Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

I t was twenty minutes after seven. Carlos was sitting alone at the far booth in the diner. Kelly had been by to refill his Coke twice already, each time with an air of curiosity about her. He still claimed he wasn't ready to order yet. He was very tempted to text Bulldog to ask if he knew a way to get ahold of Clara but held off.

The bell over the entry door rang, and Carlos looked up. His heart about leapt out of his chest. Clara stepped nervously into the crowded diner. She swore a cute yellow summer dress that flowed around her knees with a pair of black flats. Her hair was done up in an intricate knot and she had a sunflower clipped above her left ear.

Fuck, she looked like a ray of sunshine.

It took Carlos a moment to catch his breath. During that time, she stood awkwardly by the hostess stand. It wasn't until Kelly made to greet Clara that Carlos got his ass in gear. He leapt out of his seat and walked down the aisle between the window booths and the milkshake bar towards her.

As soon as she saw him coming, the nervousness left her and she smiled.

Carlos smiled back. He stopped just before her. "You look beautiful."

A blush appeared on her cheeks. "Thank you." She reached up and fingered the flap of his Henley. He'd left two buttons open at the top. "I think this is the first time I've ever seen you out of your uniform."

"I wanted to look nice for you too."

A throat cleared behind them. Carlos turned to see Kelly. She had a knowing look in her eye as she glanced between Clara and Carlos. "I take it you're ready to order now?"

Zoe remembered her first date with Davis like it was yesterday. He'd taken her to a noisy bar where they drank beer and danced the night away. They'd barely spoken with the loud music, but their chemistry hadn't required words.

She hadn't slept with him that night, which she'd naively taken as him being a gentleman. After finding out that he was not only an abusive bastard, but also a cheating one, she had to wonder if he'd just gone to another woman's bed that night after dropping her off at her apartment. Zoe recalled telling her roommate at the time that Davis was "the one".

Looking back on it, she couldn't remember ever having a real conversation with Davis. Their dates were generally group events and their alone time was filled with intimate moments with no deep discussions.

Immediately upon escorting Zoe to their booth, Carlos helped her into her seat. Her back was facing the diner, which she didn't mind. He handed her a menu and said right off the bat that dinner was on him so she should get whatever she wanted. This struck home for Zoe. Davis had always ordered for her— until he'd stopped taking her out in public. He'd say that she wasn't fit to be seen in public until she lost her baby weight.

Even though Zoe knew that this really was a date, she hadn't been positive that Carlos would be paying for her meal and had to borrow cash from Jenna just in case. While Davis did pay for their dates, he always did it in a flamboyant way, to show off that he came from a wealthy family. And, of course, he always expected something in return for his generosity.

By the end of the date that wasn't a date, Zoe had to wonder what she had ever seen in Davis. Carlos was funny, sweet, and kind. He got up in the middle of their dinner to help an old woman he knew by name into her seat. When a man interrupted Carlos's story about a beach trip his family had taken when he was five to complain about a pothole that still had not been fixed, Carlos took out his phone and handled the situation immediately. Their waitress, Kelly, was cute and Zoe had picked up on the familiarity between Carlos and Kelly, but Carlos's eyes never strayed from Zoe.

It made her feel all the more foolish that she'd never picked up on Davis's infidelity because his eyes had always wandered.

They talked for hours. Long after others came and went for their meals. Zoe had even split a piece of apple pie with him and vowed that she would get her own next time because it was so good.

Zoe could not recall the last time she'd laughed so much in such a short amount of time.

She felt…comfortable with Carlos. In addition to his funny small-town stories, he talked a lot about his mom and her two battles with cancer and about how his dad had abandoned them when she'd first been diagnosed. Zoe admired his dedication to his family. It made her miss her own parents, whom she hadn't seen since the day after her arrest.

They were careful not to bring up the topic of her marriage. Zoe talked—probably too much—about Kyle. Carlos did not seem to have an issue with her having a son. He did mention, though, that he did want kids of his own someday too. Zoe wasn't sure if, emotionally, she could handle another pregnancy. She almost explained her trepidation but didn't want to ruin their time by bringing up Davis and how her pregnancy had affected their relationship.

Eventually, Kelly came to them and gently kicked them out. Zoe hadn't realized the rest of the diner was empty but for them.

Carlos held the door open for her, calling another "thank you" over his shoulder towards Kelly and the cook.

The warm August night had a nice breeze. Zoe stared up at the stars and moon. She missed the open air of Montana. There was too much light pollution in Philadelphia to see it clearly. She hadn't been paying attention enough in Mount Grove to notice, but she saw it now.

Carlos took hold of her left hand. "I don't want this night to end."

Zoe let out a long sigh. "Neither do I."

"Want to take a walk with me?"

She nodded immediately. "Yes."

He gently tugged her to the right, putting himself on the outside of the sidewalk. "Mount Grove's small, but we do have a nice park."

"Wouldn't it be closed by now?"

He smiled down at her. "Who are they going to call? The police?"

In spite of herself, Zoe laughed and let him lead her down Main Street.

Jenna and Steel were waiting up for her on their couch. Zoe had asked Carlos to drop her off at their house, since they had Kyle during her date. The sweet kiss he'd given her on the side of her mouth like he was dropping her off on her parents' doorstep sealed the fact that this was a date.

"How did it go?" Jenna's wide smile told Zoe that she'd seen Carlos's goodnight kiss.

"It was wonderful," Zoe practically swooned. She sat down in the chair cattycorner to the couch. "How was Kyle?"

"An angel," Jenna said with no hesitation. "Come on, girl, spill. Tell us everything."

Steel's expression said he could care less how Zoe's date had gone but he would indulge his wife's prying. Zoe loved the way Steel looked at Jenna. Like his entire universe, his very being, revolved around her and her happiness.

Davis had never looked at her that way. There were times when he looked at her like she was lower than the grime on the bottom of his shoe.

"We had dinner and then he took me for a walk in the park," Zoe said evasively. She wasn't even sure she could explain it. Carlos had made no sexual advances on her and yet she'd never been on such an intimate date in her life.

She looked to Steel. "I want to tell Carlos. I need to. I won't continue to see him unless he knows everything."

From the understanding on Steel's face, Zoe knew Jenna had told him everything. Or, maybe, Steel had already known.

"That's a big step for only having been on one date," he cautioned.

"And a very different tune than what you were singing this afternoon," Jenna added.

Zoe was very aware of both facts. "I know. I just… I won't live a lie. Carlos deserves to know everything. I won't play games with him." She licked her lips before adding, "I won't let him develop feelings for me before he knows the risk of being with me."

Jenna and Steel exchange a look. One that she'd seen many times before with her parents that told her a very close couple was having a silent conversation.

"I think that's very good of you," Jenna finally said. "I think it shows how much you care for him."

Zoe felt her cheeks heat and she looked away. "I have to know my son is safe. Regardless of what happens with Carlos and me, I need you to swear to me that Kyle is safe with you."

"Of course," Jenna and Steel speak together. Then Jenna said, "But, honey, I don't think you have anything to worry about. Based on what I saw through the window, that boy's already half in love with you."

Thinking back on their date, Zoe feared he wasn't the only one falling.