Love and Secrets - Kit Morgan Page 0,10

back and forth. And she was sure Zane didn’t either. Besides, all she’d done so far is hit him in the hinny with her shopping cart! Hardly the stuff of romance.

She left the couch, went to the fridge, and pulled some ice cream out of the freezer. Maybe Ben and Jerry would cheer her up. She didn’t like the idea of tossing and turning again like she did last night.

She grabbed a spoon, took her treat to the couch and was about to take her first bite when her cell phone rang. “Oh, now what? I swear, if this is Katie…” She picked it up and didn’t recognize the number at first. Could it be? “Hello?”

“Holly?”

Holly’s mouth flopped open. “Zane?”

“Yeah, it’s me. How are you doing?”

She began to finger comb her hair. “Oh, I’m fine.” She realized how big the smile was on her face and pursed her lips. She didn’t want to sound too happy to hear from him.

“Say, I was just wondering if you’d like to catch some coffee with me?”

She fiddled with her hair again. “Oh, um, sure. Just name the date and time.”

“How about tomorrow?”

“I work but I’m off at six. Can I meet you somewhere?”

“Six, hmm …”

There was a pause. She hopped off the couch and started to pace. “Zane?”

“I think that would work. Can you meet me at my motel?”

She stopped pacing. “I suppose. You don’t want to have coffee at Daisy’s or someplace?”

“No,” he blurted, then cleared his throat. “I mean, I’d rather you meet me here. Then we’ll get coffee.”

Holly’s mind raced. He hadn’t become an ax murderer since high school, had he? She shook her head. What a silly thought. “Fine, are you staying at The Flying J?”

“Yes. Room thirty-two. Does six-thirty work for you?”

Holly started tapping her thigh with her fingers. “Perfect.”

He sighed in relief. “Great. I’ll see you then. Bye.”

Holly looked at her cell phone and blinked a few times. “Bye.”

She went to the couch and sat. “That was… weird.” She picked up her ice cream. Something was definitely up. “He sounded nervous,” she said then took a bite. “But why would that be?” She shrugged, took another bite of ice cream and rolled her eyes in pleasure. Ben and Jerry had seen her through a lot. They’d see her through this too. Besides, it would be nice to talk to him someplace quiet before they went out in public. Maybe that’s what he wanted. She was sure he got enough attention no matter where he went. After all this was Clear Creek, and everyone knew everybody else. He was news, plain and simple.

She took a few more bites of ice cream, put the carton away, then went into her bedroom to stare at the stacks of boxes from the closet. “I’ll worry about all of you later in the week.” She removed the ones from her bed, then began her nightly ritual. Was she nervous? Not really. Curious? Definitely. She hoped she didn’t toss and turn all night in anticipation.

But Zane was definitely not the same person she knew from years ago and this was her chance to find out how he’d fared all that time. Was it good or bad? If she’d been smart, she’d have checked his left hand for a wedding ring when she ran into him. But she was so mortified over the fact she did run into him, the thought didn’t cross her mind. He said he wasn’t married, but was he engaged?

Holly crawled into bed and stared at the ceiling for a moment before reaching for her book. Maybe her mystery novel would help her get to sleep.

She looked at the book and sighed. It was doubtful, but she’d give it the old college try.

The next day during work, it was all she could do to stay quiet about her meeting with Zane. She wanted to keep the knowledge to herself, their meeting private. But now that she was on her way to the motel, she was having second thoughts. Maybe she should have mentioned it to Katie just in case Zane had morphed into an ax murderer since high school.

She reached the motel, parked, then found Zane’s room. She took a deep breath, straightened her sundress, and knocked on the door.

“Hi,” he said quietly when he opened it. “Come on in.” He stepped aside.

She took a hesitant step forward. “Is someone sleeping?” she asked just as quietly.

He smiled, and as soon as she was inside, motioned to one of the beds.

Holly