Page 22 of Meant for Me (Magnolia Bay #3)

twelve

T he diner lights were turned low, the chairs all flipped up on the tables. From the kitchen behind the counter, a cabinet door slammed as Elisa’s head chef, Lucius, cleaned up in the back for the night.

The party was over. After Linc and Amelia had returned from Amelia’s dramatic exit, everyone left for home, offering one last round of well wishes on their hustle out the door.

The cracked frame had subtly been boxed up with everything else, and Zoey had yet to be alone with Linc to hear how the conversation between him and Amelia went.

Now, she contemplated snagging another cupcake from the bakery box Elisa was packing up, but her ceremony dress was decidedly tighter than it had been when she’d gotten ready earlier that afternoon. Probably shouldn’t.

Then again, it wasn’t like she needed to fit into any of the silky unmentionables she’d unwrapped an hour ago.

“I have a question, Mrs. Fontenot.” Elisa nestled a leftover cupcake inside the bakery box, her tone overly casual—meaning the question would not be.

Uh-oh.

Zoey leaned against the countertop, craning her neck to look out the diner window—but no sign of rescue in sight.

Linc and Amelia had gotten a ride back to the courthouse to get Linc’s truck, and then they were supposed to come pick her up.

She’d volunteered to stay and help clean, hoping to smooth over any lingering tension between her and Elisa over the elopement.

Had she known Elisa was getting suspicious of the truth, however…“Shoot.”

Frosting smeared the side of Elisa’s thumb, and she licked it off. “Why don’t you marry Linc?”

Huh? Zoey waved her hand in front of her best friend’s face. The flash of the gold band still looked foreign on her finger, and she lowered her hand, tucking her fingers into a fist. “Earth to Elisa. Didn’t you just help host our wedding reception?”

Elisa tucked a strand of blond hair behind her ear, her eyes narrowed. “I hosted a party, but I’m not convinced it was for a wedding.”

Uh-oh. What did that mean?

Zoey cleared her throat. “Do I need to pull out the marriage license for you?” It was in a folder in Linc’s truck, in the nice little envelope the courthouse had provided. All neat and tidy, like their makeshift family was supposed to be now.

Though between her undeniable feelings for Linc, Madam Paulette’s gift, and Amelia’s second abrupt departure from Magnolia Blossom, it was starting to feel more like someone had started a second fire in her life.

“You need to pull out the truth .” Elisa crossed her arms over her chest. Her eyes were kind, despite her firm tone. “Though I’m pretty sure God and I both already know what that is.”

She should have known her best friend would see through the charade. “How did you figure it out?”

Elisa went back to packing cupcakes. Oh, and a small, only partially cut cheesecake. Where had that been all afternoon? “The comment you made earlier about my being a ‘real bride’ was a giveaway.”

Oops. Zoey covered her face with her hands. “Do you think anyone else could tell?”

“Probably not. But why are you lying about marrying Linc? Is it for Amelia’s sake?” Elisa frowned. “Because I don’t think the girl needs any more lies in her life.”

Zoey peeked through her fingers. “We are married.”

“I know that. But only on a technicality.” Elisa reached out, covered Zoey’s hands with hers atop the counter. “Were things really that bad for you financially? Were you that desperate? Or was it because of Amelia?”

All of that, and none of it. Zoey released a sigh, grateful the truth was out there to someone.

Her shoulders lightened, despite the knot forming in her stomach.

One symptom for another. “Linc needed help. I needed help. Amelia needs help.” Zoey offered a one-shouldered shrug. “I know it sounds crazy.”

“It would.” Elisa nodded. “Except I think you’re both using this as an excuse.”

“An excuse?”

“Sure. Think about it.”

Zoey scoffed. “Right. Like Linc was so in love with me, he burned down my beignet shop and faked having a teen daughter to convince me to marry him.”

“Not like that.” Elisa chuckled. “Sorry, that was funny. I mean, I think deep down both of you wanted this with each other, and it just took all the sudden chaos of Amelia’s arrival and the fire to make it happen.”

Ha, again. “No way.” Zoey shook her head, playing with the edge of a cupcake liner. “Linc made it very clear this was a business arrangement. Practicality, only.”

Elisa’s brow furrowed. “So what later? You just get divorced?”

“No.” Zoey shook her head, paused. “Probably not.”

Elisa sighed. “So you haven’t thought any of this out long-term? You two just ran to the courthouse?”

Zoey lifted her chin. “We drove.”

“ Zoey …”

“I don’t know, okay? We decided to handle what’s happening right now, and deal with the future later.” She was repeating Linc’s almost exact words. As if she believed them.

As if he was right instead of Elisa.

“Sure.” Her friend nodded slowly. “After all, it’s just marriage. Family. A teenager’s life. No biggie.”

Ouch. “That’s not fair.” Zoey’s chest heated beneath her dress. “We did what we had to do because it’s such a biggie.”

“Right. Because you wanted to do it.”

She pursed her lips. “That’s not helpful.”

“Not helpful because it’s true?”

Zoey started to argue, then hesitated, heart thudding. “Maybe it’s true for me.”

“Aha!” Elisa pointed, triumphant.

“A little true. But it doesn’t matter, because it’s not true for Linc, and no way am I going to mess all this up by being like ‘oh by the way, I like-like you.’” Zoey rolled her eyes. “It’d ruin everything.”

Elisa smirked. “Yes, falling for your husband would be tragic.”

“You don’t understand. You have a fairy tale going on with Noah.”

Her friend’s smile faded.

Oops. She wasn’t being very sunny right now. “Which is great for you, and this is great for me.” Zoey rushed ahead. “Everything is great exactly as it is.”

She really needed to stop using the word great .

Zoey thought through her next words before speaking. “Linc and I have a plan that works for us and is good for Amelia.” There. She smiled, channeling all things cheery. Silver linings.

Puppies and rainbows.

Elisa nodded. “I see. A plan that makes sure no one gets hurt.”

Finally, Elisa was getting it. “ Exactly .”

“Ha!” Elisa smacked the countertop with her hand. Zoey jumped. “That was a trap. Of course someone is going to get hurt.”

Panic knocked. But Zoey refused to answer. Sunshine, puppies, rainbows…“Don’t be silly. We’re all adults here.”

“Right. Adults with flesh-and-blood hearts.”

“Actually, Linc’s might be tin.”

“You’re playing with fire.” Elisa winced. “Sorry. Poor word choice.”

Zoey glared. “Why do people keep doing that?”

“You know what I mean. Someone is going to catch feelings—or from the sound of it, catch more of them than they already have.” She widened her eyes pointedly at Zoey.

“I appreciate the concern.” Zoey held up both hands. Dunkin’ donuts, there was that ring again. She averted her eyes from it. “But Linc and I are best friends, we’ll figure it out. This is ultimately about Amelia. Him and Amelia.”

“Sure.” Elisa’s voice softened. “But you matter too.”

“This feels like the moment in a movie right before the characters break into song.”

“Funny.”

“Just do me a favor. Don’t tell anyone else in our group?” Zoey cringed. “This is complicated enough without having to keep up with who knows what.”

“Fine. You win.” Elisa held up one finger. “But I reserve the right to say a big fat I told you so if this blows up in your face later.”

She was off the hook, finally. “Thank you.” Zoey reached over and hugged her. It was nice to be loved, even if that meant interrogation. “Also, I know you’d never actually do that.”

“You’re right.” Elisa hugged her back. “But I might think it.”

“That’s pretty hardcore for you.”

“Or there’s another option, like I suggested.” Elisa gripped her shoulders. “ Marry Linc.”

Zoey pulled away, hoping the heat in her chest hadn’t reached her cheeks. “Why don’t you just focus on marrying Noah, huh?”

“Oh, I’m focused.” Elisa squeezed Zoey’s hand, eyes sobering. “I just want you to be happy too.”

“ Happy ?” Zoey flashed a smile, the one she felt big enough for a teeth whitening ad. Big enough to convince people a lie was the truth.

Maybe even convince herself. “Way ahead of you. I’m pure sunshine, baby.” Nary a cloud a sight.

But maybe only because she was scared to fully open her eyes.

* * *

She needed carbs.

Zoey padded silently down the hall. Past Amelia’s room, toward the kitchen in smiley-face house shoes, her fuzzy purple bathrobe cinched tight.

Linc and Amelia had finally picked her up at the diner, and by the time they’d put away all their gifts—the silky stuff going in the far back of Zoey’s dresser drawer—and Amelia had gone to bed, Linc was sound asleep in his recliner.

Hardly a typical wedding night.

Zoey had gone to bed several hours ago herself, but couldn’t sleep for tossing and turning, wondering what had transpired in the conversation between Amelia and Linc after the teen ran out of Magnolia Blossom. Wondering if anyone else was going to see through this marriage like Elisa had.

Wondering what her husband was thinking from across the house.

She rounded the corner of the hallway. The gravity of it all had hit her afresh, lying in bed alone, staring at the ceiling.

No wonder Cade stress-ate his way through the Magnolia Days fundraiser this summer.

Apparently, Zoey had been missing out all these years by choosing to simply deny she was stressed.

Resignation and leftover cheesecake sounded way better.

She wouldn’t even bother to turn on the light, she’d just grab a fork and—aw, man. A golden glow streamed from the open fridge door, blocking her view of whoever was on the other side. Was she too late? If it was Amelia, she’d let her have the leftovers without a fight.

If it was Linc, though…