Page 59 of Happy Trails & Honey Pots

I recognized the melody and lyrics from the 1980s Karen White classic of the same name that my mom used to listen to.

“Nothingin Firefly is a secret,” Zoe stated.

“No one has found out about you two yet. I think you should definitely take advantage of him being back in town and get dicked down. Hey, that rhymed.”

Both women started laughing.

“Jackson.”

I heard a voice behind me and turned around. When I did, I saw Toby standing with a kid who looked just like him, only five inches shorter.

Toby turned to the shorter version of himself. “This is my brother Tucker. I told him you were here, and he came down. Can you take a picture with him?”

“Sure.” I walked back out the front, and Harlan passed me in the hallway to grab the rest of the presents.

As I snapped a few selfies with the brothers, I couldn’t help but think that although I didn’t know Nadia that well, I was ahugefan of hers. She was coming in strong as my wing-woman, and I owed her big time. As much as I hoped that Zoe would take her friend’s advice and we could have another rendezvous, I wished it wouldn’t have to be a secret, but I understood that she wasn’t interested in a relationship.

I would take whatever she had to offer.

27

ZOE

I satat the stop sign and knew that if I turned left, I would go to my house, or if I turned right it would take me to the Montgomery estate, where Miles was staying while he was in town filming. The crew and some of the cast had filled Mrs. B’s Boarding House, and they’d even rented the majority of the Airbnbs. I knew that because Harlan told me.

Just go home, I told myself. No good could come of me going to see him. No. Good.

Those two words were still running through my mind as I turned the wheel to the right. The drive out to the estate was only about ten minutes. The entire way, I was telling myself to turn around. I was still telling myself that when the headlights shone on the narrow drive leading up to the estate. Large willow trees lined the path. The estate wasn’t as grand as Abernathy Manor, but it certainly wasn’t anything to sneeze at.

Four pillars stood in front of the brick colonial two-story with ivy winding up to the top. The white window shutters and flower boxes gave the exterior an inviting appeal that I didn’t remember from my previous visit. I’d come here on the last day of fifth grade for a pool party because Sandra Montgomery was in myclass. At the time, I remember it felt more like a museum than a home. I was scared to touch anything.

I pulled up beside the black SUV parked in front and turned off the engine.

What am I doing?I asked myself.

This was a bad idea.

Bad. Idea.

Those two words were running through my head as I grabbed my purse, got out of the car, and walked up to the front door. I lifted my hand to knock and realized it was shaking. My fingers balled in a fist as my knuckles rapped on the wooden surface. Once. Twice.

I lowered my arm and waited.

The only sounds I heard were the whooshing of my heartbeat, the leaves rustling from the night breeze, and the crickets chirping. There was no sound coming from inside the house.

Maybe that was a good thing. Maybe it saved me from myself. Maybe I should just turn around and leave.

Instead, I lifted my hand and knocked again—this time with a little more force.

I swallowed the saliva that filled my mouth like a popped fire hydrant, nerves rioting through me as I waited on the porch. Again, I heard nothing but the aforementioned sounds. There was no sign of movement inside.

This was ridiculous. Who did I think I was showing up on Miles’ doorstep at ten o’clock at night unannounced and uninvited? Where were my manners?

I turned on the heels of my tennis shoes and was halfway down the path when I heard the front door open. My heart leapfrogged into my throat.

“Zoe.” The all-too-familiar deep voice sounded behind me.

My feet stopped in their tracks, and I slowly turned around as goosebumps lifted on my skin that had nothing to do with the night breeze.

---