Sand Angel Page 0,18

to his voice. He swallowed hard before he continued. “After her show in Phoenix, she’s got some time off.”

Drew set his plate down on the empty chair next to him. The steak had tasted like leather and went down like chunks of cement. It wasn’t the quality of the food but the foul mood he was in. It had been over an hour since his last interaction with Zoë. Night had fallen. A full moon graced the sky littered with bright stars. While they sat around the campfire smelling the burning pine, laughter and music filled the air as parties began all around them.

And still no Zoë.

He reached into the ice chest that sat between him and Josh and grabbed a bottle of beer. “And?” He knew there was more to what Josh had to say. As Drew twisted the cap, it made a hissing sound. A drip of cold water dropped on his bare thigh just below his denim cutoffs. He held the chilly bottle away from his naked chest and took a drink.

His hair was still wet from his brief shower, but was quickly drying beneath the breeze. His bare feet sat on top of his sandals. It felt good to be clean. If only he could have washed away his mistreatment of Zoë. First his unforgivable behavior in her trailer, and then his he-man act when she returned from riding. Instead of clearing the air between them, he seemed destined to screw it up more.

“And—” Indecision played across Josh’s face as the light from the fire flickered over his features. He took a deep breath. “Her boss thinks she has a death wish.”

Drew sat straight up in his chair. “What?”

Josh shook his head, watching the door to Zoë’s trailer as his voice lowered. “He’s told her to seek counseling.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “I haven’t told Mom and Dad. I don’t know how.”

Drew couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “I had no idea.”

Josh pinned him with an accusing glare. “How could you? You weren’t around.”

Drew mentally felt the jab of his friend’s words. “The guy’s crazy. Not Zoë.” Not his precious angel. She wouldn’t place her life in danger. Duh. Was he the crazy one? From what he’d already seen of Zoë, she was riding the edge.

Josh’s mouth turned into an incredulous curve. “Are you blind? This isn’t the same little girl you left behind three years ago.” He shot quickly to his feet. “She doesn’t come home, doesn’t call. This is the first time I’ve seen her in over a year. Man, your leaving fucked her up good and proper.”

Felt that barb too.

Uncomfortable having an angry man hover over him, Drew slipped his feet into his sandals and rose. The tendons in Josh’s neck were drawn tight. Even in the dark Drew could see his friend’s eyes bright with concern and accusation.

Josh’s face went cold, unreadable. “If you’re not here to make right by my sister, then you leave her the fuck alone.” There was something dangerous in his tone, his mien. His fingers curled in fists, arms straining at his sides as if he fought the urge to strike out at Drew.

Now wasn’t the time to remind the guy that he was the one playing matchmaker this weekend. Besides, Josh was right.

Drew had made a mess of their lives—it seemed not only his and Zoë’s. “I’m not leaving this time. If she’ll have me, I’m staying.” His words surprised him, but the minute he said them he knew it was true.

A huff of disbelief left Josh’s mouth. “Well, buddy, my guess is she won’t have you. Not by the way she was looking at you the last time I saw you two together.”

“That’s going to change,” Drew said as the door to the toy hauler opened and Zoë stepped out.

She wore a pair of jean cutoffs, a high-cut tank top that showed off a bellybutton ring Drew had never seen and a pair of tennis shoes. Scrapes and scars marred her beautiful legs and arms—something he hadn’t noticed when he had her stripped naked beneath him.

“Hungry?” Josh asked as she bent over her quad.

Her snug shorts caught Drew’s attention. Damn she had long legs, legs he couldn’t wait to have wrapped around his waist.

“No.” She continued to check the gas and oil levels. Her hair was braided down her back, falling forward each time she bent over.

Drew couldn’t help moving closer. The woman had a great ass, which several of the men