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“No way! I love that movie! Oh, this is perfect.” For the first time since she got here, her smile stretches across her face and reaches her eyes. She’s actually excited and happy. My heart swells a little knowing I’m able to bring her a little bit of joy.
I want to make her laugh. “Hey, how did the picture end up in jail?”
She winces, already sensing what’s coming. “Oh no. Not these again.”
“It was framed!” I waggle my eyebrows and let out a deep laugh. I know these drive her crazy, but I think I’m wearing her down. She’s starting to love them.
“Seriously, how do you just have them ready to go?” Zoey waves her sandwich around.
I shrug, popping a piece of fruit into my mouth. “Trade secret.”
“Secret, huh? You can keep your secret. I really do not care to be brought in on that one.” She shakes her head and bites into a strawberry. Yeah, I need a change of conversation fast.
I shift myself a bit on the blanket and say the first thing that comes to mind, “So, you’ve met my parents, and I’m sure at some point you will meet my brothers.”
“Brothers? As in, plural?” She raises an eyebrow.
“Levi’s the oldest. I’m after him, and then there’s Asher and the youngest, Maverick.”
“Wow, you all have some interesting names.”
I shrug. “My parents have pretty common names, so I think they were trying to make us all stand out a little bit. At least when they named us, the names weren’t as popular. What about your name?”
“Um.” Zoey hesitates. I already know that’s because it’s not her real name. “My parents never really shared things like that with me.”
“Why not?” I look down, hoping I’m not pushing her too far with asking personal things. Thankfully, she has decided not to hold back.
“They were never really good parents to me. They were to my older sister, but never to me. I was the screw up or the dumb one. Always the black sheep of the family. If I ever needed them, they would laugh in my face and tell me to figure it out or deal with it on my own.” Her hands start to shake in her lap. I can see her bottom lip tremble. Shit.
“Zoey …” Scooting closer, I put my arm around her.
“They’re just horrible people. I pray I never see them again,” she says, her words barely above a whisper.
Is she running from her family? Who the fuck’s her family?
I run my hand along her arm. “What about friends?”
She shakes her head and leans into me. “Don’t have any. I did at one point. But then again, I also used to have a career.” Zoey lets out a gasp and goes rigid in my arms. She let something slip. Her career, she had to give it up. Another piece to the Zoey puzzle.
“Explain, Zo.” I rub her back, coaxing her to give me a little more.
She hesitates for a moment, and I don’t push her, but then she finally relents. “I was a teacher. I loved my job, my students, everything. But then I was told I needed to stop. It was my duty, and my career would only pose problems.”
“Who would it cause problems for?” I whisper to her.
But she shakes her head, clamping down, not giving me anymore than she already has.
“Okay. It’s okay. When you’re ready, will you tell me? I don’t want you holding this all on your shoulders.” I take my hand and put it under her chin, making her look at me. “I’m not here to judge you or hurt you, but I am here to listen and maybe even help, if you let me.”
We sit there for a moment and just stare at each other. I’m sure the movie has started, but neither of us care.
Zoey is the first to break the tension. “Your tats.”
“What about them?” My brows furrow, and my eyes meet hers.
“What do they mean?”
I sigh. This was not how I pictured tonight going, but if this helps her feel more comfortable so she can open up to me, so be it.