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“What does that make you?”
“Nothing. Second son, remember?”
“Stop saying that. ”
He shifted into fifth gear and covered her hand with his. “Almost forgot your penchant for the runts of the litter. ”
He heard her snort. “There’s nothing little about you. Then again I don’t have anything to compare it to, so I might be a wee bit biased. ”
“Your compliments leave much to be desired. ” He gave her a sidelong glance. She was biting her lower lip and trying not to laugh. “Anyway, I’ll have to be at the airport no later than two am. ”
“How long will you be gone?” she asked, her voice a bit thin to his ears.
All things considered, his wife was taking the news rather well. “Five days, but if I can leave earlier, I will. ”
She snatched her hand away. “The bachelor party is for almost a week?”
Okay, so she wasn’t taking it well at all. “It’s rather touchy when one deals with Royalty. They’re quite moody and love ceremony. Bloody, boring ceremony. ” He turned off the car and turned to face her, mentally willing her to understand. To have faith in him.
“And a ‘round the world menu of women on hand helps pass the time. I’m sure they’ll cater to your every need so you won’t be bloody bored. ” She got out of the car and ran inside of their house.
He found her in her hiding place or as she liked to call it—her office. She was standing in front of the new shelves that had been recently installed and staring at them.
She’d already filled the new space up with more books, more crystal fairies—he’d tucked in a pirate PEZ dispenser in the middle to balance things out—and framed pictures. That was his favorite addition. All the photos of Zoe and him. It made him feel like he belonged. This house felt more like home to him than any place he’d ever lived before, but he suspected it had more to do with its owner than the actual structure.
“It’s not like that,” he began, then stopped. It sure as hell was like that and his wife wasn’t an idiot, nor did she deserve to be treated like one. “I know how to say no. ” He knew that he could say no a thousand times to any woman, but Zoe.
“I know you do,” she said softly, turning to face him. “I’m sorry for snapping at you. ”
“I shouldn’t have sprung it on you like this, but in all honesty, I didn’t want anything interrupting our time together. Actually, I thought that by ignoring it, I could get out of it. ” He leaned against her desk and crossed his arms. “I got a text from Sasha during your dance class and it quickly dispelled any notions of that. ”
“Is he going, too?”
“It’s going to be a great big family affair. Even my father’s invited. ”
She pulled a face. “Sounds great. ”
He laughed. “You’d never make it as an actress. ”
“Couldn’t you just say you’re sick?”
“Unfortunately, no. Look, I’m going to have security flown in. Today reminded me of just how persistent the paparazzi can be. ” It was true. Being in Holland Springs had lulled him. Another surprise as he’d always been the one looking for the next party. The next adrenaline rush. The next high. He’d never been content to stay in one place. Not until Zoe.
The sound of a car pulling up in the drive way had him walking over to the window and peering out. “What the hell?” He watched his cousin jog up the front porch steps. Turning to his attention back to his wife, he said, “I think Sasha’s here to apologize. ”
“I doubt that. ”
“He can’t help the position he’s in. ”
Her hands fluttered in the air. “I know, but all I can think of is I had to go almost five years without you. ”
“You loved me all that time?”
She ducked her head. “I’m not an obsessed fangirl. Just don’t go looking on my hard drive. I might have sneaked a peek at you some time or another. ”
He crooked his finger under chin, lifting it. “I might have stared at the pictures of you from that night a time or two myself. ”
Her eyes rounded. “Really?”
Sasha knocked on the front door, but he ignored him. “I’m only going to say this once, but the girl that captivated me turned into the woman that captured my heart. However, if you don’t want it, I’ll wear it proudly on my sleeve for all to see. ”
She gave him a shy smile. “It’s not your heart you’re wearing, it’s—”
“For the love of God, you two, stop with the talking,” Sasha grumbled, appearing in Zoe’s office without being invited in the house.
“Have I ever told you, Sasha, that your timing sucks?”
“Stealing my line, are you?” Christian asked.
She lifted a shoulder. “I tweaked it a bit. ”
“Sorry, dear, but I need your man,” Sasha chimed in.
“Get one of your own. ”
Sasha scrubbed his hand across his face, drawing attention to a cut on his swollen bottom lip. Who’d ever popped his cousin in the mouth had a hell of a punch. “I like women. All shapes, sizes and races. Twenty-one and up. ”
“I know, you’re like the UN of dating. Must be nice to have a choice or the chance to be with whomever you want,” she said, her hands clenching into fists.
Christian stepped in between them. He was half-tempted to let Zoe throw a punch at Sasha. “Calm down, wildcat. I roughed him up good before I came out here. ”
She blinked up at him. “You did?”
“He damned near drowned me-to say nothing of what he did to my hair,” Sasha said with a slight grimace.
Christian eyed him in disbelief. “You’d just woken up. ”
“By almost drowning me!”
“Quit being a pus—" Christian remembered that his wife was standing there. “Pansy. ”
Sasha laughed at him. “Got you by the short-hairs, eh?”
“No, he has manners. Ever heard of them?” Zoe fisted her hands on her hips.
It was times like this that he couldn’t possibly love her more, but he did. Her defense of him was amazingly sweet. And completely undeserved.
“Why are you here, Alexander?”
“Well, Vlad,” Sasha said and Christian flipped him off, manners be damned. “I texted you the wrong time and date. We have to leave at three. This afternoon. ”
“How in the hell am I supposed to give my wife a proper good bye with only,” Christian glanced at his watch, “thirty minutes warning?”
Sasha rubbed his chin. “Well, you could start by not talking so damn much and getting right to it. ” Sasha made a motion with his hand and hips.
Christian pointed a finger at him. “Go wait in the car. ”
“Yes, your highness. Whatever you say, your highness. ” Sasha gave them a proper bow and sauntered off, whistling as if he hadn’t a care in the world.
“I think he’s lost his mind,” she said.
“I think his idea has merit,” Christian said and lifted her in his arms. He made it to their room in record time and threw her on the bed, joining her as he worked at the buttons of her shirt, but to his surprise she pushed him away.
“Wait, you’ll make me forget,” she said, scooting out from under him.
He rolled to his side and propped a hand up under his head.
She searched through her top drawer. “I was going to wait to give this to you, but now it seems like the right moment. ” She whirled around, her orange pleated skirt flaring out as she did. “Close your eyes. ”
He did but not before he saw a small box in her hands.
The bed dipped slightly under her weight and she kneed him in the stomach. “Whoops, I’m sorry!” A swift kiss to his belly had him reaching for her and she tumbled on top of him with a laugh. “Open your eyes. ”
The box had been replaced with a man’s ring. The same one he’d given her almost five years ago. She’d kept it?
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“I hope you don’t mind, but I had our initials engraved on the inside. This ring deserves a second chance. Just like us. ”
He blinked, unable to get out any words as she slipped the ring on his finger.
Her smile became uncertain and a worried frown replaced it. “If you don’t want to wear it, I’ll understand. ” She shook her head. “Okay, so I lied. I really, really want you to wear this. I want everyone to see that you belong to me and—”
Cutting her off with a kiss, he proceeded to show her exactly who he belonged to.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Melanie leaned back on the wood and glass counter, giving Zoe a mischievous smile. “How are things going?”
“Fine,” Zoe said, paying for their desserts. Wasn’t that the understatement of the year?
“You have a hot person of the male kind sleeping with you every night and it’s only fine?” Melanie took a sip of her milkshake and followed Zoe out to the sidewalk.
The spring weather made the day sunny and warm. Residents of Holland Springs shopped in the bustling downtown, waving and nodding as they passed one another.
Zoe tilted her head to the side and nibbled on her bottom lip. “Okay, it’s more than fine. I didn’t think he’d actually still be here, you know?”
“A man doesn’t show up to eat crow without a very good reason. Christian could be with anyone in the entire world, but he’s here. With you. Just in case you weren’t sure,” Melanie pointed out. “Even if he’s at a bachelor party in Paris. ”
“Don’t remind me. ”
“Have more self-confidence in yourself and give him a little credit. ”
Zoe chewed on her straw. “I gave him the ring. ”
“Does he know you’re wearing his?” Melanie asked.
Glancing at her hand, Zoe wished she’d actually had the nerve to put the antique ring on before he’d left. But coward that she was, she waited until that night and didn’t even show to him when they had talked over Skype. “No, I want to surprise him with it when he gets back. ”
“So it’s official, he can stay?”
Taking a deep breath, Zoe looked at her best friend and gave her a big smile. “Yes. ”
Melanie squeezed her tight. “You won’t be sorry, Z. Not this time. I can feel it. ”
They walked down Broad Street’s sidewalk and took a left onto Ivy Lane. Carolina Dreams’ familiar bright yellow door was propped open. One of the three Holland sisters stood outside, writing on a chalkboard display.
Auburn hair gleamed in the sun and Skye Holland turned, tossing Zoe and Melanie a cheerful smile. “I have your belly butter ready, Melanie. ” Skye motioned for them to follow her inside.
“Did you know I have to hide it from Carter?” Melanie asked as she waddled to the back of the store.
“He doesn’t like you using the sisters’ concoctions?” Zoe frowned at her retreating form.
“Oh, no, he loves it,” Melanie said, handing her credit card to Skye. “So much that he eats it out of the jar. ”
Zoe smothered a giggle.
Skye’s eyes danced with mirth. “It’s completely safe for humans and animals. ” She held the glass jar up to the light. “All natural, homegrown ingredients. And we recycle. ”
“Have you taken him, Zoe?” Rose Holland asked, appearing beside her sister and making Zoe start. With long, curly black hair and fair skin, Rose had always reminded Zoe of Snow White. But if one listened to the town gossip, the Holland sisters were more like the witch. Only without the poisoned apples.
Melanie snorted. “I know she’s taken him. ”
“Get your mind out of the gutter. ” Zoe lightly tapped her sister-in-law on the arm. “She’s talking about the springs. ”
Melanie’s brown eyes widened. “Oooh, I can’t wait to see how that turns out. Carter and I had amazing sex there. Mind-blowing, make you want to slap his momma sex. ”
Zoe made puking motions with her hands and mouth. She so did not want to hear about her sister-in-law and her brother.
“If you want to know, Zoe, that’s where you’ll find your answers. ” Rose tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
“It’s just a legend,” Zoe said. “Besides, I already know he loves me. ”
“Did you and Gabriel ever find it?” Skye asked, handing Melanie a receipt.
“No. ” She had thought Gabriel would have loved to go hiking through the woods, looking for an elusive pool of water that the town was named after. Instead, he’d complained the entire time and after an hour of searching, Zoe had given up. They’d been right out of college, before they’d broken up for the second time and she had moved to California.
Rose’s ocean-blue eyes held a look of pity. “That’s not why you didn’t find it. ”
“Tell me what I did wrong,” Zoe snapped, then she sighed and laid a hand on Rose’s arm. “Sorry, I’m just…”
“Afraid,” Skye chimed in and looked at her older sister.
“Maybe a little,” Zoe admitted.
Rose’s hand covered Zoe’s. “The path to true love is never easy. Nothing worth having ever is. And remember, Summer and I never told you to go looking for it with Gabriel. ”
Melanie nodded in agreement. “You know what they say: no guts, no glory. ”
“Fine. ” Zoe threw her free hand up in the air, smacking a wind chime and making it play discordant notes. “Oh, crap. I’m sorry. ”