“Is there anyone I can call for you?” Frank asked, reaching out to put a sympathetic hand on the young woman’s shoulder. As soon as he touched her, the smaller built woman all but flew into his arms and began to sob into his chest.
“Oh honey child,” he soothed, wrapping his arms around her. “I’m so sorry this is happening.”
Zoey took a minute to just let herself be completely vulnerable in Frank’s arms. It was the first, and would probably be the last time she faced human compassion for a while, and she wanted to get as much as she could. She had nowhere to go, nowhere to work, and worst of all, no one to lean on.
After a while Zoey lifted herself away from Frank’s shoulder and pulled a tissue out of her purse. “Sorry about that Frank,” she apologized, wiping at her small sharp nose with her tissue. “It’s just been a really rough few days, you know? I lost my job today. Zack fired me, and I know it’s because he didn’t want me in his life at all anymore. Even if he tried to deny it, I know it’s true. Who knew he could be so cruel?”
Frank knew, but it wasn’t his place to say so and he knew it. Instead, he put his dark hand over her pale one and gave it a little squeeze. “We all have to go through tough times honey child, believe you me. But you’re a good woman. Strong too. Just you wait and see, you’ll come out on top.” Frank gave her a wink and for the first time that day Zoey actually smiled.
“Thanks Frank,” she sobbed, blowing her nose. “You always know how to make me feel better. Can I ask you one more favor?”
“Anything darlin’,” Frank replied.
“Can you help me find a cheap hotel?”
CHAPTER 2
Zoey looked around the motel room in disgust, not believing how quickly her life had gone from fabulous to horrible. The room was small, barely big enough to fit the lopsided bed and dresser/TV stand combo. On the ceilings there were brown water stains and from the far left corner she was sure that she saw something move. The bathroom was no better. The tub, if you could call it that, was stained with rust and was still plastered with hair from the last ‘guest’. The mirror was the same, and the only light was from a single hanging light bulb that blinked on and off.
However, the room did have working air conditioning (though it smelled horrible), and after checking the mattress she found that the bed had no bugs. Still, she pulled her sheets from one of the boxes Zack had left her. Just in case. She hated that they smelled like him, and decided she would give them a good wash as soon as she could find a laundry mat. For dinner she walked across the street to the Chinese food take out joint and blew her diet on chicken with broccoli, fried dumplings, and egg rolls. Normally she didn’t eat anything that wasn’t organic, but until she found a new job and wasn’t living in the fleabag motel, this $4.99 platter would have to do.
As she ate on her bed Zoey stared at her phone, contemplating. She could call them; get some help. Even though they hadn’t spoken since she’d chosen Brown over Yale, she was sure that they would put aside the petty argument they had gotten into and be able to work something out. After she finished off the last of her fried rice and mountain dew she picked up her phone and called the first forbidden number.
“Zoey?” Her mother asked. “Why are you calling me?”
Zoey rolled her eyes and resisted the urge to hang up the phone. This was an emergency, so she had to play nice.
“Hi mom,” she replied. “How are you?” Her mother shot back a complaint about a lazy gardener, and once again asked her why she was calling. There was no getting around it; it was time to ask for help. To her surprise, Zoey’s mother remained silent as Zoey told her the story of her and Zack, and how it led to her heartache and lack of job. When she was done she heard her mother sigh and could practically see her shake her head through the phone.
“My darling girl you always have had trouble with boundaries. Ever since you were young. Let this be a lesson to you to never do something like that again. Do you understand?”
“Yes mother,” Zoey replied, unable to keep the sting out of her voice. “But what do you say? Can you help me out? I’ll pay everything back once I get another job I swear. Please?”
There was a silence from the other end of the phone and then a long speech about how Zoey got herself into her situation and the best way for her to learn from it would be for her to go through it on her own. Her mother told her she loved her and she hoped that she would find a new job soon. However, she would not be giving her any money. The phone call to her estranged father had gone eerily the same, and after being hung up on for the second time, Zoey felt another wave of fresh tears well up in her eyes.
First thing tomorrow morning she would go the McDonald’s down the street with her laptop and apply to every marketing job she could find, even if it was out of state. But for now, she needed to be able to drink the four-dollar bottle of wine she’d bought at the reception desk and cry until she couldn’t cry anymore. Turning on the TV, she found a channel that actually worked and began her mourning for a life forever gone.
~
Irritated, Zoey pushed her chocolate brown bangs away from her forehead, wishing she hadn’t cut them. It had been a request she went through for Zack, and it had been an annoying mistake. Now she was stuck with them until they grew out. She picked her strawberry shake and stuck the straw in her mouth as she clicked the send button over and over again to every job opening that she was qualified for. She loved applying for jobs online; it was so much faster than going into office after office and filling out endless applications. Still, it was draining work. And depressing.
Just like she’d promised herself, after Zoey woke up from her cheap wine stupor, she trudged to the McDonald’s with her laptop and ordered a coffee. That’d been almost three hours ago, and she applied to every job, and was currently sending out a cover letter and resume to every professional email address she had in her address book.
Sighing heavily, she decided to take a break and look through her friends and relatives section, hoping there might me someone she could lean on. Even if it was just for emotional support, she really needed a friend. Zoey scrolled down through the numbers and addresses, finding none that appealed to her. Then, at the very bottom, an old but familiar name came into view. Zane, Bradley. Zoey’s ex-stepfather.
After years of putting up with her mother he’d finally called it quits Zoey’s sophomore year of college. She vaguely remembered him taking her side when it came to Zoey’s schooling. It very well may have been the fight that led to their divorce, but she never asked. That was four years ago. Before he had left, he had driven up to her university to say goodbye. He had given her his cell phone number and email, and told her that if she ever needed him that he was only a call away.
Zoey thought about his kind honey colored eyes and charming smile. In her mind he had always been too young and too gorgeous for her mother, who was seven years older than him and meaner than a snake. She never really understood what people saw in her mother, but maybe she didn’t want to understand either. After all, some things are just better left unknown. Like how hot dogs were made, or if you could really get cancer from eating too much of the artificial butter they put on movie theater popcorn. Shaking her head, Zoey told herself to focus, and began writing an email Bradley.
Hi Brad,
Long time no see!
No, she thought, too casual. Delete. Delete. Delete.
Hi Bradley,
Remember me? Your ex-wife’s daughter?
Ugh, definitely not. Delete. Delete. Delete. You know what? Just be honest.
Hi Brad,
In case you couldn’t guess from my email address, this is Zoey France, Tori France’s daughter. I know this is sudden and out of the blue, but you told me once that if I ever needed help that I could contact you. Well, I need help, and you’re the only one I have to turn to. If you have it in your heart to listen, please call me at 916-555-7097.
Regards,
Zoey
Zoey pushed the sen
d button and looked away, tears once again stinging her eyes. It hurt a lot more than she thought it would to ask for help, but she knew that she needed it. She needed someone to lean on.
CHAPTER 3
Bradley read the email over and over again, looking for any hint of what kind of trouble Zoey was in. He had felt his heart skip a beat when he saw her email. It had been quite a while since he last saw her, but he had fond memories. Zoey was a good, quiet girl who loved books. She also loved to do things her own way, which her mother hated. He rubbed his eyes and scratched his scruffy beard, recalling the many times he witnessed the poor girl being yelled out for little to no reason from her mother. How she grew up so good he wasn’t sure, but a part of him hoped that it had been because of his gentle hand.
Still, divorcing Tori had been the best thing that he had done for himself, and though he was lonely now, he was also drama free. Bradley stood up from his chair and walked over to the stainless steel fridge to grab a bottle of water. He owed it to Zoey to at least call her and see what was wrong. If it were hard drugs or bail money, he’d have to decline. He meant no offense to the kids that went through that stuff, but he refused to go anywhere near crime like that. He had a chip on his shoulder about it ever since he could remember, and had a strict policy for obeying laws. It was one of the many reasons he divorced Tori.
Picking up his cell phone, he dialed the number and hoped that it wouldn’t go to voicemail. If she didn’t pick up the first time, he wasn’t sure if he would be able to call again.
“Hello?” A soft voice answered, slithering against his ears like satin.
“Zoey?”
~
The Next Night
Zoey couldn’t believe it. He had called. He had actually called her and agreed to have lunch with her. She walked up to the five star restaurant she used to frequent so often and a chill of longing went down her spine. Zoey was a young woman used to the finer things in life, and was not enjoying her nightly deep fried meals and poorly cleaned motel room. She wanted out of there as soon as possible. Like she had guessed, every single company that she applied to had sent her a rejection letter after she couldn’t provide a reference. Whether she liked it or not, fried foods and cheap motels were all she could afford until her situation was fixed.
The Maître D greeted Zoey with a smile, and after she told him her name he walked her amicably back to the table where Bradley was already seated. Zoey felt her heart jumping in her chest as she looked over the man. He was handsome as ever, she thought, and he wore the well-trimmed beard very well. It made him seem different somehow. Less fatherly and more, well, manly. Just like he had when she was younger, he kept his body in great shape, and wore well a well-tailored blue dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up. She could see the muscles through the fabric, and a sensual stir roused in her belly. Yep. Definitely not fatherly.
“Zoey,” Bradley breathed, taking in the site of her. “Look at you. You look- I mean you look absolutely beautiful.”
“Thanks Brad,” Zoey whispered, going into his arms for a hug. “You look really good too.” Zoey could tell he was a little taken aback by her sudden physical show of affection, but she couldn’t help it. Whether they’d talked or not, she had missed him. She just hadn’t realized how much until that moment. After a moment she felt Bradley relax and could feel his arms closing around her to return the hug. He felt warm and safe, and she didn’t want to let go. It was the first time in days that she felt normal.
“Sorry,” Zoey apologized as she forced herself to pull away. “It’s just been a really rough few days, and I didn’t realize how much I needed a hug.”
Bradley pulled out her chair for her and shook his head. “No need to apologize, honey. I’m glad that you came. Can you tell me what’s going on?”
Together they sat down and in between ordering their drinks and their food, Zoey told him her entire story and how hard the last few days had been on her. Ever the gentleman, Bradley remained silent as she spoke, absorbing everything in that she had to say. When she was all talked out and after a few tears were shed, he took his turn to speak.
“First of all, I’m so sorry all of that’s happening to you, and I’m going to offer to take care of that work situation right now. I don’t know if you recall but I’m a pretty fantastic lawyer and I promise you that I’ll either get your job back or you’ll have so much money you won’t need a job,” Bradley promised, happy to come to her rescue. He was a corporate lawyer, and in his older years he was starting to hate the way he felt about his job. However, Zoey’s case had an actual cause, and he hoped that if he helped her with it he would find his passion for law.
“Thank you so much!” Zoey gasped, excitement spreading through her. “That sounds amazing. I promise I’ll pay for it as soon as I win.”
Bradley shook his head, not hearing of it. “I don’t think so. After not taking care of you like I should have all those years ago, this is the least I could do. What else do you need?”
Zoey sucked her lower lip into her mouth and bit into the fleshy part. She felt guilty asking for more, but she just couldn’t stand the idea of living in that motel one more night.
“I need a place to stay,” she said softly, her eyes darting from his down to her half eaten food, then back up to his. “I can help out around the house, anything you want. Just please, don’t make me go back to that motel.”
There was so much emotion in her voice that Bradley felt the urge to once again wrap her in his arms and comfort her. Still, he wasn’t sure if he could let that happen. It had been four years since he had seen Zoey, and she had transformed from a pretty girl to a beautiful woman. She was no longer the daughter like figure he had imagined, but instead, a tempting invitation to ease his loneliness.
“Okay,” he said finally, not able to see her beg. “Okay you can come with me. But I do expect you to help out around the house while I’m working on your case. Do you have anything in your savings account until I close your case?”
Zoey nodded her head, excited that she was actually getting out of the flea-ridden room. “Not much, but enough to cover my bills for a few months.”
Save it,” Bradley advised, pulling out his billfold to pay for the check. “I’ll cover your bills while you are living with me too. Just remember, I want your help around the house okay?”
“Yes, of course!” Zoey agreed, absolutely bubbling over with joy. She couldn’t believe it. Despite all the other people that had turned her back on her, Bradley had kept his promise and had come to her rescue.
“Now come on, my car is outside. Let’s go get your stuff and get you home.”
CHAPTER 4
Zoey sighed in relief as she sank into the deep white tub that was in her private bathroom. It felt good to actually be in water that felt clean. Just like he had promised, Bradley had driven her to the motel and they had picked up her things. Decidedly she left the sheets she had put on the bed there. They were a remnant of her life with Zack and she didn’t want it anywhere near her.
Bradley lived in a townhouse in the best part of town. It was no easy feat to afford such things, so Zoey knew just by pulling up to it that he had been doing quite well, despite her mother nearly draining his bank account in the divorce all those years ago. Inside, Bradley had helped her take her things into the guest room. It was directly across the hall from Bradley’s room on the second floor.
“I hope you don’t mind being so close to me,” he had said as he opened her door for her. “But I use the room on the third floor for an office and I use the office downstairs for an at home gym. Funny I know, but I didn’t want to fall down those steps carrying all those weights.”
She assured him that it was more than fine, and thanked him for the thousandth time that night for being her rescuer. After they had said goodnight, Zoey had flopped down on the soft queen sized bed, happy to once again be in the lap of luxury. Now that she was alone and in a safe space where there no apparent flesh eating bacteria, she made
her way to the giant bath tub.
As she soaked away her worries, she let her mind wonder to her ex stepfather. She felt odd calling him that, even thought that was exactly what he was. Still, it wasn’t like she had ever actually seen him as her father figure. He had been the nice face to see when she came home from school or back from her dad’s house. He had been the guy to step in and save her from being yelled at for something idiotic. He was the volunteer dad at her school, and the guy that picked her up when her mother often forgot her. But for some reason, he was always just Bradley.
~
The next morning Zoey woke up early and went downstairs to make Bradley breakfast. It was while she was in the tub last night that she recalled that he liked eggs benedict. Now, thanks to a couple’s cooking class she had taken with Zack, she knew how to make them quite well, and thought it would be a great way to start earning her keep.
Upstairs, Bradley woke the smell of freshly brewed coffee and Canadian bacon. The aroma was tantalizing, and immediately brought him out of bed to get ready for work. He had meant for Zoey to help around the house by doing the laundry or the dishes, but if she wanted to cook for him as well he certainly wasn’t going to stop her either.
As quickly as he could, he showered and dressed, choosing a navy blue suit with black shoes and belt with a white collared shirt. He had a case to handle that morning and then that evening he planned to begin the paperwork of suing Zoey’s company. Checking the mirror, he smoothed his hand over his facial hair one more time before he headed to the stairs. As he rounded the bend from the dining room into the kitchen, he found himself stopping dead in his tracks.
Romance: Luther's Property Page 65
