Page 31 of Keeping Zita

“What? Are you kidding me?” Sage asked from behind her.

Turning, Zita smiled up at him. “Nope.”

“Change in plans. Star Wars movie marathon is now on the agenda. We’ll order in.”

Zita giggled.

Laryn rolled her eyes. “Not everyone is a Star Wars freak like you, Obi-Wan.”

“She might love it, won’t know until she sees them,” was his response.

“Come on. We could stand here all night shooting the shit, and I’m tired,” Casper said, putting his arm around Laryn’s waist.

“Does that mean PT in the morning won’t be as stupid as it has been recently?” Pyro asked.

Casper grinned. “I believe I already answered that question earlier.”

“Shit.”

“Damn.”

“You just had to open your mouth, didn’t you, Pyro?”

Zita giggled at how disgruntled all the men sounded. They all made their way to the door, but at the last minute, Zita dropped Sage’s hand and dashed over to the bar to thank the bartender for helping to get rid of Carmen and her sidekick.

He smiled and winked at her. “My pleasure. I hope to see you again soon.”

“I think you will,” Zita said a little shyly, as she looked over her shoulder at Sage. He was waiting by the door, giving her a moment to talk to the man behind the bar. She headed toward him once again, waving at the girls at the table next to where they’d been sitting, who called out their goodbyes in drunken slurs.

Zita looked back at the bartender, concerned for the women. He correctly read her look right, because he said, “Don’t worry. They’re in here every other week or so, and their husbands take turns at being designated driver. They’ll text one of them when they’re ready to go. They’ll be fine.”

Nodding, and satisfied that the women were in good hands, she made her way back to Sage. His friends had all left the bar by then, and he immediately took her hand in his once more. It felt good. Right. As if they’d been holding hands for months rather than tonight for the first time.

They exited into the cool night air, and Zita saw that Edge and Chaos were still in the lot. They were standing by their cars, shooting the shit.

“They haven’t left?” Zita asked Sage.

“After what happened to Mandy, we’re all sure to never leave anyone alone in the lot again. Just in case.”

Zita felt sad about Mandy’s assault all over again, but she loved that the men had changed their routines to look out for each other. Again, that proved what good men they were.

After settling Zita into the passenger seat of his Jeep, Sage gave his friends a chin lift, which he got in return, before getting behind the wheel. As they headed down the road toward her motel, Zita leaned against the headrest and turned to look at Sage as he drove.

“You good?” he asked, obviously feeling her gaze on him.

“More than. You?”

“Perfect.”

“I hope things will be okay on set tomorrow. And after that,” she mused.

“They will be. I don’t do drama. Carmen most certainly got the hint tonight that she’s barking up the wrong tree with me. It’ll be fine.”

Again, Zita wasn’t so sure, but she kept her mouth shut, not wanting to ruin the mellow mood. All too soon, Sage pulled into the parking lot of her motel, and she told him what room she was in instead of making him drop her off at the lobby.

She trusted him. Some people would think she was making a mistake, but she’d seen firsthand exactly how trustworthy Sage was. If she couldn’t trust him, she was going to become a nun and move to the mountains of Switzerland and live the life of a recluse.

“What’s put that smile on your face?” Sage asked as he pulled into a space in front of her room, and she unfastened her seat belt.