“Fine. You win.” Elisa held up one finger. “But I reserve the right to say a big fatI told yousoif this blows up in your face later.”
She was off the hook, finally. “Thank you.” Zoey reached over and hugged her. It was nice to be loved, even if that meant interrogation. “Also, I know you’d never actually do that.”
“You’re right.” Elisa hugged her back. “But I might think it.”
“That’s pretty hardcore for you.”
“Or there’s another option, like I suggested.” Elisa gripped her shoulders. “MarryLinc.”
Zoey pulled away, hoping the heat in her chest hadn’t reached her cheeks. “Why don’t you just focus on marrying Noah, huh?”
“Oh, I’m focused.” Elisa squeezed Zoey’s hand, eyes sobering. “I just want you to be happy too.”
“Happy?” Zoey flashed a smile, the one she felt big enough for a teeth whitening ad. Big enough to convince people a lie was the truth.
Maybe even convince herself. “Way ahead of you. I’m pure sunshine, baby.” Nary a cloud a sight.
But maybe only because she was scared to fully open her eyes.
* * *
She needed carbs.
Zoey padded silently down the hall. Past Amelia’s room, toward the kitchen in smiley-face house shoes, her fuzzy purple bathrobe cinched tight. Linc and Amelia had finally picked her up at the diner, and by the time they’d put away all their gifts—the silky stuff going in thefarback of Zoey’s dresser drawer—and Amelia had gone to bed, Linc was sound asleep in his recliner.
Hardly a typical wedding night.
Zoey had gone to bed several hours ago herself, but couldn’t sleep for tossing and turning, wondering what had transpired in the conversation between Amelia and Linc after the teen ran out of Magnolia Blossom. Wondering if anyone else was going to see through this marriage like Elisa had.
Wondering what her husband was thinking from across the house.
She rounded the corner of the hallway. The gravity of it all had hit her afresh, lying in bed alone, staring at the ceiling. No wonder Cade stress-ate his way through the Magnolia Days fundraiser this summer. Apparently, Zoey had been missing out all these years by choosing to simply deny she was stressed.
Resignation and leftover cheesecake sounded way better.
She wouldn’t even bother to turn on the light, she’d just grab a fork and—aw, man. A golden glow streamed from the open fridge door, blocking her view of whoever was on the other side. Was she too late? If it was Amelia, she’d let her have the leftovers without a fight.
If it was Linc, though…
She took a chance, leapt forward. “Step away from that cheesecake!”
Silverware clattered to the ground. “What the?—”
Linc.
She smirked as he emerged from the fridge, scowl firmly in place. But her smile faded as her eyes took in the fact that he, most definitely, wasnotin a robe. His dark hair was down, still damp from an earlier shower, and his tanned, muscular chest revealed several rows of abs that tapered into a pair of gray pajama pants. A muddled scar occupied his left rib cage, catching her stare much longer than it should have.
Linc raised his eyebrows at her.
She gulped. Bent to grab the dropped fork the same time he did.Knock. Their heads collided.
“Ow.” Zoey pressed her hand to her forehead, backed into the island with a thump. “Oops.” She straightened, nearly knocking into Linc again.
“You okay?” Linc steadied her with one hand, which immediately sent sparks shooting through her robe and up her arm.
She shook him off and banged her elbow into the island. “Ow!” Now she clutched her arm instead of her head. What waswrongwith her? Dunkin’ donuts, she’d seen Linc shirtless before—this was a beach town, full of pool parties and barbeques.
But never before in his home.
