TWENTY-FOUR

Olivia watched Lucy wave goodbye from Linc's truck and prayed her sister didn't underestimate the confident smile the man wore. The oldest of the Bennett sisters had met her match, and how that wasn't going to play out was anyone's guess.

Actually, that wasn't true. Olivia knew that Lucy's road to happiness would be rocky at best. And treacherous at worst.

"Bitter, party of one," she mumbled as she studied her reflection in the hallway mirror. She adjusted her lilac ribbon and silently repeated several positive affirmations. It was time to flip the switch and do what was necessary to excavate her neighbor from her heart and mind.

Romantic angst wasn't going to become her new best friend. No way. She had an extraordinary life to create, and the sooner she let Zane know that her heart was her own and he had no claim on even the smallest corner of it, she would be free.

Perhaps she'd go over later and inform him of the facts as she understood them and assure him that she would keep to her end of the lane and expected him to do the same. Once they were both absolutely clear on the new parameters of their relationship, there was no reason why they couldn't be civil. They were adults and both relatively mature, so it should be a breeze.

She smoothed out her bangs and pushed her mouth into a smile. "Right as rain."

Hearing a short knock on her front door, she peered through the kitchen window. No one was expected, and she hadn't heard a car, so she couldn't imagine who it could be. Walking slowly over to the door, she looked through the side panel. "Oh." She took several steps back and tried to slow her breathing. "Not a big deal. Might as well get it over with. No time like the present and all of that."

"Liv, I know you're in there."

Darn it!

Another soft knock told her he wasn't going away and would likely camp out on the front stoop until he had his say. Though what he had to share, she couldn't imagine. What with his whole recluse, I need no one thing.

"Whatever. I can handle this!" She opened the door and told herself she felt nothing. Not an ounce of regret, attraction, or any other emotion that would allow her to resolve to soften. "Hey, neighbor. What brings you by?"

"I found one of your ribbons and wanted to return it."

"You didn't have to do that, Zane. I have dozens." Uncertainty swam in his eyes, and she ignored it with every fiber of her being.

She gave him a tip of her chin, reminding herself that it wasn't her job to make it better. Or offer solace. It was her duty to keep her walls fortified, so she didn't embrace the fool in a hug and do everything she could to take just a bit of his loneliness away. He had a dozen friends now that could do the job beautifully, and if she weren't mistaken, a pile of crumpled numbers somewhere.

He'd be fine. And so would she.

They just had to get over this rough bit first.

She took the proffered ribbon and noticed he didn't let go. He tugged on it instead and moved her closer, making the delicious heat always present when they were together tricky to ignore. "You can keep it if you want to."

"I had a whole speech prepared."

Her grip on the lilac ribbon slipped, and instead of making him release it, it drew him closer. "Well, go on then. I'm listening."

"It was something…wasn't it?"

Her heart skipped a beat, and she found none of the words floating in her brain able to be set free.

"It was for me," Zane said quietly. "And if it wasn't for you, then that's going be a hell of a pill to swallow." He took a step in. "You want to tell me everything I did wrong—I'll listen. But please, babe, don't keep quiet."

"It was something." She swallowed loudly. "But now, it's not."

"If I'm your greatest regret, then so be it because that's something I can build on. But if what we had was just a way to pass the time, then…"

"You know that's not what I was doing." She pushed her sandal across the floor. "Have you already forgotten all those unwelcomed overtures I made."

"Liv, you never did anything that wasn't one hundred percent welcome. Uncomfortable, absolutely. But that was because having a woman like you interested in any part of me simply didn't compute."

"That's some fine revisionist history, Zane."

"It's no such thing."

Praying her emotional walls could withstand the man's presence, she cleared her throat. "Netflix is killing it right now. I have plenty to keep me busy. I won't," she waved her hand around, "bother you anymore."

"You haven't been listening, Liv."

"There are hours and hours of excellent programming that I'm dying to get started on."

"Make no mistake, Liv, I will find a way to become more interesting than a travel show." He let out a frustrated huff. "If you want to watch that regency romance thing a fourth time, I will happily sit next to you and…"

"Why?" she whispered, frustration filling her chest. Why did men make the most infuriating proclamations when women were ready to walk away? "I'm not interested in a push-pull thing with you." She let go of the ribbon and watched it flutter against his hand. "You only seem to want my company when it's no longer available."

"Babe, that is not true." He linked their pinkies. "I told you from the beginning that I wasn't in any kind of mental or emotional shape to take you on. I want to be worthy and…"

"Love doesn't require perfection." She shook her head. "I think the very idea of being without fault is ludicrous. We are all worthy of affection, and our foibles are what make us lovable."

The corner of Zane's mouth tipped up. "If you mean that, then I could very well end up being the man of your dreams."

Some of the tension in her muscles drained. "I planned on telling you," Bella's happy bark interrupted her thought. "Did you get rid of Killer?"

"No!"

"Don't overreact, jeez." She unlinked their fingers and smoothed out her skirt. "Considering you all but gave him away at the race."

"I did not! And you know it since I explained the misunderstanding. Hoyt asked to show the dog to Betsy to see if she might want one. How he interpreted that to mean he could put my dog on offer so he could remedy five years of romantic screw-ups is not something I can be held responsible for."

"That doesn't answer my question." She pushed past him and walked out to the yard. "Oh."

Zane joined her and let out a laugh. "Well, there you go."

"This isn't a sign, Zane."

"Babe, it sure the hell is."

Olivia let out a sigh and knitted her hands together. Bella and Killer were lying together in the shade of the Ferris wheel, friendly as can be.

"Those are some contented dog siblings."

"Oh, be quiet. I'm sure it's an anomaly," she answered, knowing it was no such thing. Bella was as stubborn as she was, and if she allowed the little white ball of fluff on her turf, it meant something. But not what Zane thought.

"Go on, Liv. I can't wait to see how you will thread that needle."

She turned and gave what she thought was an impressive look of disinterest. "I want to state clearly, for the record, that I'm over my crush and will expect any hold you have on my affections to be released immediately."

"Yeah, that's not going to be possible."

"Why?" She stomped her foot. "You have plenty of options."

"I've got a hell of a date planned for us. How does tomorrow sound?"

"A date?" She closed her eyes and tried to determine if she was dreaming. When she felt Zane's arm brush hers, she decided it was a rabbit hole she'd fallen down. What other explanation could there be for him ignoring her clear communication?

"It's what men and women do together when they like one another."

Olivia opened her eyes. "I'm well aware of that, Zane. It's just that…" she ran her hand over her slick neck. How dare he make her so out of sorts? She was supposed to be a cool cucumber and the boss of the discussion. Instead, they were hopping around from one topic to another like rabbits on crack, never finishing one thought before they started on another. It was one of the most confounding encounters she'd ever had. "We're not involved."

"Yes, we are."

"Why are you making this so difficult?" She let out a groan. "You should be doing a happy jig and running home to call any one of the interested women in town."

"There is only one I care about, and I'm trying to ask her out on a damn date so I can make a grand gesture, so she'll forgive me, and we can start again."

"Oh." She took a step back. "Well…"

"Is that a yes to 7:00 tomorrow?"

"No." She pinched her mouth together. "I want you to release my heart."

"No can do." He kissed her cheek. "You love giving old broken-down things a second chance, don't make me the exception." Taking her hand, he pressed it against his chest. "Let's show this town and ourselves why it always works out in the end."

"That's not fair, Zane."

"That's the thing about love and war; it's got nothing to do with fair." He smiled confidently. "And don't think for a second that I won't use every down-and-dirty tactic I know to get you to allow me a second chance."

She watched the muscle in his jaw tic as his gaze fastened on her mouth. Unbidden memories floated to the surface, and she did what she could to ignore the voice in her head that said he was the one and always would be.

He ran his finger over her cheek. "One date, Liv. Please. Before you make a final decision."

"Fine," she huffed out, untucking her hand from his. "I'll go on one silly date but know that I've carefully tucked away my soft bits." She wasn't going to roll over and simply accept his words at face value. She gave him her best beady-eyed stare. "I acquired some nice new armor while I was away, so know that your efforts will likely fail." Her head throbbed, and she let out a sigh. "I didn't tape my heart back together just to have it broken again."

"Understood."

"And don't expect this little date to result in a happy ever after where we magically forget past transgressions. We're not going to have some kind of love epiphany and look at each other with hearts in our eyes just because a few sweet confessions were exchanged." She leaned back. "You are planning on some kind of sugary declaration of your feelings, right?"

"I'm not giving you the details of the battle plan, woman." He gave her a sad shake of his head. "I'm a damn spec operator with more medals than I know what to do with." He pressed a kiss to her head. "A rough start doesn't mean we can't kick love's ass. I always succeed, Liv, and this ain't gonna be any different."

Not wanting to give him undue encouragement, she shrugged carelessly. "There's a first time for everything, Zane." She gave him a saucy smirk, then spun around and stalked toward her house.

It was a shame that it was too darn early for a drink because she could sure use one.

Or three.