by Susan Stoker
Chapter Fifteen
Zoey hid a smile in her teacup as she sat across from Jess on her couch a week later. The older woman had a habit of saying exactly what she was thinking, whether it was appropriate or not. And Zoey loved it.
“I’m not kidding, right to the vice admiral, Frank said, ‘If you’ll excuse me, Sir, I’ve been at this navy ball for four hours and haven’t been able to think about anything other than getting my wife home and into bed.’ Then he saluted the man, took me by the arm, brought me home and had his way with me.”
Zoey couldn’t hold back her laugh at hearing that. “Are you kidding me? I mean, you do like to joke a lot.”
Jess held up a hand. “I swear I’m not kidding. I thought I was going to die of embarrassment, but apparently the vice admiral was jealous that we could leave, because he merely said, ‘Have fun, sailor,’ before we left.”
Zoey shook her head and stood, taking Jess’s teacup with her to get her a refill. It was hard to believe she’d only met the older woman a week ago. It felt as if she’d known her for ages. She wasn’t hard to work for, not at all. In fact, most of the time Zoey felt like Jess didn’t need her. Her house was already fairly clean, and Jess had no problem getting around. But after thinking about it for a while, she realized Jess was lonely. She had no family to visit and spent most of her time cooped up in her house.
Every day, they’d gone out and done something. Grocery shopping. A short walk in the park. They’d gone down to the beach and watched people surfing. Zoey had even taken Jess to the zoo. It was as nice to get out and see the city for Zoey as it was for Jess.
“Are you sure you don’t want to come to the barbeque with us this afternoon?” Zoey asked as she sat back down next to Jess on the couch. The get-together at Gumby’s beach house had been postponed a bit, and now it was going on as planned later that day.
“I’m sure. I invited Gretel over to play cards this afternoon.”
Gretel was a woman who they’d run into at the library a few days ago. Apparently Jess had been friends with her years earlier, but they’d lost touch. The two women had been absolutely giddy to see each other and had made tentative plans to get together.
“She could come too,” Zoey said, not wanting her new friend to feel left out.
Jess shook her head. “No, child. You go and have fun with the others. You need to make friends other than an old lady.”
“I can have more than one friend,” Zoey told her.
“Of course you can, but these women will be special in your life. They’ll be your best friends, the aunts to your children, babysitters when you and Mark need time to yourself. They’ll be your support system when Mark is deployed, just as you’ll be for them. You need to cultivate their friendship, and you should start that as soon as possible.”
“Jess,” Zoey said softly, putting down their teacups. “I think you’ve misunderstood my relationship with Mark.”
Jess merely raised one eyebrow in response.
“Seriously. I mean, we haven’t…we aren’t…we’re just friends right now.” She knew that wasn’t exactly the case, but she didn’t want to talk about her sex life…or lack of one…with the other woman.
“Trust me, that man is not just your friend,” Jess said with conviction. “It’s kind of cute that you’ve got your head in the sand when it comes to Mark, but at some point you’re going to have to sit up and take notice of what’s going on around you. I saw that kiss last week, that was not a kiss between friends.”
“Oh, but…yeah, I thought so too. But he hasn’t done anything since then. Not even a peck on the cheek. He said he wanted to go slow, but I didn’t think he meant this slow.”
“He’s not sleeping with you?”
Zoey knew she was blushing again, but she honestly didn’t have anyone else to talk to about this. “We’re sleeping, but that’s it. I was pretty sure we were headed toward a serious relationship, but now I’m wondering if I was just seeing what I wanted to when it came to us.”
Jess nodded then leaned forward and took Zoey’s hand in her own.
Zoey wanted to cry at the gesture. It had been a long time since someone had looked at her as tenderly as Jess was right now. She couldn’t remember the last time her mom had actually sat down and had a heart-to-heart talk with her. The last she’d heard from her—a quick phone call the other day—she was in Fairbanks with Liam and things were going well.
“My Frank was an alpha man, just like Mark. He was protective and surly when it came to other men looking at me. After his deployments, it took him quite a while to get back into the swing of being home again. But even when he was at his grumpiest, I never doubted his love for me. He cooked me meals, he did the dishes, he vacuumed and did the laundry. He drove me to work when he could and picked me up. When I had nights out with my friends, he stayed up until I got home or volunteered to be the sober driver to get us all home safely. He held my hand in public and when we were here at home. To others, he was a Grumpy Gus, but to me, he was my Frank. A man like Mark wouldn’t want to rush you. I’m guessing he’s waiting for a sign from you to move things to the next level.”
Zoey thought about Jess’s words, and had to concede that she made a good point. Mark had been nothing but polite and caring toward her. He’d done all those things Jess had mentioned, except the holding hands thing.
“What if he’s changed his mind? I mean, things were pretty intense in Alaska, and now that he’s been home a little while, maybe he’s decided it was just situational after all.”
“He’s interested,” Jess countered. “I’ve seen the way he looks at you when you aren’t paying attention. But that doesn’t mean he’ll sit around and wait forever. You’re going to have to let him know that you haven’t changed your mind. In today’s world, men have to be very careful about making advances on women so as not to overstep their bounds.”
A knock on the door interrupted their intimate talk. Before Zoey could get up and answer the door, Jess squeezed her hand. “Take some advice from an old lady, Zoey. I have a feeling it’ll be up to you to make the first move, and you should do it soon. That man is the bee’s knees, and if I were you, I’d be all over that.”
Zoey chuckled. “The bee’s knees?”
Jess smirked. “In my day, that was quite the compliment.”
“It still is,” Zoey told her.
Another knock on the door sounded, and they both heard Mark call out Jess’s name.
“I need to get that so he doesn’t worry,” Zoey said.
Jess nodded and patted Zoey’s hand. “Remember what I said. He’s trying to be a gentleman and not rush you. Take hold of what you want, child.”
Zoey nodded and got up to answer the door.
She pulled it open, and a little thrill went through her at seeing Mark standing there. He’d gone home after work and changed into a pair of khaki shorts and a white T-shirt. He looked absolutely yummy with his tan skin and the short beard he hadn’t shaved off after their adventure in Alaska.
“Hi,” he said, leaning forward.
Zoey tilted her head, making it easier for him to kiss her cheek, but instead his lips brushed against her own.
“Have a good day?” he asked.
“Yeah,” Zoey said, her mouth dry. Jess’s words echoed in her head, but she knew now wasn’t the time to tell him that if he was holding back being intimate with her because he thought it was what she wanted, he was wrong.
They said their goodbyes to Jess, and Zoey ignored the smirk on the older woman’s face and the way she waggled her eyebrows up and down.
Back at his house, Mark patiently waited as she changed into a pair of shorts and a T-shirt and packed a bag with a towel, bathing suit, and an outfit to change into after spending a day on the beach. She couldn’t help but notice that Mark grabbed one of his sweatshirts and stuffed it into her bag as well. She knew it wasn’t for himself, that he’d thrown it in for her, knowing she’d probably get chilled and need it later.
/> Zoey was excited about the barbeque. She wanted to get to know Mark’s teammates better, and couldn’t wait to talk more with Caite, Sidney, and Piper.
From the second they arrived at Gumby’s beach house, it was semi-controlled chaos. Piper and Ace’s three children were running around with the never-ending energy only kids could have. Rocco was manning the grill, while Phantom and Rex had taken it upon themselves to look after the kids and make sure they didn’t get hurt and were having a good time.
The remaining men threw a football on the beach, taking turns coming back to make sure no one needed anything at the house. After eating hamburgers and hotdogs, everyone went for a swim in the ocean, which was a new adventure for Zoey. The water was chilly, but not nearly as cold as it was up in Alaska.
After spending over an hour playing in the water and sand, everyone came back up to the house to shower and change. Finally, the kids were settled in the master bedroom watching cartoons, and the guys were gathered around the huge living room TV, watching football.
Caite, Piper, Sidney, and Zoey had decided to sip wine and sit on the back deck, enjoying the sunset. Well, everyone but Piper was drinking wine, as she was pregnant and had settled for bottled water. It was the first time they’d really sat down and relaxed all afternoon, and Zoey was more than glad for the time to talk to the other women one-on-one and get off her feet.
“How’s working with Jess going?” Caite asked.
“Good. Really good,” Zoey said. “She’s a hoot. She’s this teeny little woman with a huge personality. I swear I’ve blushed more around her than I have in my entire life.”
“Have the cops found out anything else about whoever might’ve hired that pilot to leave you and Bubba in the middle of nowhere?” Sidney asked.
Zoey shook her head. “Not that I know of. I know there’s a guy named Tex who is also looking into it, and Mark thinks he should find out something soon.”
Piper nodded enthusiastically. “Tex is amazing. If anyone can find out who set it all up, he can.” Then she proceeded to tell Zoey all about how Tex had arranged for the almost immediate adoption of her girls, and how he’d popped into one of their barbeques one day and she’d gotten to meet him. “He was a SEAL himself but lost a leg in combat. He’s almost a God around here, and I can see why. I wanted to do something to thank him, but Beckett told me if I tried, Tex would do something completely over the top in return.”
“Like what?”
“I asked the same thing, and Beckett said he once sent someone an exploding glitter bomb after they thanked him one too many times.”
“Holy crap. No one wants that stuff in their house. It never goes away!” Zoey exclaimed.
“I know,” Piper said. “Sinta begged me for some of that glitter glue stuff to use in a project, and I stupidly caved. I’m never going to get that shit out of my carpet.”
Everyone laughed.
“Anyway,” Piper went on. “I guess Tex doesn’t do well with anything other than a simple thank you. Although I did have the girls each make him a card, and I got away with that.”
“So you still have no idea who wanted you guys dead?” Caite asked.
Zoey shook her head and shrugged.
“That sucks. I know exactly how that feels,” Caite commiserated. “But the good thing is that you’ve got Bubba at your side. How are things going with that?”
Feeling a sense of déjà vu since she’d just had this conversation with Jess, Zoey once again tried to explain how things were between her and Mark, and how she both wanted things to move faster but was scared to move things along because she didn’t want to do anything that might screw up the connection she felt with him.
When no one said anything after she was done explaining, Zoey wasn’t sure what to think. She’d felt a kinship with these women, and the last thing she wanted to do was say something that might mess that up. They’d known Mark longer than she had…well, that wasn’t exactly true, since she’d known him when he was in high school, but still.
“So, here’s the thing,” Caite said after a long moment of silence had gone by. “I think none of us has jumped in with any sage advice because we know exactly how you feel. We were all in your shoes. Not exactly, but pretty much. I didn’t know someone was trying to kill me for the longest time, which was crazy, but once I did, and Blake got all protective, I wondered if he was with me just to keep me safe or because he liked me.”
“Same with me,” Piper said. “Besides, we were so busy with the girls and getting them settled and acclimated to living here in the US. I was pretty sure that he’d only married me so the girls could get out of Timor-Leste.”
“How did you…um…move your relationship to the next level?” Zoey asked, glad that she’d had some liquid courage.
“It just kind of happened,” Caite said.
Piper nodded in agreement.
That wasn’t what Zoey wanted to hear; it wasn’t very helpful.
Sidney leaned forward. “I’ll be the first to admit that I messed up pretty badly in my relationship with Decker. I did some really stupid things, and I’m grateful that he didn’t immediately dump me on my ass as a result. But I’m seeing a counselor to talk about the shit that messed me up. I think the key to a relationship with men like ours is to communicate. To not be afraid to tell them what you want and how you want it. Whether that’s sex or anything else. I didn’t talk to Decker enough, and it almost ruined us.”
Zoey bit her lip. “Mark is one of the nicest guys I know. He hired me to help his neighbor out.”
“Where’re you sleeping?” Caite asked.
Zoey knew she was blushing, but said, “In his bed.”
“And where’s he sleeping?” Piper asked.
“In his bed,” Zoey repeated.
“Right,” Caite concluded, sitting back and putting her feet up on the railing of the deck. “It’s not pity, and he likes you.”
“She’s right,” Sidney agreed. “There’s no way he would set you up in his bed and crawl in there with you if he didn’t want your relationship to be serious. It’s not how our men are wired.”
“I agree,” Piper said. “He could’ve put you in his guest room.”
“He offered to sleep there himself, but said in no uncertain terms that I’d take the master,” Zoey admitted.
All three women smiled and nodded their heads. Caite leaned forward and held up her wine glass. Zoey tapped it with her own. “Welcome to the club, Zoey. We’re thrilled to have you.”
“What are you toasting?” a deep voice asked from behind them.
Zoey startled and almost dropped her wine glass. She turned and saw Mark standing there with his sweatshirt in his hand.
“To friends,” Caite said easily.
“Ah, cool. Zoey, I thought you might be cold,” Mark said as he held up the sweatshirt.
“Oh, thanks. I am a bit chilly.”
He grinned and handed her the sweatshirt and held her wine glass as she pulled it over her head. It was huge on her, but she didn’t care. It smelled like Mark, and other than him holding her in his arms, nothing could make her feel more relaxed than being surrounded by his scent. “Thanks,” she told him as she reached for her glass.
He relinquished it, then surprised her by leaning down and kissing her temple. He turned to the others and said, “Don’t get too drunk, ladies. Piper, I’m holding you responsible for making sure they can still walk in another hour.”
Piper rolled her eyes. “Whatever. We’re not doing shots of Jägermeister out here, you know. It’s just a little bit of wine.”
Mark eyed the empty bottle on the railing, and the one next to it that they’d just opened. “Uh-huh.”
“Oh, shut up,” Caite said. “And shoo, would ya? We’re talking women stuff out here.”
“I’m going, I’m going,” Mark said. He ran his hand over Zoey’s hair before turning and heading back inside.
“Oh, yeah, you have nothing to worry about, girl,” Sidney said once
Mark had left.
“Most of the time I think so too, but then days go by without him touching me even once, except for when we go to sleep. And I get paranoid,” Zoey admitted.
“Bubba’s one of the good guys,” Caite reassured her. “He’s doing what he thinks is right and honorable. But believe me, one of these days he’s going to break, and when he does, it’ll be glorious.”
They talked for another forty-five minutes or so until the children wandered out of the house and onto the deck. Their show had ended and they were bored…and crabby. Not long after that, the party seemed to naturally break up. Everyone said their goodbyes, and Zoey was thrilled when all the women exchanged numbers with her and told her to call anytime, and that they’d be in touch.
Even before she’d left the beach house, Caite had sent her a text that told her to be patient, and to let her know if she ever wanted to talk.
It felt good.
Everything in Zoey’s life seemed to be going very well…and that scared the crap out of her. In the past when things went well, something always seemed to come along and screw it up. But she was determined to stay positive and believe, for once in her life, that everything would work out for the better.
Bubba looked over at Zoey and smiled when he saw she’d fallen asleep on the way back to his house. Her cheeks were flushed from the alcohol she’d consumed and her mouth was slightly open as she breathed deeply.
He’d talked to his friends a bit about his situation with Zoey, and how he wanted her more than his next breath but was afraid of moving too fast. They’d advised him to continue to take things slowly, and that he’d just know when the time was right to go to the next step in their relationship.
The advice wasn’t exactly what he’d wanted to hear. He wanted one of his friends to tell him just to go for it. But he also didn’t want to screw up his friendship with Zoey. He valued that highly. Almost as much as he wanted to see her naked and writhing in ecstasy on his sheets.
When they got home, he glanced over at Jess’s house and sighed in relief. She’d left the porch light on, as was her custom. She did that right before she went to bed at night to let him know all was well.
