Page 67 of Feels Like the First Time

“You’re sure?” God, she was pathetic.

“Yep, totally sure.” Apparently figuring she needed sustenance after her confession, Julie helped herself to another forkful of apple pie. “But you sure gave Brad a cheap thrill thinking he conned you into believing he did. Almost made up for the fact that he lost his bet about getting you into bed.”

Zoe rolled her eyes, finally understanding Brad’s push to get her into his room. It seemed some things never change.

“Apparently he couldn’t handle not being the biggest deal out of Central High. He was jealous of all the rumors about Gandalf. He didn’t think the real guy would show, so he tried to fool everyone into thinking he was the wizard—hence the costume. When he heard you were poking around about this Gandalf, he figured he’d con you, too. Of course, Dex took care of him,” Julie said with a wicked laugh as she licked flaky pie crust off her thumb. “He punched Brad in the face. Right there, in front of everyone.”

Zoe gaped. Julie gave a beatific smile. “It was so sweet.”

It was sweet. Zoe’s heart did a little tumble, the ache of betrayal fading as she fought her way through her trust issues to realize that Dex, of all people, wouldn’t betray her. So what was behind his Gandalf lie? He had to have had a reason. But she hadn’t given him a chance to share it, had she? Nope, she’d launched into her mistrustful defense mode, lashed out and kicked him to the curb before he could reject her.

Damn, she was smart.

“Was Brad behind nominating me for queen?” Zoe asked, trying to connect all the dots.

Julie shook her head. “Nope. That was Candice. I think she figured it’d pit us against each other. Ruin our budding friendship.”

Typically, Zoe had jumped to the immediate conclusion that the nomination had been some trick to humiliate her and had walked out. She was starting to see a pattern here.

“Did it?” Zoe found herself holding her breath as she waited for the answer.

“Only if I gain twenty pounds because of this pie.”

Zoe grinned.

“Candice has spent the past twelve hours begging Brad to stay in touch with her, promising people the moon in exchange for their vote and chasing Dex’s grandma trying to get her to read her cards.” The words were flat, the pity clear on Julie’s face. “She’s not a threat to you, Zoe. She never has been. She’s just kind of sad.”

Zoe followed Julie’s nod, noting the blonde sitting at a corner table alone, nursing a cup of coffee.

She seemed deflated. Instead of the evil cause of all that had been wrong in Zoe’s teenage life, Candice was just a woman. A woman who looked as though life hadn’t rocked so much after high school. Zoe stared at the blonde for a long moment. Then she sighed and, as much as the immature, bitchy side of her hated to do it, she let go of her teenage resentments.

“Maybe we should send her over a piece of pie?” she mused.

Julie stared at her, the last caramel apple slice falling unnoticed off her fork. “You’re kidding, right? Why would you do that?”

Because Zoe’d come to realize she had to take risks if she ever wanted to have anything worth holding on to? Because keeping people at arm’s length wasn’t working anymore? Because sooner or later she had to risk letting people get to know her, and the first step to that was getting to know them?

“Because you took a chance and befriended me. I can’t tell you what a difference that’s made for me. It’s only fair that I pay the favor forward. Besides, maybe it’s time for all of us to grow up,” Zoe finally said, pulling her big-girl panties on.

And what d’ya know? They fit.

DEX STARED AT HIS laptop screen, his mind blank. He’d never had this happen before. Like impotence, it was one of those rumored things that only happened to other guys.

But here he was. Empty. Blank. No ideas for getting Zoe back. No strategy to play the game. Nothing.He slapped the laptop closed and pushed away from the kitchen table. Maybe that was the problem. He’d thought of it as a game. Which put Zoe on the opposing team. Stupid, since he knew he couldn’t win without her by his side.

That’d been his mistake from the beginning, he realized. Trying to play her. To use games and strategy instead of just being up-front and honest. All because…what? He was afraid? What a freaking wimp.

To hell with orders to stay in the house. He needed to see Zoe. Dex turned toward the phone, not even willing to waste the time of walking over to the inn to see if she was still registered.

In mid-turn, he stopped cold. His heart rapped against his chest, and he had to force himself not to rub his eyes. Like a dream, there she stood, in a long, black trench coat and those sexy boots.

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