nostrils flare. She stands there, huffing in place, and I almost move my hands in front of my balls because she has a strange expression on her face.
“Besides, we’re tied. We need to have a tiebreaker. There has to be a clear winner.”
“What the dirty dog devil are you talking about? Rock, paper, scissors?”
“No.”
Zoe studies me for a minute. Then her eyes flash with understanding. “You’re a pig.”
“I can be. I’ve been called worse, and I can probably be that too at any given time. But sometimes, I’m nice too. Like right now. If you say this will never happen again, then it will never happen again. I believe you, and I respect you. I’m sure as hell never going to force you to do something you don’t want to do, and I’m not going to tell you how to feel either.”
Zoe stares at me like I just sprouted a second dick, this one from my armpit or forehead, and because of its dubious nature, growing where it shouldn’t, it’s not viewed as a potential source for pleasure, but more of extreme worry. Zoe used to be a master of changing the subject. Obviously, that hasn’t changed.
“Lead the way back to the lodge. Stay silent the entire time, for the love of pity Pete.”
“What’s to pity about Pete?”
“Argh!” Zoe’s eyes lift up to the sky like she thinks something up there can help her. Or maybe she’s just trying to brace against another bastard dive bomber spruce beetle or whatever they’re called. Pine sawyer—that might also be the name. I’ve heard the lodge owners tell us about both. Fuck if I know what it was. I didn’t even see the foul fucker. “You’re not getting a tiebreaker. Let’s go.”
“Alright.”
“Alright?”
“We’ll see. I have bets on you coming to me. Or just coming.”
Zoe stands rigid. She’s not even going to dignify that with an answer. I know Zoe, though, or at least I used to. I can tell when she’s genuinely pissed, and right now, she’s just acting. The truth is there in her eyes. The truth is there is something strange and undeniable between us—a chemistry neither of us expected. Something. Something that just isn’t going to go away. It’s definitely physical, but it’s sure the hell more than that too.
It feels like something connected to the heart.
It feels a little bit like being soulmates, that connection. Like someone whom you met once, and no matter how much time passes, you just pick up right where you left off. Maybe I’m not using that term correctly. I think there are different kinds of soulmates, though. I kind of feel like Zoe never left, except she did. And she grew up. But she’s still the same Zoe deep down inside. She still isn’t afraid to speak her mind, and she’s still the same girl who would take on a crowd of bullies if they were picking on someone she loves. She always stood up for what she believed in. She was fearless, full of heart. Such a huge heart that’s so much bigger than her small stature.
Zoe always got along with just about everyone. Obviously. There isn’t a single person out there who is capable of not loving her in some sort of way.
Of course, it’s connected. This girl used to be my best friend, and we tattooed each other’s initials into our skin. Maybe it’s the blood poisoning kicking in after all these years that’s messing with our heads.
Maybe.
But I don’t think so.
“Just so you know,” Zoe grumbles a few minutes later from further behind me than I’d like her to be. “I’m still giving my notice.”
I can’t even begin to smother my grin. She can’t see it anyway, but she probably knows it’s there. “We’ll see.”
CHAPTER 14
Zoe
The moment I’ve been sweating over and dreading is finally here.
Raiden literally paid a private cab company to come out to the lodge, which is in the middle of nowhere but still has road access, to come and get us to take us into Denver for lunch with his mom. I sat up front so I wouldn’t have to talk to him.
Thankfully, our driver, a younger guy who didn’t look old enough to have a valid license, wasn’t in the mood for conversation either, so I could just sit and stew in my worries instead of talking about something else.
When we get to the place, Raiden opens the door of a classic looking family restaurant and holds it for me. He’s not a gentleman,