Page 68 of A New Chapter

“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” Zack asked after Gracie left the room.

“Absolutely. What could be so hard about picking out a costume?”

Almost three hours later, Emma had her answer. They had gone to four different stores until Gracie finally settled on a Rapunzel costume, complete with a long blonde wig. Gracie was so exhausted from the experience that she had fallen asleep in the back seat on the way home. Zack carefully lifted her out of the vehicle and carried her upstairs before he rejoined Emma in the living room.

Emma was tired too and had kicked back on Zack’s leather couch with her feet up on the ottoman. Zack sat beside her, but he maintained a respectable distance in case Gracie were to suddenly wake up.

“Thanks for spending the day with us,” Zack said.

“It was fun, although I feel like I could take a nap too.”

“Welcome to my life,” he said off-handedly.

Emma turned sideways to see him better, but his eyes were closed, and his breathing was getting deep. She resisted the urge to kiss him and quietly got up from the couch. Emma would have gladly stayed with them for the rest of the day and night, but she didn’t want to push things. The day had been perfect as far as she was concerned, and she decided to leave it at that. She went into the kitchen, scribbled a note to Zack, and then let herself out.

Emma went through the rest of the day in quiet contentment. When she crawled into bed that night, she realized that she didn’t feel lonely, like she had on a lot of nights since her divorce. She read a few chapters in her book and looked forward to Zack’s phone call, which came around nine thirty, just as expected.

“Hey, Em.”

“Hey,” she replied, smiling like a fool.

“Are you in bed?”

“Um-hmm.”

“Wish I was with you.”

“Me too.”

Zack was quiet for a few seconds. “It was a great day, wasn’t it?”

“Yes,” she affirmed.

“I want more of those.”

“Ditto.”

“You’re sure you want to be a part of our crazy life.”

Emma hadn’t been so sure of anything in a very long time. “Yes,” she answered simply.

Zack was quiet again. “God, I really wish you were here right now.”

Emma picked at a loose thread on her bedspread. “What would you do with me?”

Zack cleared his throat. “Well, first I would kiss that place on your neck that really makes you squirm.”

“And then?”

“Then I would work my way down to your magnificent breasts.”

Emma’s eyebrows raised, and she felt herself getting warm. “And then?”

“Then I would check to see if you’re wearing your days-of-the-week underwear.”

Emma choked on her laughter. “That just ruined it!” she complained.

“Daaaad…”

“No, that just ruined it.” Zack sighed.

Emma laughed again. “And so it begins…”