“Sorry. What did you say?”
“Typical male.”
“Hey now,” I defended meekly. There really wasn’t a defence I could mount. I hadn’t listened. “I’m sorry, Princess. Please, repeat your question,” I requested dramatically, dropping my gaze to the flour-covered bench between us.
“I asked how your night was.”
For the next ten minutes I gave her a rundown of what the night was like, leaving out details she didn’t want or need to know. She didn’t need to know I’d rather watch paint dry than have to endure night after night of the same sleazy guys using tired, worn out pick-up lines on women who were either way too young or way too good for them. She didn’t need to know that last night I’d picked up a curvy brunette from the floor after one too many shots of tequila and half carried her out to a cab before sending her home, paying for it myself, in hopes nothing bad would happen to her while she was too drunk to notice. There was just some stuff that Zoe was better off being kept in the dark about. Things I’d never tell her. And it didn’t occur to me until I was stuffing a forkful of fluffy pancakes into my mouth that Mia had fallen into the need to know category. A thought that once I recognized it, surprised me.
After we finished eating and Zoe was wiping down the bench, she looked up at me with wide eyes, and I knew a request was coming. It was written all over her pretty little face. She wanted something. Either that, or she was up to no good. Since it was Zoe, it had to be the first.
“So, I was thinking…”
“Here we go. Yes, Zoe, what were you thinking?”
I watched as she swallowed deeply and ran her fingers through her messy hair. She was nervous. “Would you be able to drive me to the gym? There’s a couple of classes I want to do this afternoon.”
“On one condition.” I didn’t want to be a bastard. She was coming out of her shell and I, for one, was over the fucking moon. But I needed to keep pushing her. I needed her to keep trying. “You’re driving.”
Her eyes went wide and the colour drained from her face. “Okay.”
Hearing her agreement shocked me, but filled me with pride. She was trying. It didn’t matter if she could do it or not, she was trying. That was enough. “And we’re taking Spencer’s truck.”
Zoe shuddered.
I felt like an ass.
I heard her suck in a breath before it hissed back out between her clenched teeth. Her knuckles were white as she gripped the bench.
She didn’t say a word.
My stomach did a somersault, instantly regretting the pancakes.
With slow, deliberate steps I moved towards her, my eyes never breaking the connection. She looked like a freaking deer caught in the headlights. I hated it. I hated that I was the asshole responsible for putting that fear there. I should have just said yes. I should have been happy she wanted to leave the house. I shouldn’t have pushed. Now it was too late. Too fucking late.
“I’m sorry. I’ll take you. And I’ll drive my car.”
“No!” she snapped defiantly as she pushed off the counter and swept past me. “I’m driving. Can we leave in fifteen minutes? I don’t want to be late.”
“Sure.” I didn’t know what else to say. It wasn’t like I could say no.
I watched as Zoe disappeared down the hall and waited until I heard the click of a door closing before I slumped forward and clasped my stomach. It quite literally made my stomach hurt to see Zoe in that much pain. I promised myself there and then I’d never do it again. At least I’d try not to.
A few minutes later Zoe was standing before me, changed into her gym clothes with a bag slung across her shoulders. She was trying to look tough but I could see right through her act. That didn’t mean I was going to call her out on it though. If that’s how Zoe needed to do this, then that’s what we’d do.
She drove like an old lady. Slow. Calculated. Risk free. But I kept my mouth shut. She was doing great. The ten-minute trip took twenty, but I didn’t give a shit. How could I? The moment she’d pulled into a vacant parking spot out the front of the gym and killed the engine, a wide, honest smile broke out.
“I did it,” she sighed as her whole body sagged under the weight of relief.
“Fuck yeah, you did!” I swore proudly.
Without a word, Zoe launched herself into my lap and wrapped her arms around my neck tightly. Maybe a little too tightly. Struggling for my next breath, I untangled her arms and looked her straight in the eyes. They were full of relief. She’d done it. Another barrier had toppled over. It may have hurt her to do it, but she’d done it. This little firecracker was a tough nut. And one day, one day some lucky bastard was going to see that and deserve her. Until then, I’d look out for her like she was my own. I owed Spencer that much.
“Thank you,” she whispered against my neck, her warm breath tickling my hair.
“Anytime, Princess. Anytime.” I kissed her cheek and hugged her again. We hadn’t been this close?ever. As embarrassing as it is to admit, I’d watched her be like this with Spencer since school and a part of me had always been envious. Not of Zoe specifically, but more what they had. It was this bond that I didn’t understand back then, and probably still didn’t now. Even though I’d seen it over the years hold them tighter together than superglue, I’d also seen the pain and devastation it caused when the rope frayed. It’d frayed so many times we’d all assumed it was nothing more than a pile of tattered threads now, but Zoe and Spencer were something else. They had something strong. Stronger than any of us ever understood. And for a moment, while she was wrapped in my arms, I felt like I was the one she had that with now.
“What time do you want me to pick you up?”
“Can I text you?” she asked nervously as she climbed off me and back into her seat.
“Of course.”
I watched as she bounded out of the car and bounced right up to the door. Yanking the door open, I caught a glimpse of a pixie blonde wearing a confused, wounded expression.
