Falling for the Ghost of You(12)

"Welcome," he says, and smiles over at me. My heart bumps around erratically.

Mom looks pathetically relieved, and things go better after that. Zane is super easy to talk to, and seems nothing like his awkwardly shy dad. I can't help stealing glances at his incredibly perfect profile, the sculpted features...that sexy mouth...I bet he's a fantastic kisser. And I've always been a sucker for broad shoulders. And a hard muscled chest and washboard abs—visible even under his shirt.

My eyes helplessly trail down his trim waist and hips to his long jean-clad legs sprawled carelessly under the table. When I finally get back to his face, I realize he's watching me check him out.

Oh, my god! So embarrassing!

I meet his amused gaze for a split second, before I turn away so fast I nearly give myself whiplash. I try to think of something to say to explain my staring, but what can I say that will excuse all the drooling?

I'm not really drooling. I touch the corners of my mouth to make sure.

Oh, thank goodness. Mom is talking.

"Zane, I gave Violet your number in case of an emergency. I hope that's okay?"

"Absolutely. Feel free to call me anytime, Violet."

"Thanks," I mutter, still blushing like a freak.

"Violet, call Zane so he can have your number," Mom says to me.

"Um, I will," I say uncomfortably. “Later.”

Never. With any luck, I won't have to see him until the wedding. Maybe by then he will have forgotten about my perverted eye-lick.

Ugh!



"So, what do you think?" Mom asks me on the drive home.

"Bill seems nice," I mumble, looking out the window at the passing scenery. "Good-looking, too. You guys are cute together."

"Thanks! He likes you, too. I know he seems like the strong silent type, but once he gets to know you, he'll open up more."

I try to picture Bill and I sitting side by side on the couch, eating popcorn and talking about our feelings. The image refuses to come. Instead, I see us sitting quietly together at a table, sewing different parts of a quilt.

I don't know why I'm imagining that. It doesn't make sense.

"Once again, Violet, I am so sorry about the stripper/hooker thing. I don't know why those words were in my head, but I would never—"

I turn away from the window to pat Mom's shoulder. "Forget it, it's fine. I know you didn't mean it. It's like the time you had car trouble, and that mean cop hassled you."

Mom clutches the steering wheel with both hands and groans. "Oh, don't remind me about that. I nearly got arrested for that one."

I snicker. "Hey, anyone can get 'blowout' confused with 'blow jo—'"

"Ah, don't!"

"I think that cop would've taken you up on your offer if I hadn't been there."

Mom cringes. "It wasn't an offer!"

She suddenly bursts out laughing, and I join in. We giggle our heads off--until Mom accidentally runs a red light.

After a breathless silence, Mom clears her throat.

"So, " she says. "That Zane is really cute, huh?"

I freeze, my cheeks instantly heating up. "I guess," I mutter.

"Charming, too. Bill doesn't really say much about him, but I get the feeling he's a bit of a player."

"Mm-hmm."

Mom swings her blue-eyed gaze towards me. "Well...he's going to be your step brother, so you'll probably be seeing a lot of him, and—oh, I don't know. I guess I'm trying to say, a guy who looks like that, what woman—or girl—wouldn't maybe get a crush on him? Which would be a bad idea because—"

"Whoa, Mom," I interject, holding up a hand in a stopping motion. "Are you trying to tell me you're crushing on...Bill's son?"

"What? N-no!" Mom sputters. "I mean—that is ridiculous! I'm not a cougar! I was talking about you, Violet."

"Me, what?"

She takes a deep breath. "I hope you see Zane as a future brother, and not anything else. Okay?"

"Um...okay."

Did she see me looking at him like a piece of meat? Is that why she called me a hooker? How embarrassing!

"I just don't want you to get hurt," Mom is saying. "And any guy who looks like that—well, he's bound to break your heart."

I don't say anything. Is she thinking about my father? He was handsome and charming, and he broke her heart with his cheating ways.

And look what happened with Matt. He didn't exactly break my heart, but he destroyed my trust. Do all guys cheat? Some days, it seems like it.

This is depressing.

I turn back to the window, lost in thought. I want to brood over Matt's betrayal, but a pair of gorgeous dark eyes keep popping up in my head, distracting me.

No! I will those eyes to disappear. Mom is right. Any guy who looks like Zane would surely break my heart. And what did I want with a broken heart?