She had to remember that. She had to remember that this was what he did. He made everyone feel like he heard them, like he cared about them. Like he made her feel.
That was precisely why she wasn’t getting serious about a man like Zep Guidry. But she could have a little fun and break out of this horrible cage she’d been in since the divorce.
Not the divorce. Since her partner died.
“That’s cool. I didn’t know he worked there. I’ve met the vet. She seems nice.” She was a lovely woman who lived and practiced in New Orleans. She helped out in some of the more rural parishes a couple of times a month.
Was she the reason Zep volunteered his time?
“She is. She’s also married and happily so,” Lila said.
She was glad Lila couldn’t see her because she could feel herself flush. “Why would that matter to me?”
“Because you should know Zep doesn’t have a thing for her. From what I can tell, he doesn’t have a thing for anyone but you. I see Zep a lot, you know. His brother is married to my sister. Zep’s much smarter than anyone—including his family—gives him credit for. Sometimes it takes an outsider to see past, well, to see past a person’s past.”
Roxie was confused. “What does that mean?”
“It means Zep likes to project a certain image. Okay, not likes. He’s used to being the hot guy, the cool guy. Remy was the athlete, the solid one. Sera was the pretty, popular girl. Zep learned from a young age that his place was to make people laugh, to make them feel good. After his father died, from what I can tell, he made everyone comfortable. I’ve had some conversations with my sister and brother-in-law and Remy says he doesn’t once remember his brother crying even though he was incredibly close to his dad. But he would hear him at night. He wouldn’t cry in front of anyone because he didn’t want to upset his mother. He was ten, Roxie. Imagine a ten-year-old boy who is willing to check his own emotions to spare someone he thought needed him to be strong. There’s a depth to him that most people miss.”
She heard him talking outside and moved to the door. She’d been sitting here wondering how to get what she wanted out of him with the least amount of embarrassment, and that included not directly asking him for what she wanted. She lifted one of the blinds, and sure enough, there was Zep still dressed the way he’d been for dinner. He held Daisy’s new leash, which was attached to the red collar Roxie had picked for her earlier in the day, and he was talking to Cal Beaumont, who was in town visiting his mother. Cal was in his car, the window rolled down. Her house was on the way to Beaumont House so it must have been good timing. Cal had been Zep’s closest friend for a long time, but he’d recently moved to Dallas for a new job.
Was Zep lonely without his friend?
Well, he’d definitely made another. Daisy was looking up at Zep like he was the most beautiful thing in the world, her head tilted up and her dark eyes filled with puppy love.
“It’s not a real relationship,” she murmured to Lila. Though she intended it to be real in a physical sense. At least for a while. She could practically feel his lips on hers. She’d thought she remembered everything about that night, thought the experience was branded onto her soul.
That kiss in the parking lot had proven her wrong because that kiss had been even better. That kiss had promised a place for her to forget the world.
“I know you had one briefly.”
“We had a one-night stand.” Damn the rumor mills. She’d known there had been people who’d seen her with him that night and that the bartender might have talked, but Lila hadn’t even been in town back then. The fact that the story was still circulating brought heat to her cheeks.
This was precisely why she hadn’t taken him up on his offer of more. Once could be written off as a test drive. From what she could tell, most of the women in Southern Louisiana had slept with Zep at one time or another. She’d seen them sigh as he walked in a room and giggle behind their hands, likely comparing their nights in his bed.
Jealousy sucked. She had to let go of it because he wasn’t a man who settled down.
“All I’m saying is maybe you should consider giving him a real chance,” Lila replied.
She wasn’t sure she had the choice. Not unless she was willing to come clean with her parents. That would be the only way she could see to avoid the inevitable fact that they would wind up in bed together. If she was honest with herself, she didn’t even want to consider letting Zep go. Everyone knew why she was hanging out with him. They understood why he was staying at her place. Would they talk regardless? Yes, but she could face those rumors. “I’m grateful he’s helping me.”