but he held her back.

  “Let me finish. I’d like to stay with you tonight, but I don’t want to have sex. I just want to hold you—all night long if you’ll let me.”

  Emma’s mouth gaped open until Zack lifted up on her lower jaw to close it. “Seriously?” she asked, torn between feeling touched and disappointed.

  “Yes. Is that a problem?” He arched an eyebrow at her.

  “No. No problem. It’s just that you don’t need to prove anything to me. I spoke out of anger the other day, but I didn’t really mean it. At least, not all of it.”

  Zack leaned over and placed a tender kiss on her cheek. “Just let me hold you tonight.”

  He spoke with such sincerity that Emma realized he truly meant it. “Ok,” she conceded, “But you better not be wearing the Superman boxers.”

  “And you better not be wearing your days-of-the-week underwear,” he teased.

  “Ha-ha. You wish!”

  They climbed into bed together, and Emma snuggled in close to him, laid her head on his chest, and flung a leg over his. Being this close to him made her want to get even closer, but she restrained herself. Instead, she concentrated on the rhythm of his breathing and the warmth of his body next to hers.

  “Zack,” she said a few minutes later.

  “Um-hmm.”

  “Thank you for this.”

  “No, Emma. Thank you.”

  They stopped talking after that, and even though she didn’t think she’d be able to, Emma fell into a deep, blissful sleep.

  Chapter 32

  Emma awoke the next morning to find Zack’s handsome face peering down at her, and it took her a moment to get her bearings. “What time is it?” she muttered. She was definitely not a perky morning person.

  “Unfortunately, it’s time for me to go,” Zack said.

  Emma forced her eyes open a little wider and realized that he was poised above her on all fours, looking fully alert and well-rested. “Go? Why? What time is it?” she repeated.

  “It’s nine o’clock, and Gracie is due home at ten.”

  “Oh, ok.” She didn’t try to hide the disappointment in her voice.

  “I wish I could stay longer, but Alicia has some event to go to, so she has to bring Gracie back early. I have an idea though. Why don’t you come over and have brunch with us in a little while?”

  Emma perked up a little at the invitation. “Really?”

  “Yes,” he said and chuckled.

  “Why are you laughing at me?”

  “Because you’re adorable in the morning,” he replied, and he started to go in for a kiss.

  She quickly turned her head to the side so that he caught her cheek instead. “I probably have horrible morning breath,” she explained.

  “Let me be the judge of that.” Zack forced her head back to center and covered her protests with his mouth.

  His warm, wet, delicious mouth tasted minty fresh, and when they broke apart, Emma swatted him on the arm. “No fair. You already used mouthwash!”

  Zack chuckled again and hauled himself out of bed. Apparently he had removed his shirt sometime during the night, and Emma was treated to a daytime view of his gorgeous body. Zack’s sweats hung low on his hips, and she admired his backside as he bent down to retrieve his shirt. She continued to admire his form while he pulled the shirt over his head and then ran his hands through his hair as if to tame it. Emma wished that her hands were in his hair instead, or on his biceps or his abs or his…

  “Em? You want to walk me to the door?”

  “Yeah, sure,” she replied, and she sighed when she crawled out from under the covers.

  He trailed her down the stairs until they stood by the front door. “What time will you be over?” he asked while twirling a lock of her hair.

  “What time do you want me?”

  Zack’s
eyes lit up with desire. “All the time.”

  Emma took a step closer to him. “You could have had me last night, but you wanted to cuddle instead.”

  “Ugh. Did I use the word cuddle?”

  Emma giggled. “Not specifically, but you get my point.”

  Zack pulled her against him and buried his head in her neck. “I won’t make that mistake again,” he murmured against her neck.

  Emma pushed her hips against his to remind him of what he had missed out on. They kissed for a few more minutes before reluctantly parting.

  “Come over soon, ok?” Zack said on his way out the door.

  An hour and a half later, Emma was greeted at Zack’s house by a very exuberant four-year-old.

  “Daddy, Daddy, she’s here,” Gracie called while she led Emma into the kitchen.

  “Well, good morning, Emma. Nice to see you up and about.” He winked at her over their shared secret.

  “Daddy’s making waffles,” Gracie exclaimed.

  Sure enough, the heart-shaped waffle maker that he had bought in Chicago sat on the kitchen counter with steam pouring out of it.

  “Smells good. I love waffles!”

  Zack smirked at her and went back to his cooking duties.

  “What can we help with?” Emma asked.

  “You two can set the table and pour the juice,” Zack said.

  Gracie excitedly showed Emma where to find the plates, forks, and glasses, and the two of them arranged everything on the table.

  “I can pour the juice,” Gracie said.

  “Uh, Gracie, why don’t we let Miss Emma do that. The last time you poured the juice, we ended up with a sticky mess, remember?”

  Gracie looked like she was about to argue, but then she glanced at Emma and thought better of it.

  “How about if you hold the glass while I pour?” Emma suggested.

  Gracie nodded and gave her a sweet smile.

  When the three of them sat down to eat, Gracie offered to pray again. They held hands around the table and bent their heads.

  “Dear God, thank you for telling Robby not to pinch me, and thank you for letting Miss Emma come over for waffles. Amen.”

  Emma’s heart was as full as her stomach by the time brunch was over. Gracie had bounded up the stairs to play, and now she and Zack were cleaning the kitchen.

  “You’re really lucky, Zack. Gracie is a great kid,” Emma said while they worked side by side.

  “Thanks. She thinks pretty highly of you too.”

  “You think?”

  “I know. In fact, she was mad at me yesterday when I suggested we go to a movie instead of story time.”

  Emma was hesitant to dredge up the events of the last few days, but she was curious. “Did you end up going to a movie?”

  “No. Gracie went into her room and refused to speak to me for most of the morning.”

  Emma giggled at the little girl’s feistiness. “So that makes two of us who thought you were being a stubborn ass.”

  “Guilty as charged,” Zack said, and then he swiftly changed the subject. “You have the day off, right?”

  “Yes, why?”

  “Gracie asked me to take her shopping for a Halloween costume. Come with us.”

  “Are you sure she’d want me to go?”

  “Go where? Go where?” Gracie skidded into the room and stopped in front of them.

  “I asked Miss Emma if she’d like to go costume shopping with us.”

  “Would that be ok with you, Gracie?” Emma asked, feeling cautiously optimistic.

  “Yay! You can help me pick out a girl costume instead of a boy costume like Daddy would pick.”

  “Then it’s settled. Get your shoes on, and then we’ll go,” Zack said, smiling at both of them.

  “Are you sure you’re ready for this?” Zack asked after Gracie left the room.

  “Absolutely. What could be so hard about picking out a costume?”

  Almost three hours later, Emma had her answer. They had gone to four different stores until Gracie finally settled on a Rapunzel costume, complete with a long blonde wig. Gracie was so exhausted from the experience that she had fallen asleep in the back seat on the way home. Zack carefully lifted her out of the vehicle and carried her upstairs before he rejoined Emma in the living room.

  Emma was tired too and had kicked back on Zack’s leather couch with her feet up on the ottoman. Zack sat beside her, but he maintained a respectable distance in case Gracie were to suddenly wake up.

  “Thanks for spending the day with us,” Zack said.

  “It was fun, although I feel like I could take a nap too.”

  “Welcome to my life,” he said off-handedly.

  Emma turned sideways to see him better, but his eyes were closed, and his breathing was getting deep. She resisted the urge to kiss him and quietly got up from the couch. Emma would have gladly stayed with them for the rest of the day and night, but she didn’t want to push things. The day had been perfect as far as she was concerned, and she decided to leave it at that. She went into the kitchen, scribbled a note to Zack, and then let herself out.

  Emma went through the rest of the day in quiet contentment. When she crawled into bed that night, she realized that she didn’t feel lonely, like she had on a lot of nights since her divorce. She read a few chapters in her book and looked forward to Zack’s phone call, which came around nine thirty, just as expected.

  “Hey, Em.”

  “Hey,” she replied, smiling like a fool.

  “Are you in bed?”

  “Um-hmm.”

  “Wish I was with you.”

  “Me too.”

  Zack was quiet for a few seconds. “It was a great day, wasn’t it?”

  “Yes,” she affirmed.

  “I want more of those.”

  “Ditto.”

  “You’re sure you want to be a part of our crazy life.”

  Emma hadn’t been so sure of anything in a very long time. “Yes,” she answered simply.

  Zack was quiet again. “God, I really wish you were here right now.”

  Emma picked at a loose thread on her bedspread. “What would you do with me?”

  Zack cleared his throat. “Well, first I would kiss that place on your neck that really makes you squirm.”

  “And then?”

  “Then I would work my way down to your magnificent breasts.”

  Emma’s eyebrows raised, and she felt herself getting warm. “And then?”

  “Then I would check to see if you’re wearing your days-of-the-week underwear.”

  Emma choked on her laughter. “That just ruined it!” she complained.

  “Daaaad…”

  “No, that just ruined it.” Zack sighed.

  Emma laughed again. “And so it begins…”

  Chapter 33

  After that day, Emma and Zack’s relationship slowly expanded to include Gracie. They still exercised caution in how they interacted around her, adopting a mostly “hands-off” policy, and saved their affection for when they were alone. Emma and Zack had agreed to give Gracie more time to get used to Emma’s presence before they revealed that side of their relationship. For now, Gracie accepted Emma as a “friend,” and that was good enough for Emma.

  The weeks rolled by, and soon, the holiday season was upon them. Emma held a special Halloween version of story time where the kids got to come in costume. Gracie had been thrilled to show off her Rapunzel costume that they had chosen together. Emma had even joined Zack and Gracie for trick or treating, and then she’d sat on Zack’s living-room floor to help Gracie sort through her pile of candy.

  Once November hit, business picked up at the bookstore, and Emma started working longer hours. Kelly also worked overtime, devising various promotions and events to boost sales for Christmas. Emma saw Zack as often as she could, but he complained that it wasn’t nearly enough. Secretly, Emma was pleased that he missed her so much, and thought that it made the time that they spent together that much sweeter.<
br />
  “Once the holidays are over, we’ll have more time again,” she said one weeknight after they had just eaten dinner. Emma had made dinner for him at her house, her first attempt since the burnt chicken fiasco weeks ago.

  “Speaking of the holidays, what are you doing for Thanksgiving?” Zack asked nonchalantly.

  They sat on her couch, holding hands and relishing the few hours that they would get to spend together that evening. “I don’t know. I hadn’t really thought about it.” The truth was Emma had thought about little else. Up until this year, her holidays had been booked, first with her parents and then with Mark. Emma’s mother had called a couple of weeks ago and said that they wouldn’t be coming until Christmas, so Emma was on her own. Or so she thought.

  “You’re welcome to come to my folks’ house with Gracie and me,” Zack offered, his expression hopeful.

  “That’s really sweet of you, but I couldn’t impose on your family like that.” Emma hadn’t even met Zack’s parents yet, so she couldn’t imagine just showing up to their Thanksgiving dinner.

  “Impose? You obviously don’t know my mother. She lives to feed people, Em. Believe me, she would be thrilled to have you there.”

  “But what about Gracie?”

  Zack pulled her onto his lap. “Em, my daughter loves you. Of course she would want you to come.”

  Wait a minute—loves? Emma’s throat closed up.

  “Unless you don’t want to…”

  “No, no, I’ll come,” she said. “Will there be a lot of people there?”

  “Yes, if my mom has her way. You’ll even get to meet Damian. He’s flying in from California, and he’ll be here through the holidays. I offered to let him stay with me, but he hasn’t given me an answer yet.”

  All of a sudden, Emma sat up straight and covered her mouth with her hand.

  “What is it?” Zack asked, alarmed at her expression.