Page 58 of Cocky Choices: Zoe Cocker

“Oh, are you two getting married?” A woman in a blue blazer asks.

Zoe flushes red, embarrassed glance drifting to the floor.

Caleb answers with certainty, “Yes, we are.”

Blue Blazer asks, “How long have you two been dating?”

He smirks, “Feels like forever.”

Zoe bursts into giggles.

My heart sinks.

The elevator dings, signaling our arrival on the event floor. As the doors whoosh open, I step out first since I’m closest to the door.

“Many years of happiness to you both,” Blue Blazer says.

“Thank you,” Zoe whispers, and hurries off the car.

Caleb strolls out and flicks me a glance, then leads us into the empty event space, a vast area just waiting to be filled with the life that Zoe can bring through her artistry.

“This is huge,” she breathes as she surveys the room. “I can envision the arrangements already.”

I force a smile. “Let’s make it happen.” I want to be supportive, help her shine. “Invincible, remember?”

She snaps her fingers. “Exactly.”

Caleb moves closer to Zoe, his presence a constant reminder of the promise between them that looms over me like a dark cloud. And I’m pretty sure he wants me to remember it.

As if I could forget.

“So, white roses,” Caleb announces, everything about him dripping with the assumed authority that comes from wealth and status.

“Yes…” Zoe replies, enthusiasm seeming to waver. “They’ll add the perfect touch.” She glances at me and, for a fleeting second, I see a flicker of doubt in her eyes. “I have some other ideas, too.”

“We don’t want to stray too far from?—”

Refusing to let Caleb steal this moment from her, I interrupt, “Why don’t you set up a few ideas.” I’m determined to help her creativity take center stage. If he thinksheknows flowers, thathisideas are better than hers, he’s dead wrong. “You can design them, Boss, then send photos for approval.”

“That’s a great idea, Tom,” Zoe grins, shifting her body to face him, her shoulders straighter. “I can show you what I’m capable of!”

“I guess we could do that,” Caleb exhales. “Just need to keep it elegant.”

I snarl, “What do you expect… she’ll throw a couple dandelions together with some half-dead weeds?”

Zoe grabs my arm. “Tom!”

“What?!”

Caleb rubs the back of his neck, one eyebrow raised. “Well, she did say she wanted wildflowers for our wedding.”

She lets my arm go.

My chest feels like someone kicked it.

That’s what I wanted — wildflowers for the wedding I imagined for us. I even wrote it in my journal, the one I wanted to read to her one day. Planned to. Ached to. Until all this happened.

“Caleb!” Zoe gasps, clearly upset. “Are you saying…?”

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