Chapter 6
Haji
The Next Day
I couldn’t get Zoe out of my mind. Seeing her snapped something I’d kept delicately wrapped over the years wide open.
Yes, she looked like her sister, but she also looked like herself.
She had Zina’s color and head shape, but their eyes and lips were so vastly different.
The first time I saw Zoe, my grief made me only see Zina.
Yesterday, I saw a woman uniquely herself.
A woman I was insanely attracted to, and I hadn’t been attracted to a woman in seven years.
My body reacted to her, and more than anything, that’s what pissed me off.
It didn’t help that she’d left me.
It didn’t help that I hadn’t seen her in a decade.
It didn’t help that she came in here talking about selling the place I’d been working like crazy to keep.
My pride had me lashing out more than I would have in my right mind. Too many feelings were consuming me. I should have asked her to leave to give me time to process her presence before we talked about anything, but there was a part of me that didn’t want her to go.
Rubbing my eyes, I leaned back in my seat. Between my ongoing search for insurance and thinking about her, I was starting to get a headache. As I put my glasses back on, there was a light knock on my office door.
“Yes,” I said, sitting up in my seat.
My team lead, Pam, poked her head inside. “Hey, Haji. A woman named Zoe is here to see you. Is it okay if she comes in?”
“Yeah, that’s cool,” I said, rubbing my chest as my heart skipped a beat.
Pam opened the door wider before Zoe stepped in.
She looked even more beautiful than she did yesterday.
Her slim-thick frame was covered in a white sundress that showed off every curve she had.
She had a milk chocolate hued baby face.
If I remembered correctly, she was around five years younger than me and Zina, which was why they were so close.
At thirty-three, she could have passed for early twenties.
Slanted eyes were wrapped in long, curly lashes.
Her lips were juicy and shaped like a heart.
The shoulder-length bob framed her pretty ass face perfectly.
The woman was beautiful, I’d give her that.
But beyond her beauty, there was an innocence that called for me to protect and cherish her now just as much as it did ten years ago.
Then, she looked like my baby, even with me being a married man.
Now, she looked like my baby too.
I felt so guilty when my mind was consumed with care and thoughts of her back in the day.
I convinced myself that it was our shared trauma.
Now, I couldn’t say what it was as I stared at her.
She still looked delicate. Still looked precious.
Still looked like mine. Still looked like something, someone, that I didn’t want to let go.
“Peace offering,” she said softly, drawing my attention to her hand that held a bouquet of red roses. “I don’t know you well enough to know what you like, but roses always make me happy.”
Putting that detail in my memory, I walked around the desk and slowly headed in her direction.
“Thank you,” I grumbled, accepting the flowers. “I think this is the first time in my life anyone has ever gotten me flowers.”
That truth made her smile as her eyes lit up. “Ooh, not me being the first. Love that for me.”
As much as I didn’t want to, I chuckled. The smile lingered as our eyes connected.
“Does looking at me make you uncomfortable?” she asked softly.
“Not at all. You look a hell of a lot like your sister, but that’s not why I can’t stop looking at you.”
“Oh.” She looked away briefly, but when her eyes returned to mine, she asked, “Then why can’t you?”
“Are you sure you want me to answer that?” Zoe nodded. “I missed you, and a part of me can’t believe you’re here. I know we didn’t spend a lot of time together, but the time we did spend together meant a lot to me. Plus, you’re beautiful. As much as I would prefer not to be attracted to you, I am.”
Her head hung briefly as she licked her lips.
“I missed you too. I know you probably won’t believe this, but I didn’t want to leave you.
I just . . . felt guilty about clinging to you and needed to get away.
My feelings were consuming me, and I honestly felt like I was suffocating.
” When her eyes returned to mine, she confessed, “And I’m very much attracted to you too. ”
This conversation felt like it was going in a direction I didn’t need it to, so I put some space between us and motioned for her to have a seat.
“I’m sure that’s not why you stopped by.”
“I wanted to apologize. And thank you. You didn’t have to step up and run this place for my sister and, in essence, for me, but you did.
So thank you for that. And I’m sorry for coming in hot and offending you yesterday.
That wasn’t my intention. I can’t imagine how much of yourself you’ve poured into this place, and I just came in like a bulldozer talking about shutting it down.
“Initially, I felt like the easiest thing to do would be to sell, but after thinking it over, my sister deserves more than that. This was her purpose, her legacy, and I want it to not only remain open but be successful as well. I have six weeks off from work back in Rose Valley Hills, and if you’re interested, I’d love to spend that time turning this place into the space it once was. ”
This was a woman whose character reminded me of her sister. Without the need to be defensive, I was able to apologize as well.
“I came on strongly, and for that, I want to apologize, Zoe. Seeing you was a lot to process. Add to that the talk of selling this place and I snapped. Usually I have a better handle on my emotions, but my ego got in the way. There are days I feel like I failed your sister because business is so slow, and I know logically that it’s not my fault, but still.
She loved this place so much, and I don’t want to feel like I failed her, so hearing that you’re open to keeping it open means a lot to me. ”
Her body and eyes softened as she smiled.
“I know me saying this probably won’t matter, but you shouldn’t feel like a failure at all.
I did a little research last night, and sales didn’t start going down tremendously until last year.
You can’t take fault for that. You’ve done exceptionally well holding the coffee shop down.
I know I haven’t been around, but I hope you let me help. ”
“I’d be honored to have your help. Your sister wanted you here. When you’re ready, it’s yours.”
“Oh no.” Her head shook as she smiled. “My life is back in The Hills, but I am committed to staying here and getting things back on track. I can understand if you want to be able to do something different, so if we need to find someone else to manage the place—”
“It’s you or me, Zoe. No one else.”
Though I expected her to give me push back, she didn’t. She only nodded.
“Okay, well, I’ll get out of your way. Maybe I can come by tomorrow and we can start planning?”
“Sounds good,” I said as we stood. When she turned to leave, I added, “By the way, . . . welcome back to Jasper Lane.”