Call it fate, p.23
Call it Fate, page 23
I glanced at her. “That’s the million-dollar question everyone wants to know. I think he wants us to consider moving here. He’s hoping to get a surgical internship with the vet he works for, but it’s very competitive. He’s worked so hard for it, and it’s not something that he can find near us.”
“Would that be so bad?”
“I’m not sure. It would be a change, that’s for sure. Everyone thinks I should hire some more help at The Dogtrot. I think we can afford it now, but I worry about using up the cushion I’ve built. What happens when the next big thing falls apart?”
She pursed her lips and shrugged. “From what I’ve heard from Cam and Chase, you’ve done so much updating, I can’t imagine there is anything old enough to fall apart. And even if something happens, you’ll deal with it. Just like you’ve always done.”
The way she said it made it sound so simple and easy. But maybe she was right.
She leaned into me. “You deserve to live your life, too, you know. You don’t have to be tied down there. There are a lot of other places to see.”
That stung. “I am living my life,” I snapped. “I’m not you, who can just decide to leave everything they know and go off in search of adventure.”
Bristol stiffened next to me.
Crap. What was wrong with me? “Oh, honey, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I didn’t mean it.”
“Yeah, you did. But I know you didn’t mean it in a mean way. I know you’ve got more to work around than I did. But I also wasn’t afraid to leave everything and live my dream. You deserve the same.”
Why did everyone assume I was unhappy? “I love Sterling Mill, and I love The Dogtrot. I’m proud of everything I’ve accomplished there.”
“And you should be. But are you living your dream? You forget, I lived with you for three years. I remember how excited you got anytime we passed that gourmet kitchen store and how you loved trying out new dishes for me and Dad. You used to talk about the kind of restaurant you wanted to work in until you could start your own.”
She echoed Zach almost word for word. It had been a long time since I’d let myself think about those old dreams. I’d packed them up when I’d moved back to Sterling Mill. I’d found a new dream and sunk all my energy into it.
“I’m happy with running The Dogtrot.”
Bristol smiled. “But are you fulfilled by it?”
Her words struck me. I didn’t have an answer, but I don’t think she expected one. If I did nothing else but run The Dogtrot for the rest of my life, I knew I wouldn’t be unhappy. But if I gave in to it, there was still a piece of me that always felt empty. A lot of it had been filled by Zach’s return to my life.
But there was still a piece, a small one, that sometimes would flare up occasionally, like a blister from a pair of shoes you only wore once in a while. It hurt for the moment, but then you’d put it away and go back to what was comfortable. I’d put aside my ambitions of running a restaurant because it had been more important to help Mama turn our family bed-and-breakfast into a success. That was fulfilling.
Wasn’t it? I know everyone meant well, but so many people asking me about my dreams made me question myself. Was I giving in to their impressions, or was I finally dealing with my own?
Regardless, now that words had been ascribed to my subconscious feelings, I wasn’t sure I could stuff them back into their box. Even more so, I wasn’t sure I wanted to. Zach had asked if I wanted to return to cooking school to finish my degree. Maybe it was something I should consider. But could I pull Iain from everything he knew? At least he’d still have family here.
A flurry of activity pulled me from my musings.
Iain was being outfitted with a helmet. I snapped pictures as a crew member helped him through the window of the passenger door. For a moment, I panicked, knowing there wasn’t a seat on that side, but I knew Uncle Brock wouldn’t let anything happen to him. Brock revved the engine a couple of times, the noise extra loud on an otherwise quiet day at the racetrack, before they circled the raceway and pulled a burnout as they finished the lap.
Bristol and I cheered as the Mustang came to a stop, and Iain was helped out of the car by his dad. An assistant walked over to him and guided him to the center of the track. Uncle Brock spoke to Zach for a few minutes, then watched as Zach hoisted his feet into the driver’s side, perched on the window, and looked up.
I waved and blew him a kiss as his eyes automatically found me in the stand. He gave me a thumbs up and settled all the way inside. A tech spoke to him through the window, pointing and giving directions. In a few minutes, he backed away, and the Mustang slowly edged back onto the main track and idled for a few seconds.
Bristol grinned. “I bet he punches it.”
“I hope he doesn’t wreck,” I muttered, suddenly thinking this wasn’t a good idea.
“He won’t,” she answered with a confidence I wished I had. “They’re pros, and they’re talking to him through the headset. They’ll tell him what to do and keep him at a safe speed. As long as he listens, he’ll be fine.”
Slowly, the car started to pull forward, gaining speed as it rounded a corner and accelerated along the backstretch. It slowed again at another curve, then took off even faster, the engine roaring as it whizzed past us on the front stretch. Despite Bristol’s promise, it still looked like an unsafe speed to me. I held my breath as he made one more loop, and then slowed and pulled onto the pit road.
Zach high-fived the crew after he climbed out and took off his helmet. Even from here, I could see the huge smile that rivaled Iain’s.
“Come on.” Bristol stood and headed to the stairs. “Let’s go greet the racers.”
Later that night, after an excited Iain settled into bed with Milo on the floor right beside him, Zach pulled me close. “To quote our son, today was the best day ever.”
I smiled against his chest. “You looked pretty sharp out there.”
“I mean, I was only going ninety miles an hour. I can’t imagine what it’s like going twice that speed. I could get addicted to that.”
“You going to change careers?”
He chuckled. “No, I’m happiest doing what I do.”
I didn’t answer. I wondered if I could say the same thing.
Chapter 34
Emalee
* * *
“Can we go outside? I’m bored.”
Zach looked up from the newspaper he was reading with an after-breakfast cup of coffee and folded the paper. That wasn’t a complaint we were used to from Iain. He’d spent last night building with his Legos and had played a couple of video games with his dad. All of his other time had been spent trying to teach Milo how to shake with his paw.
But I knew Iain wasn’t used to being cooped up inside. Here at the condo, he couldn’t just open a door and play in the backyard. Even if we did allow him to go outside without us, there was no place to play, just a parking lot and fenced-in pool that hadn’t opened for the season yet.
Zach folded his newspaper. “No excuse to be bored here. Let’s go do something.”
Iain cheered and ran to get dressed.
We took Milo to a local dog park, where we all took turns throwing a ball for him. He still seemed to have almost as much energy as he had when he was a pup. Then we dropped a worn-out Milo off at the condo. Zach wanted to show us where he worked, so he took us to Valley Animal Hospital.
“Wow. It’s even bigger than I imagined,” I said.
It was easily four times the size of the clinic in Sterling Mill. Since it was a Sunday, it was closed, but there were still a few techs keeping an eye on the animals that were hospitalized. He led us around, explaining all the pieces of equipment. It felt a lot like the time I’d had to go to the hospital; there was equipment for everything. We finally ended at the small space he used as an office.
“Sorry. I know I get excited about everything here. It’s one of the absolute best facilities in the country, definitely in the state.”
“Wow, Dad. You must be super-duper smart to know all this stuff.”
He laughed. “Study hard and you can do the same. I went to some really great schools here that prepared me. You could, too.”
“Cool! I wanna be a vet, too. Then I can work with you.”
“Sounds like a plan, my man.” They slapped hands and grinned at me. I quickly smiled back, but I suddenly felt overwhelmed. It was more than obvious how much Zach loved his job here.
Afterward, we took Iain to Discovery Place, a nearby science museum. After a few hours, Iain started to droop, and we decided to head home. It wasn’t long before he fell asleep on the love seat across from where Zach and I cuddled, watching a movie.
“Is it what you remember?” Zach asked me.
“The city? I guess. There are definitely different things to do here.”
“Do you think Iain likes it?”
I laughed softly, remembering how Iain had run from one exhibit to another. “He had a lot of fun today, that’s for sure.”
“I’d like to take you out to dinner tonight if you’re not too tired. I’ve got a sitter lined up so we can have a few hours for just us.”
I looked at him uncertainly. “I don’t know about leaving Iain with someone I’ve never met. How well do you know this person?”
“I just met her, but she seemed nice enough.”
I sat up and glared at him. “Zach, we’re not leaving Iain with someone you’ve just met, especially in a strange city.”
He laughed. “You’re too easy. We’ll come back to the ‘strange city’ part later. But the babysitter is none other than your cousin.”
“Bristol?”
“Mm-hmm. It was her idea. I thought it would be nice to get dressed up for a change and go out for a fancy dinner. I was going to take Iain, too, but I think he’d just be bored again. When I mentioned it to Bristol, she offered to stay with him.”
“You’re probably right. He would hate the dressing up part. But with that said, I didn’t bring anything nice to wear. I thought it was going to be a casual trip.”
“Don’t worry, she said she had you covered.”
“Well, then, I guess we have a date!”
Zach showered in the guest bathroom after I shooed him away. We’d never leave if I let him in with me. When I came out, I paused in the doorway. I’d never seen him in a suit, but it definitely looked good on him. My heart rate spiked at the way his jacket hugged his shoulders. Damn, he was sexy. In my head, I already had thoughts of how I couldn’t wait to slide it to the floor once we got home.
He must have had similar thoughts. He abandoned the tie he was about to put on and glided over to me. His finger trailed the bare skin in the gap between where my silk robe overlapped, making my nipples pucker at his light touch.
“Hmm, maybe we should just stay home tonight,” he whispered as the robe gave way to his tugging. He bent forward, capturing an entire rosy peak in his mouth, sucking it.
My breath caught. “Zach, we can’t. I just did my hair.” It was a mild protest, and he knew it.
His deft fingers slipped between my legs, stroking my folds where I was already wet. Two fingers slipped inside me and curled, making my legs shake. He fell to his knees. “What I have in mind won’t mess with your hair. I think an appetizer before dinner is in order.”
I gasped. “We can’t…Iain is…oh, god.” I think the entire complex could have marched into our room and I wouldn’t have cared when the curl of his fingers hit just the right spot.
“He’s playing in his room. I locked the door. Now hang on. You’re going to get your own ride today.”
He pulled my leg over his shoulder, then his face fell forward with no hesitation while he held on to my hips. I clung to the door frame with one hand and grasped his head with my other as his fingers and tongue worked in tandem while I shamelessly ground my hips against his face. He continued his sensuous torture, fluttering his tongue across my clit until my orgasm ricocheted through me as he held me in place while I rode out the waves until they eased.
He made sure I had my balance, then sat back on his heels, dragging his hand across his mouth. “Delicious,” he stated as I looked down at him through my post-orgasmic haze. “And not a hair out of place.” He stood and kissed me, the tang of my release on his tongue. I found it oddly erotic.
“Your turn.” I grinned and reached for his belt, but just then, the doorbell rang.
“You can make it up to me later. Bristol’s here.”
I looked at him in dismay. “Oh, god. She’s going to know what we were doing.”
He laughed but straightened and retied my robe. “Pretty sure she thinks we’re doing it anyway.”
“Well, if she can’t tell by looking at my face, I’m pretty sure she’ll tell by that.” I inclined my head toward his crotch.
He adjusted himself, but it did little to hide the bulge. “Yeah, maybe you should get the door.”
The doorbell rang again. I hurried to answer it but was beaten by Iain, who was already at the door with Milo by his side. “It’s Auntie Bristol. She texted your phone when you didn’t answer. Geez. What took you so long?”
“Yeah, cuz, what took you so long?” Bristol winked as she strode in carrying two white plastic garment bags. “Hey, speed racer. Thanks for letting me in.”
I crooked my finger at Iain. “Go play for a little bit while Bree helps me get ready, okay?”
Zach came out of the room, no noticeable tent in his trousers. His dark green tie stood out nicely against his white shirt and highlighted his eyes. The man looked hot, and I was close to telling Bristol she should go home and to take Iain with her.
He knew exactly what was going through my mind. The corner of his mouth turned up, and his eyes sparkled with a knowing look before he turned to my cousin. “Thanks so much for this.”
“Eh, no problem. Dad was having some of the crew over for a card game. I see enough of them during the day, so I was looking for something to do anyway.”
I peered at her. I knew she didn’t hang around kids and hadn’t done any babysitting when she was a teenager like I had. “Are you sure you don’t mind? Iain’s pretty easygoing.”
She tossed her head. “I promise we’ll be fine. He is out of diapers, right?”
I stared at her.
“Oh, my god, you should see your face.” She rolled her eyes. “I helped take care of him when he was only a couple weeks old, I think I can handle this.”
I gave her a subtle shake of my head. I hadn’t told Zach about that trying time in our lives.
She caught the clue. Linking her arm with mine, she drew me toward the bedroom. “Come on. You can eye fuck each other over dinner. Let’s see which of these dresses you like the best. I swear, I’m starting to think Cam and I are your personal dressers.” I laughed because she wasn’t wrong. The last time I’d had a reason to dress up had been almost seven years ago when I went with Zach to his fraternity social. At least tonight would have a better ending.
We ended up arriving at the restaurant early. While Zach left to order our drinks, I secured a small table outside so we could enjoy the temperatures that were milder than ours back at home.
The restaurant was at the top of one of the tallest buildings in the city, allowing a beautiful panoramic view of the uptown area, which showed itself off in an array of lights. In the distance, I could see the flags flying around the city’s football stadium and the museum we’d been to earlier with Iain. The cool, light breeze was offset by a long, rectangular fire pit that threw off a lot of warmth.
Glancing the other direction, I could make out the unusual shaped building that was Johnson and Wales. I stared at it, allowing myself a few minutes to think about what it would be like to go back and finish my degree. What would it take to apply, and would I have the money to hire a manager as well as pay for tuition? I assumed we’d live with Zach, so at least housing wouldn’t be an issue.
“What’s caught your attention, sunshine?”
So wrapped up in my thoughts, I hadn’t heard Zach place a bottle of wine and two glasses on the table. “Just daydreaming,” I said as he handed me a glass of wine. I took a sip. “This is good.”
But he knew me well. He sat across from me and reached for my hand. “I can help you with that if it’s what you want,” he said, tipping his head in the same direction as the cooking school. “Do you think you could be happy here?”
“That feels like a loaded question.”
“It’s an honest one. One we need to talk about at some point.”
I nodded but didn’t say anything. It was hard to talk past the lump in my throat.
Zach threaded his fingers through mine. “I want to give you and Iain the world. It feels easier to do that here than back in Sterling Mill.”
“But that is our world, Zach. At least for now.”
“Does that mean you’d consider moving here eventually?”
“It’s not quite that easy. The Dogtrot is more than a job. It’s my legacy. I have to make sure it survives, and I need to take care of my mother.”
“I get that. But do you have to live there to do it? Or could you do it better if you finished your degree? Either in cooking or in hospitality?”
I pondered the question. “That’s something to consider.”
It definitely made sense for me to consider moving here.
“Can I ask why it’s so important to you to get this residency? Aren’t you already able to do surgeries?”
Zach was pretty hung up on getting his advanced credentials. I knew he’d worked hard for it, but there was almost a desperate need as if there was no option other than getting it. I was pretty sure I knew the underlying reason he wanted it, and it was more than just the desire to be a surgeon.
Before he could answer, the hostess notified us our table was ready.
Nodding at her, Zack held his hand out to me. Just before we entered back into the main dining area, I froze.
A chill that not even the fire pit we stood next to could penetrate. Standing in a cluster of men along the glass perimeter just yards from where we’d been sitting, I could have sworn I saw a face I’d hoped to never see again.
