Zoe choked down a blueberry and had to hold herself, laughing so hard it hurt while Cleo continued to poke fun.
“Are you finished?” Zoe wheezed.
“My work here is done.” Cleo wiped her hands and took another Twinkie from the pack. “I’m kidding, of course. I like Gavin a lot. I’m so glad you guys are together. He’s good for you.”
Zoe had gone back and forth about it, but Cleo’s advice would help. She bit the bullet. “Can I ask you something?”
“Shoot.”
“When did you know you loved Scott?”
Cleo gaped. “The l-word?No way.”
“Answer the question.”
“God, this is so great! Okay, okay. Um, Scott. I think it was after we’d been going out for a few months. But remember, we didn’t see each other as much as you and Gavin do. Those first few months after I met him, he would come to visit his sister while looking for a place to rent. He still had weeks before his reassignment to Fort Lewis. I want to say it was our fifth or sixth date. I knew he was cute and I liked him, but until he told me he loved me, it hadn’t clicked.” She sighed. “Then it was magical. And that was two years ago tomorrow.”
“So romantic.” Zoe had met Scott a few times. He’d seemed nice enough, a good-looking, hardworking soldier. But something about him… She couldn’t put her finger on it. Maybe because Cleo was so outspoken and vibrant, and Scott had been so quiet. A little boring, to tell the truth.
“Yeah. So you and Gavin. You’re feeling it for him? That’s a big step.”
“I know.” Zoe kicked back and put her feet up on the chair next to her. “At first it was his charm. He nagged me into going out with him.”
“For which I still think you’re nuts. One word out of his mouth, and I’d have been all, ‘Hell yeah!’”
“Then it was the amazing sex. Because, damn, it’s amazing.”
They high-fived.
“But being with him is so much fun, Cleo. I like him as a person. He’s down-to-earth, exciting, kind. He makes my heart race whenever I’m near him. And when I’m not, I want to be with him. I’ve never felt like that before. Typically I just want my space. But he sleeps over, and I’m totally fine with that.”
“Wow. So you love him.”
“I really do.”Oh my God. I do.
“Now hold on. I can see the panic setting in. Zoe, think. You love this man. Does he love you?”
“I don’t know. Maybe.”
“Does it matter if you do and he doesn’t?”
“Hell yes, it matters.”
“Okay, yeah, that was dumb. I guess what you really need to ask yourself is, what are you going to do about it?”
The million-dollar question.
“I don’t know.” Zoe sighed. “I want to tell him.”
“So do it.”
“He’s always giving me these intimate smiles, these looks. He strokes my hair and kisses my head when he thinks I’m sleeping. He makes me coffee first thing in the morning. He’s not threatened by my job or success. And he’s not trying to outdo me with a career.”
“He can’t be making a ton of money at the gym,” Cleo pointed out.
“I know. I asked him about that. He’s comfortable, and he gets a small amount as retirement.”
“He’s retired? I thought he was thirty-one.”
