“Oh, I’ve been worried sick,” she said after I’d told her the story about Zev coming back and the two of us working it out. “I’ve been driving your dad crazy these last few weeks.”
“What? Why?” I asked, not understanding what she was saying.
“The success you’ve had in your business since moving to Sedona has been incredible, Tillie,” she started. “But no matter how busy you’ve been or how successful you were, I knew you weren’t healing. I could hear it in your voice every time I talked to you. And I told your father that if things didn’t change soon, I was making a trip out there myself.”
It was hard to hear that. While I loved knowing just how much my parents cared for me, it hurt me to know that they were feeling pain over my heartache.
“I appreciate that, Mom. Everything is good now,” I assured her.
“I know it is,” she said. “I knew it was the minute you started speaking.”
“You did?”
“It was obvious in your voice. You didn’t sound so solemn anymore, and I knew there was no amount of ceramics orders that could have turned it around like that for you.”
She wasn’t wrong. I loved that she knew just how important a part of my life Zev was and what not having him around meant for me. Most of all, I loved that she harbored no ill feelings toward him for the way he handled the situation.
So, for the last several days, my life had consisted of work, a phone call with my mom, and spending time with Zev. I was happy to see that despite the separation we’d endured over the last couple months, we somehow managed to fall back into the comfortable, familiar relationship we used to have. The only difference now was that we had sex. Lots of it. Being new to the sport, I wasn’t sure what was typical. It’s not like I had anything else to compare it to. But I had a feeling we weren’t doing too bad. Because more than anything else I’d done over the last week, I’d had a lot of sex.
Just as he’d promised, the day after Zev came to Sedona, he went out and stocked up on condoms. Suffice it to say, we needed to make another trip to the store for more because our supply was running low.
Even on nights like last night, when Zev knew we needed to get some rest so we could wake up early, he didn’t just go to bed.
No.
He made every effort to still make love to me and take his time doing it. There was no rush on his part to just do the deed and hurry off to sleep. I really had no room to complain, though. Because Zev and I were having a lot of fun exploring this new part of our relationship with one another. He was loving and attentive and never failed to make sure I was satisfied each time.
It made me feel incredibly lucky and loved, but I just couldn’t understand how he managed to do that and was still up right now, ready to get the show on the road today.
Not wanting to disappoint him and loving the effort he’d been putting in every day since we’d reunited, I opened my eyes, smiled, and asked, “What’s for breakfast?”
He leaned over to the bedside table, lifted a plate, and declared, “Your favorite. I made French toast.”
Yep. I loved Zev.
A man who not only knew what my favorite foods were but also went through the trouble to get up early and make them was a keeper in my book.
I sat up in bed, took the plate from him, and watched as he picked up a second plate from the nightstand after he settled himself next to me.
Once I’d taken the first bite, I moaned and claimed, “I’m the luckiest girl in the world.”
Zev let out a laugh. “All it took was some breakfast?” he asked.
I dipped my chin and added, “It was breakfast and all that stuff last night, too.”
He grinned and replied, “Good to know.”
“As if you didn’t already know,” I said, rolling my eyes at him.
Zev and I sat there next to one another in bed, eating French toast, and enjoying just being in each other’s company. We didn’t need words. That’s just who we were.
When we finished breakfast, I set my plate off to the side and remarked, “I’m so excited to see your parents today. I haven’t seen them in so long, and I’ve really missed them.”
“This will be the best surprise of their life,” he responded.
“What?”
“I didn’t exactly tell them we were coming,” he started. “I’ve been going over there nearly every Saturday without calling ahead of time. I figured they’d already be expecting me. But when I show up with you, they’re sure to lose their minds.”
My eyes widened. This was going to be so much fun. Not wanting to waste another minute, I tossed the covers back and started to move myself out of the bed. Zev curled his fingers around my arm before I could exit the bed.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
After I looked down at myself, my eyes met his. “I need to get ready if we’re going to get out of here at a reasonable time so we can make it back before Meli has to close the store on her own.”
“And you were going to do that without giving me a kiss first?” he questioned me.
My shoulders fell. “Sorry,” I murmured as I leaned toward him and gave him a kiss. When I pulled back, I continued, “I’m not trying to make excuses, but this is new for me. And I’m really excited about seeing your parents again for the first time in months.”
“It’s okay, Tillie. I was mostly just teasing you,” he assured me.
I shrugged. “I know but still. I love you. I want you to know that.”
This time, Zev kissed me. It was hot and intense. At least, that’s what I thought given the early hour.
When Zev tore his mouth from mine, he insisted, “I know you do. And I love you, too.”
I didn’t respond. I was still too caught up in everything I felt from his kiss. Not receiving a reply from me, Zev instructed, “You should probably get ready now, Tillie.”
After a moment of hesitation, I agreed, “Yeah.”
Then, I got myself out of bed and got ready.
“Where are you going?”
Zev and I had just left his house and were supposed to be going to his parents’ place, but he’d missed the turn that would have taken us in the right direction.
He glanced over at me for a quick second before turning his eyes back to the road. “I want to make a quick stop somewhere before we go to see my mom and dad,” he answered.
Even though he wasn’t looking at me, I gave him a nod and replied, “Okay.”
Five minutes later, I couldn’t say that I had suspected Zev would bring me where he did. Knowing what I knew now, I didn’t even know what his plan was or why he had brought me here. I didn’t necessarily mind; I was simply worried about how this was going to affect him.
Looking over at him, I shot him a questioning look.
Zev saw it and immediately shared, “I think I need to do this with you.”
I held his gaze.
That’s when he asked, “Are you okay with it?”
“Yeah,” I replied. “Of course. Anything you need.”
With that, Zev exited his vehicle and met me on my side as I got out. Then he took my hand in his and walked with me through the cemetery toward Liam’s grave.