Page 57 of Landon (In Safe Hands)
“Shutthe fuck up. It’s the woman next door. I’ve told you about her. She’s alone,and it pisses me off.”
“Thegirl with the scars on her face?” Jeremy asks.
Dareglares at him. “Her name is Ayda, and I expect you fuckers to be nice.”
“Whenam I not nice?” Jeremy pretends to be offended.
“DitchingZoe’s friend Frannie without so much as a text message wasn’t exactly nice,” Iremind him.
“Wewere just fucking.” He shrugs. “Wait, Frannie’s not coming to Thanksgiving is she?”
“Relax,chickenshit. She’s going to her family’s.”
I’venever really had a real Thanksgiving, with family and friends all gatheredaround a table, so when the day comes, I’m excited. Zoe shows up early withEthan and his boyfriend, Colin. Zoe heads right to the kitchen to get startedwhile I show the boys where the X-box is set up in the new game room. I’ve doneaway with the basement man cave. Being stuck down there kind of killed the fun,but one of the larger guest rooms has been cleaned out and furnished with asectional and a huge T.V.
“CanI talk to you a minute?” Ethan asks, as Colin turns on the game.
“Sure.”I lead him into the hallway. “Is something wrong?” I’ve gotten to know the kidpretty well, and we get along, but he’s never asked to talk to me.
“Areyou going to ask Zoe to marry you?”
I’mfloored by his question, and my hand instantly goes to the diamond ring in mypocket. How the hell did he know? Does Zoe suspect? “How would you feel aboutit if I did?” Am I seriously asking a seventeen year old kid for permission tomarry his sister?
“Howdo you feel about her finishing college? And having a career?”
“What?Of course I want her to finish. Why wouldn’t I?”
Heleans against the wall and brushes his overlong hair from his eyes. “I don’t know.My dad would barely let my mom out of the house without him unless it was to goto church. Zoe has big plans, you know?”
Ilook him in the eye. “Ethan, what I want most is for Zoe to be happy and to geteverything she wants out of life. I would never hold her back. Besides, if youhaven’t noticed, she isn’t exactly a woman who’s going to do what she’s told.”
Ethanlaughs. “That’s true. Push her and she’ll dig in those heels.” He glances downthe hall toward my office. “I know what you do. Well, not really, but I’veheard enough to know you break the law to help people like Colin. Just don’tget her involved, okay? She doesn’t need to get in trouble, or to have somepsycho after her for turning him in.”
“I’dnever let that happen. What I do can’t be tracked back to me, and Zoe willnever be a part of it. I promise.”
Henods, and then looks up at me. “Thank you. For what you did for Colin. He’s somuch happier. They placed him with a foster family who really cares about him.”
“You’rewelcome. And to answer your first question, yes, tonight I plan to ask Zoe tomarry me.”
Ireach out my hand and he shakes it. “Hurt her and I’ll hurt you. I may not bebig, but I’ll find a way.”
“Ihave no doubt about that, kid. She’s safe with me.”
“I’mgraduating early and have already been accepted at a few colleges. It’s good toknow she has someone to watch over her while I’m gone.”
“I’lltake care of her.”
Ethanreturns to the game room after our little talk, and I head to the kitchen tofind Zoe. She looks so cute, covered in flour, her hair up in a bun on thecrown of her head. She rarely wears her hair up and my lips can’t resist thecreamy skin of her long neck. “Mmm,” she hums. “Don’t start something you can’tfinish.”
“Whosays I can’t finish?” My hands roam down to her ass.
Laughing,she steps away. “Everyone will be here.” As if her words triggered it, thefront door opens and the guys tromp in.
Justusenters the kitchen first and places a twelve pack of beer on the counter. “HeyZoe, what are you making?”
“Rightnow, noodles.”
“Youmake your own noodles?”
