13. Zoe
THIRTEEN
zoe
The second I walked into Boots and Brews, I looked for Charlee’s boyfriend. Since his tattoo place was just next door, he was meeting us here. His shop had been dark, so I assumed Lucas had already come over to wait for Charlee and me. Sure enough, he was sitting at the bar, whiskey in hand.
Making a beeline to him, I barely even said hello but said instead, “Did you hear?”
Lucas smiled in a way that told me he knew exactly what I was talking about. “I did.” He looked around me. “Where’s my girl?”
“Parking,” I said. “Apparently, the musician tonight is pretty popular. There wasn’t a spot to be found.”
He patted the bar stool next to him, one of two empties I assumed he saved for us. “Lemme get you a drink. Two Deep Eddy sweet teas and water?”
“Perfect,” I said, not having jumped out of Charlee’s car and run into this bar for nothing. “So. Talk to me. Tell me how it works. I still can’t believe he has a date, but I have no idea when it is. All he said was that he should be home within a month.”
Lucas laughed. “Can’t give you a date because I don’t know either. We’re not supposed to know.”
“Ugh, okay. So, he mentioned seeing his family briefly before having to head to Fort Campbell and that the Transition Assistance Program will be a week or two after that. Then he’ll come to Kitchi Falls to burn his terminal leave.”
“All accurate. After TAP he’ll be free to come here.”
“And he mentioned staying with you.”
“Also true.”
“What else?” I asked, sure Lucas knew more than me about Nate’s homecoming. I hated to grill him, but there were so many uncertainties, especially since Nate and I never had “the talk.”
Nate might get me off in a hot second with his calls—and sometimes even just his text messages alone when they were extra spicy. Once, for instance, he told me I didn’t realize the level of possession I was in for when we met in person. That every inhibition we both had would be gone. That every ounce of his strength and energy would be let loose to fully own every inch of my body. My mouth. My tits. My pussy. And his favorite, my ass.
That had done it. Because I wanted him to possess all of me.
Despite that, and despite the fact that he told me all about his family and sibling dynamics, about his relationship with his parents, and even a little bit about his time in the military. . . despite the fact that we talked multiple times a day, we still hadn’t had the “boyfriend/girlfriend” chat yet. I’d thought about bringing it up a few times, but it seemed premature. Especially since I’d been adamant about no more boyfriends after Erik.
Erik. Hadn’t thought about that dipshit in a while.
“What else? Let’s see. . .” Lucas pretended to think about it as he flagged down the bartender. He ordered our drinks and said, “Oh yeah, he may have mentioned something about being excited to meet you. Maybe. I can’t remember exactly.”
I swatted him on the arm, which was sort of like hitting a brick wall. “Jesus, is Nate that stacked?”
Lucas chuckled and handed me a drink.
“Thanks,” I said.
“No problem. And yes, he is. You’re telling me he hasn’t sent you any pics?”
“Well, maybe one or two.” Not nearly as many as I’d sent him, but I kept that part to myself.
“It’s tough. There’s a lot of things he can’t show. But I’m sure you know that.”
Lucas suddenly lit up like a friggin’ Christmas tree. Not surprisingly, the reason for it wrapped her arms around his shoulders from behind. Charlee kissed his cheek and tried to walk away, but he grabbed her and pulled her in for a proper kiss.
I was used to the PDA. It wasn’t excessive, but there was no doubt for anyone who spent more than five seconds with Lucas and Charlee that they were madly in love.
Handing her a drink, Lucas gave his attention back to me.
“I do get it,” I said. “Pretty soon we won’t need pics though.”
“So tell us everything,” Charlee said, standing between us. “What did Nate say about Zoe and coming here?”
Lucas looked back and forth between us. “Now I’m being tag teamed.”
“Damn straight,” Charlee said. “Give it up, Warner.”
Lucas rolled his eyes. “I was just telling Zoe that I don’t know much more than she does.”
A new song started that got the bar singing along, which made it somewhat more difficult to talk. “So, no other inside scoop?” I asked for good measure, although I didn’t expect much. Lucas was about as tight-lipped as Nate.
He looked at me, but not in the usual way. It was almost as if he were studying me. “Nate is. . .” He stopped. Clearly Lucas was struggling to decide if he should continue. I waited. “He’s very guarded usually,” he said.
“You’ve mentioned that.”
“To the point that a lot of guys say they have trouble getting to know him.”
“He told me that too. Are you. . . trying to warn me?”
“No,” he said, thankfully. “Just preparing you. I wonder how different texting and seeing him in person will be.”
“Quite a bit different, I imagine,” I said as the musician pulled out a fiddle. No wonder it was packed tonight. This guy sounded great.
“What are you saying, Lucas?” Charlee asked. To me she added, “Don’t look so worried. Lucas told me you guys would be great together.”
“You think so?” I asked, realizing I sounded a bit desperate.
“I do,” Lucas said. “And I shouldn’t have said anything. Just, knowing Nate, I think it’ll be an adjustment meeting in person. That’s all.”
“Makes sense,” I said, as the bar came alive behind me. “Not that there really is an ‘us,’” I admitted. “We still haven’t had ‘the talk.’”
I held my breath waiting for his response. Lucas cocked his head to the side. “Well, from what I can tell, that’s probably not long in coming.”
“You think?” was all I asked.
“I do.”
That was enough for me. Clearly, Nate had at least alluded to something more serious between us. In a way, I was sort of glad we hadn’t had that conversation over text. Meeting him and talking about next steps could happen in person now. Unbelievably, sooner rather than later.
“Speak of the devil,” I said as the back pocket of my jeans buzzed.
“Someone must have just woken up,” Charlee said, now in tune with Nate’s schedule too.
“Yep,” I said. “Come on in.” I gathered Lucas and Charlee, took a selfie and sent it off with a, “G’morning.”
Morning, Zoe girl.
Recognize this guy?
I do. Tell Lucas I said hello.
Will do. Busy day ahead?
Remains to be seen. What’s shakin’ in Kitchi Falls?
We’re at Boots and Brew. Can’t wait to take you here.
Can’t wait to pull you into a dark corner and slip my hand up the front of your sundress while no one notices. Or maybe they’ll think we’re just dancing really intimately…
So bold, so early in the morning.
LOL. That’s nothing. You want bold?
I do but am unfortunately sitting on a bar stool at the moment. Also, you do realize it’s fall over here now. We’re all in jeans and sweaters, and no sundresses to be found.
Ahh, yes, you’re right. Maybe I’ll slip a hand down the back of your jeans then—
Nate. . .
Zoe. . .
Can we put this on pause until I have a few more drinks and am home alone in my bed, craving you and the sound of your voice?
How about I finish my thought as a voice text and you listen when you’re home? Looking like things are about to get spicy here.
That basically meant he wasn’t going to be around later.
Deal
Go have fun with your friends. And make sure to let me know how hard you came for me later.
I couldn’t resist.
How do you know for certain you’ll make me come?
LOL. You’re adorable.
Ha ha, no. You are.
Gotta jump.
Later, gator.
I typed an alligator and a kissing emoji with my text.
But no response. Just like that, he was gone.
As always, I stared at the phone for a second.
“You look shell-shocked,” Charlee said.
“Eh.” I put my phone down. “You’d think I’d be used to ‘here one second, gone the next.’ It’s just so abrupt.” I glanced at Lucas, who shrugged.
“Nature of the beast.”
“Of course,” I said. “It will be so strange to actually have a prolonged, uninterrupted conversation with him. Once we talked for nearly an hour on the phone, and that was amazing.”
“Alright, enough Nate talk. He’ll be here, live and in person, before you know it. In the meantime, how about we hit the dance floor?” Charlee was already leaving Lucas’s side, but I noticed he grabbed and squeezed her hand first. Smiling at him, she gave her attention to me. “Whaddya say?”
“You know I’m always up for dancing.” I put my drink on the bar just as a lively country western tune began. Lucas, it seemed, would be the drink babysitter.
As Charlee and I made our way through the crowd, I couldn’t help but look at her and Lucas, so in love and such a perfect couple, wondering if maybe. . .
“What’s wrong?” Charlee asked as we found a spot.
“It’s just. . . I really thought Erik was the one. But Nate has me more captivated than any guy before him, including my dipshit ex. So, was I really in love or was I settling? And is Nate ready for more? Do I even want more?”
“Deep breaths,” Charlee said. “One step at a time. Meet him in person. Take it from there. Try not to look so far ahead.”
She was right, of course. There really was no past or future, just the present. A lesson my thick head had a difficult time comprehending. But I would try.
And that started with dancing, enjoying the music, and forgetting, at least for the moment, that in a few weeks my life might be seriously altered. . . forever.