Page 50 of Last Fall

12

Zoe

With Sparks Like That She Could Get Pregnant Just LookingAtYou

“I’m warning you now,the Cassidy family can be loud,” Erik said when I found him waiting for me at the front of the restaurant. Since we all drove separately to the rink we all drove separately to the restaurant. I took my time, not wanting to be the first eager person waitingaround.

Plus it was kind of nice to see Erik smiling when I walked inthedoor.

“I kind of figured that was why you chose a loud Italian family stylerestaurant.”

“You know what? You’re really smart.” He touched my elbow with his hand and began guiding me toward thetable.

His touch sent electric tingles up my arm. My pulse jumped. And it hit me. I was doing this. I was getting to know a man with the intention of itbecomingmore.

“Hey Zoe!” Riley called the minute he saw me. So enthusiastic and just...nice. He even threw down his napkin and ran over to give me a hug before I sat. “I’m gladyoucame.”

Belle sat beside him on one side and it looked as though Erik had taken the other. Leaving one empty seat beside Erik and one across thetable.

I satbesideErik.

“We already ordered a couple of bottles of wine for the table and a few appetizers. Just dig in on anything,” Erik said as he poured a glass of red wine. “Red or white?” His hand moved toward the otherbottle.

“Redworks.”

He slid that glass over to me, then grabbed another and poured himself a glass as well. “Jack will be over in a bit after he gets the team settled and has a call with his boss. We usually hang out and get a little drunk while heworks.”

Perfect. Loose lips were great for learning aboutpeople.

Just as Erik predicted, conversation took off fast and furious, bouncing between the three of them at lightning speed. I learned that Riley was essentially another member of the family and that it wasn’t uncommon for the Cassidys to absorb friends and make them part of their big happyfamily.

“You never feel, I don’t know, less important?” I asked Belle. Brian and I fought for our parent’s attention and we both usually lost. I couldn’t imagine having to also compete with multiple siblings and theirfriends.

“Honestly? Sometimes. But usually that’s just some family dynamics gone haywire,” she said. “It’s not like they’re strangers. My friends aren’t justmyfriends. They know these knuckleheads. They hang with my sisters. I’m glad Mom isn’t constantly trying to feed us all anymore, but she could if she wanted to. She has one of those hearts that just expands to include morepeople.”

I noticed Erik tense. His hand froze halfway from the dip to his mouth. His other hand gripped the edge of the table. He swallowed hard a couple of times then took a breath and continued as if nothinghappened.

But something had clearly happened. Something that upset him. I ran back Belle’s words but couldn’t figureitout.

“Has there ever been a falling out or maybe friends that didn’t get along? Or maybe a brother who didn’t approve ofsomeone?”

Erik laughed. “As if any of my sisters care what I think. I just show up with the shotgun to scare the boys they bring home but that’s about all the power Iwield.”

“You do more than that,” Belle saidsoftly.

And once again, something seemed tobotherErik.

Riley noticed this time too, because he immediately changed the conversation. “So Zoe, why do you use a pen name? Or is that standardpractice?”

“It’s not unusual.” I explained the complicated and varied reasons different authors chose to write under a pseudonym, carefully avoiding the reasons why I used one, all while Erik and his sister had a silent conversation across the table. They weren’t angry so muchassad.

“How did you pickyours?”

“Well Zoe is my name, and I didn’t think I liked the idea of having a completely different name. Hyde was the name of a childhood friend. Her parents were these laid-back hippie types who would have loved the idea of me being awriter.”

“Do you ever think you’ll write under your real name?” Erik asked, his attention back on ourconversation.

“Nope. And I rarely share pictures of myself. I keep my identity as hidden as Ireasonablycan.”