“He says it’s nothing. The photo was before us. We talked.”
Her friend sighed. “What are you going to do?”
“I wish I could get out of here. If it’s all over the internet, I know it’s all over town.”
“I wish there was something I could do. If only you could come back here and unwind a bit.”
“Maybe I should.” The tension built in her forehead.
“You love him?”
Zoe bobbed her head. She didn’t dare tell him before he left. What if it was too soon? “Yeah.”
“That’s great. You’re letting someone in again,” her friend told her.
“I know. That’s what so scary.” Zoe touched a hand to her chest. “It’s as if I know I’m doing the right thing, but there are still…”
“Doubts.” Roslyn finished her thought.
Zoe needed to talk to Dr. Burns. She was long overdue for a conversation. “At least I have school to focus on.” She rolled her shoulders back. “Anything else going on that I should know about.”
“Well…”
Zoe groaned. “What now?” She had enough drama for one day.
“I saw some flyers around campus and...”
“And what? It’s all over campus?”
“No, Jayden.”
Jayden? He was the last person Zoe thought she would hear about today. “What about him? He’s a professor at the school now?”
“More like a motivational speaker that’s coming to a seminar here.”
Zoe ran her hand down her face. “Wow.”
“I saw a clip of a video they put together for the promotion. He may be in a wheelchair, but he looks happy. Inspired, even. From what I’ve heard on campus, they’ve been trying to book him for a while. Didn’t you say once you hated that you never got closure?”
“I did but that was then. He’s moved on, Roslyn. I’ve done enough to mess up his life. Let him be happy,” Zoe said.
“I still think it’ll be a good idea to see him speak.”
It’d been too long. Sure, Jayden may have moved forward with his life, but that didn’t mean he needed to see her. Zoe looked upward, but the ceiling fan held no answers.
Chapter 19
Hydraulic ramps going up and down met Alex’s ears as he carried a takeout bag. Between rehearsals and traveling with the band, he didn’t get to see his father as much, so lunch proved to be a great idea. The smells of oil and grease overwhelmed his nose.
A few of the other workers in mechanic boots and grease-stained coveralls nodded at him. He waved with his free hand. Alex didn’t stop his stride, but continued to his dad’s office. He knocked on the cracked door.
His father smiled as he sat behind his desk. “About time.”
Alex rolled his eyes but smiled back. “Here’s your sandwich.” He passed his father his plastic bag.
“You look tired,” his father said.
Alex sat in the leather seat across from his father. He rubbed his eyes. “Rough night.”