Chapter Twenty-One
On the morning of the party, Zoey woke up early and managed five laps in the pool.
It was official. She would be doing this every morning, not just on her day off.
Why not make every day a “me” day? Swimming was a great way to recharge and she vowed to make the time to squeeze it in in the mornings.
Last night, after dinner, Archer had retired to his bedroom and she’d downloaded several meditation apps.
She looked forward to meditation and possibly yoga, if she could locate her pants.
She’d had a good cry over the loss of this year’s party, but hanging out with Archer was a good consolation prize.
Archer gave her space when she needed it.
The kiss in the storeroom had been amazing, but he was right, and nothing could come of this flirtation between them.
They had chemistry for days, enough to start an electrical fire, but it didn’t matter.
She had to put it out of her head and focus on self-improvement.
Maybe love was everything, but she’d focused too much on romantic love.
Showing Archer how a man and woman could simply be friends could only help both of them in the long run.
When she climbed out of the pool and toweled off, she witnessed an incredible sight and thought this day might be salvaged.
The sky had darkened to a beautiful indigo, clouds laced with gray.
Her heart soared: It might actually rain today.
Last night, Archer had checked the forecast on his phone when they were sitting in front of the TV watching Frasier reruns, and he had seemed irritated about the possibility.
“But if it rains, we can do another fire,” she’d said, and he’d scowled.
Now she strolled inside and saw Archer was already up and settling a few packages inside.
He’d been receiving packages for two days now and remained cryptic about them.
Zoey had most of her packages, personal or otherwise, delivered to the boutique, but today of all days she’d hoped to get something to cheer her up.
Maybe something she’d ordered a while back and forgotten about.
“For me?”
“Just a few things I had delivered,” Archer said, and then carried them into this bedroom like they were a state secret.
Fine. If it was a secret, she didn’t need to know.
Maybe it was some kind of bodyguard paraphernalia, though she couldn’t imagine what.
A new suit, so he’d look even more like James Bond?
She could do without anything that made him more attractive.
It hadn’t helped at all when he’d kissed her in the storeroom with such passion she’d lost her footing.
They would be so good together, if they ever had a chance.
But she didn’t see how it could happen with him taking off so soon.
When it came to romance lately, she was in one of those “shutouts” Daddy used to talk about, where one team got all the points and the other, zip.
She was in the zero column. It was time to give up.
After showering and styling her hair, Zoey sat cross-legged in front of her flat screen and pulled up an app.
She’d closed her eyes and had started the guided meditation when the ring camera went off again.
Another delivery for Archer? What in the world?
She went and retrieved the package, then knocked on his door. “Hang on. Be right with you,” he said.
When he cracked open the door, she tried to look over his shoulder. “Another package for you.”
She hadn’t opened it, but the box was from a major retailer, so it could literally be anything.
“Thanks,” he said, took it and shut the door.
How mysterious. If he wanted her to lose interest in him, this was not the way to do it; the deliveries only had her more intrigued. Meanwhile, outside the sky continued to darken, the wind kicked up, tossing leaves around, and Zoey’s hopes soared. She went back to her meditation practice.
“In through the nose, and out through the mouth. Picture your happy place…”
Zoey focused on New England in autumn, falling leaves and cozy fires—but the image of the dark storeroom kept interfering. Archer pulling her close against him, his hands low on her behind, his lips pressed against hers, kissing her deeply.
Zoey had no idea how much time had passed; it could have been thirty minutes or thirty hours when she heard Archer’s voice.
“Zoey,” he said, sticking his head in the door. “Sorry to interrupt.”
“No worries,” she said, turning around to face him. “That was relaxing. How long was I meditating for?”
He glanced at his watch. “About two minutes, give or take?”
“Excuse me?” Zoey stood. “That has to be wrong. I feel like I’ve been sitting here forever!”
“Sorry,” he said, and once again seemed to be fighting the urge to smile. Or laugh. “But maybe that’s the point with meditation. You lose track of time.”
Ugh, whatever. “I was hoping it would be longer than two minutes. Did you need something?”
He walked to the window facing the patio. Sunlight poured in and once more South Texas weather had failed her. It was barely cracking the low seventies today.
He pointed. “Look. It’s not going to rain after all.”
“I can see that,” she huffed.
“That’s actually for the best,” he said. “Did you really want it to ruin your party day?”
“Don’t you mean former party day?”
“No, I mean party day. There’s a whole 2.0 happening.”
“Since when?”
“Don’t worry about it,” Archer said. “Just be ready tonight, about six o’clock?”
“Are you kidding? We’re seriously having a party? Um, thank you, but I’m not ready! I need to find an outfit.”
“About that…dress is casual.”
“How casual?”
“Jeans,” he said.
“Do you have jeans? Because I’ve never seen you wear them. You’re always in a suit and tie.”
“I’ve got something, don’t worry.”
Excitement poured through Zoey. Maybe Twyla had figured out a way to surprise her. She clasped her hands together.
“Who’s coming?”
Archer held up two fingers.
“Two people? Is it Twyla and Noah?”
Then he pointed from himself to her and once more held up two fingers.
“Just you and me?” Zoey swallowed hard and he nodded. A party of two.
He was torturing her with what she couldn’t have.
* * *
Finally, Archer had everything ready.
He’d been working on this plan since the decision was made to cancel the party. A bright idea came to him while lying in bed, staring at the cracks in the ceiling and trying to sleep.
What if he threw the party for her?
He wasn’t much of a party planner. He could have asked Twyla for help, but he wanted this to be his baby, his plan. It had taken a little time and imagination, but he was pretty proud of himself, considering he’d never done anything like this before. He’d pulled out all the stops.
“Why don’t you go and change, and I’ll meet you outside at six?”
“Outside?” She blinked, eyes wide.
“Yes. Stop asking questions. This is a surprise, okay?”
“O-kay, Mr. Bossy.” She brushed past him on the way to her bedroom.
“And don’t forget, casual is the word of the day.”
“Right.”
He hadn’t seen Zoey in anything but a dress—or a swimsuit—during the day.
She was always polished and put together.
And her hair might be called a work of art, as he knew she spent hours in her bedroom getting it just right.
All these things he knew simply from the gift of living with her for the past two weeks.
There was so much more to know, and he wanted to, even if he didn’t see the point.
As he’d told Zoey, he might well leave the state when this job was over.
Ian was the only member of the team centrally located in Houston because he’d started the satellite office, and though Ronan Sheridan was based in Charming, he still traveled a great deal.
He’d made Charming home because of his family, and now his wife.
Archer would love a reason to make Charming his home base, but at the moment he didn’t really have one.
He was ready to travel again, ready again to see other parts of the world in a different way than a soldier, this time, under less duress.
Yeah, it would be nice to have a family someday, but he couldn’t think that way.
It wasn’t time. First, he had to work on a career postmilitary that would support him and a partner.
He didn’t have forever to offer Zoey, but he certainly had right now. This day. This moment.
Setting up the two-person pup tent in a corner of Zoey’s massive backyard didn’t take long.
It had been the first box to arrive followed by several boxes of camping supplies.
One night, he’d searched the garage, finding it so clean and pristine it could be an extra bedroom.
Clearly, a man did not live in this house.
Even the gardener didn’t keep his supplies in here.
Archer had to order everything. He now had a lantern, flashlights, a portable firepit, sleeping bags, even a small gas stove and “cowboy” coffeemaker.
Thanks to him, Zoey would spend a night under the stars.
He had everything set up by six o’clock, and when Zoey strode through the patio doors and past the swimming pool—wearing a plaid shirt and jeans, but still looking every bit a supermodel—he called out to her from the side.
“Over here,” he said, emerging from the tent. “What do you think? We’re going camping!”
His chest pinched when Zoey’s jaw went slack. She walked toward him slowly, each step measured as if stepping into a different timeline. When she smiled wide and held up her hands to cover her mouth, Christmas came early for him.
She lowered her hands. “Oh, my gosh! What a surprise! Are we seriously doing this?”
“You’re sleeping under the stars tonight! Now you see why I didn’t want it to rain and ruin my plans. You’re getting a fire, campground style.” He pointed to the firepit he’d loaded with wood he’d also had delivered. “Do you realize you can practically order anything online now?”
“I’m a business owner, what do you think?
” she replied, but she was grinning, as she simultaneously took in the entire setup.
“My little baby boutique has to compete with the giants, which is how I got the idea to sell one-of-a-kind items. Even so, I can’t offer free shipping or I’d always be in the hole. ”
“Yeah. And there’s all the damn packaging.” Archer shrugged. “Well, I’ll plant a tree.”
“This explains all the packages the past few days.” Zoey bent down, peeking into the tent, then straightened and caught his eye. “There are two sleeping bags.”
“Did you think I’d let you do this alone?”
“We’re going to sleep together, in the same tent?” She quirked a brow. “Buddy?”
“There are two sleeping bags,” he protested. “Buddy.”
“Gotcha.” She elbowed him. “Well, you had better not snore.”
“If I do, I’ll just move outside and literally sleep under the stars.” He moved toward the gas camping stove. “And I’m cooking tonight.”
“On this?” Zoey looked incredulous. “But I have a state-of-the-art kitchen only a few feet away from us.”
“Cheating,” Archer said. “This experience has to be honest or you won’t get the full Monty.”
“The full Monty?” Zoey quirked a brow, and Archer remembered the premise of that movie.
“I mean the full experience.” He bit back a smile.
She winked. “Um, yeah. The full experience. That would be nice.”
Ignoring her flirting, Archer opened up the ice chest in which he’d placed a couple of steaks he’d already presalted. He handed Zoey a cold beer from the chest.
She accepted it and twisted off the cap, then seemed to be thinking something over, her gaze looking up and to the right.
“I’m going to need a few things if I’m spending the night here.” She took a pull of the beer. “With you.”
Yes, they would be spending the night together, but only in a similar way as they’d already been doing this week. With the exception of sharing a very small space.
“Go pack a bag.”