Page 19 of Release Me

She watches as I disappear into the house. I head to my bedroom, refusing to think too hard about what I’m doing or the fact she has a perfectly good coat hanging up in my mudroom, as I grab a knit sweater and a couple of throw blankets and then walk back to the kitchen and grab another bottle of wine.

“Here,” I say, handing her my sweater and a blanket. “So you don’t get cold.”

She takes them from me, looking at the sweater, before looking back up at me. I give her a nod, before turning away to pour us another glass, although not before I catch her lifting it to her nose briefly, as though she’s smelling it.

When I sit down on the couch across from her, Zoey has pulled on my sweater, the long sleeves covering her hands as she snuggles back into the couch and pulls the blanket over her lap. God, what I wouldn’t do to sit over there with her. To be able to pull her into my arms and warm her up.

“Are you and Max close?” I ask, blinking away the image that thought conjures.

She smiles now, even as she lifts a wool covered hand to her face, inhaling again. “Oh yeah, very,” she replies. “It’s hard not to be when you’re…you know, different to every other kid in school.”

“The whole Holden family thing?” I say, watching as she tips her head in acknowledgement. “Yeah, I get that. I mean, it wasn’t like that for me growing up, but it has been ever since I…well, you know.”

Zoey nods again as though she understands what I’m saying. “It’s amazing how many friends money can suddenly buy you, isn’t it?”

I scoff. “Tell me about it. Remember that proposal?” I ask, watching her. “Declan, an old college acquaintance. Not even really a friend until he found out I owned Badger Creek, then…”

“He’s suddenly your best friend, right?”

“Oh yeah,” I reply, taking a sip of wine. “And not too happy about me saying no to his business idea either.”

Zoey’s eyes widen. “You said no?” she asks, a little surprised.

“Of course,” I reply. “You said it was a bad move.”

“No, wait. I mean, I—”

“Relax, Zoey,” I say, smiling as I hold up a hand. “I agree with your thoughts on it all, but more than that, I trust your opinion too.”

She doesn’t say anything, just watches me across the fire, an unreadable expression on her face that has me dying to know what she’s thinking right now. Just as I’m about to ask her, she smiles as she says, “Thank you, Ethan. That means a lot.”

I stare across at her, wondering if she realizes how much I mean what I’m telling her. I get why she wouldn’t, why she’d be so guarded about anyone paying her a compliment, given who she is. I’m like that too, always holding everyone at arm’s length because you can never really be sure what they’re after, especially if they didn’t know you before the money. It’s probably part of the reason I haven’t really made many friends since moving here. And Zoey’s never had that because she was born into it. She never even had a choice and I imagine many people tried to take advantage of her because of it too.

“You’re welcome,” I eventually say.

She smiles, settling back into the couch. “So tell me more about your friends who are getting married.”

Chuckling, I take another sip of wine. “What would you like to know?”

She tips her head to the side, watching me, that sexy little smile on her face. “You said you went to high school and college together?”

“Yeah, Brandon and me. I only met Tracy when they got together.”

“How did they meet?”

I laugh, shaking my head a little. “Ummm, he picked her up in a club,” I say, brows raised because I know exactly how that’s going to sound.

“Ohhh, I see,” she says, smiling. “You two were like that, huh?”

“Like what exactly?” I ask.

She smirks, still watching me as though she’s trying to figure out what to say. “Hmmm, I’m gonna go with you two liking to work hard and play hard.”

“Uh huh,” I reply, giving a quick nod.

“And neither of you were into anything long-term or whatever, you just wanted to have fun, no commitments.”

Smiling, I say, “Maybe.”

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