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“Bossy, much?” I asked with a grin.
“I thought you liked it when I was bossy…at least, that’s my memory.”
I sighed and tried to deflect. “Open the wine while I get some glasses. Let’s get this conversation over.”
While he was setting out the lasagna, breadsticks, and salad on the small table, I retrieved two Waterford crystal wine glasses from my hutch.
His eyebrows arched as he took the glass I offered. “Fancy.”
I shrugged. “What’s the good of having crystal if you don’t use it? If it breaks, I’ll buy another. It does no good sitting on a shelf day after day, year after year. Besides, I honestly think wine tastes better out of a nice glass.”
“Works for me.” He filled both glasses with a ruby-red wine and gently tapped his glass to mine. The delicate crystal sang. “Cheers.”
“Cheers.” I took a sip and smiled. “Wow, this is excellent.”
“I have grown up from the beer and cheap booze I drank during my college days.”
I winced. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it the way it sounded. I’m sure we’ve both changed since those days. I’ll grab some plates and silverware.”
Rather than risk a comment about fancy dishes, I opted for my super casual stoneware. I set plates along with the everyday flatware on the table. It wasn’t that I didn’t have fine china and a full set of sterling silver flatware we could have used. I did. When my sisters and I had turned eighteen, my paternal grandmother had gifted each of my sisters and me with complete sets. But for tonight, all that would remain in storage.
Anyway, if Zack’s reaction to the crystal was any indication, bone china and sterling flatware would have been off-putting.
Once our plates were loaded with the mouth-watering lasagna, and we’d sat at the table, I pointed my fork at him. “Okay, say whatever it is you want to say. I know you’re itching to get it out on the table.”
He wiped his mouth on the napkin from his lap and said, “Why did you sneak away in the middle of the night? That’s bugged me for years.”
I set my fork on my plate and took a sip of wine. My gut clenched, and my throat clogged. How did I tell a man that the way he’d knocked my socks off that night had been unlike anything I’d ever experienced? Wouldn’t that be giving away too much information?
“I don’t know. Embarrassed? Unsure of how to handle the situation? I always wondered why you wanted me? How was I different from my sisters? Or you were with me because I was the available sister.” I dipped my head. “As you became aware that night, my sexual, um, experience had been limited.”
His mouth dropped. “The available one?” He sighed, set his fork on his plate, and took my hand. “You have no idea how much beer I had to drink just to get up the courage to talk to you that first night at the Orange Cactus. I didn’t stopped thinking about you all through the holiday. I was supposed to be thinking about offense plays and defense for the Sugar Bowl, and all I really wanted was to kiss you again. And then that spring when I came in with the baseball team? I walked straight past everyone, including your sisters, to get to you. I was crushing on you for months.”
“You were?” My mind whirled in confusion My heart leaped into my throat. “A crush on me?”
“Yes, you. Not Dee. Not Brooke. You. Dee and I were in class together that semester. She’s the one who told me that you and Henry had split up and that you were headed to that bar that night.”
I leaned back in my chair in astonishment. “Dee set me up?”
“I don’t know about that. All I can say is she let me know where you’d be and when.”
“Did Dee know that…um…?” I waved my hand between us.
“That I was crushing hard?” He chuckled. “I don’t know. It was a conversation with a group of people, not just me, so I can’t say that she knew. Probably didn’t.” He turned my hand over until he could lace our fingers. “I was seriously wounded when I woke up and you were gone.”
“I’m sorry.” I placed my hand over our clasped fingers. “I…I just didn’t know how to deal with…” I shrugged my lack of ability to find the words to explain my reaction to him.
“I don’t understand. I called. Dee answered and she told me you were back with Henry and I should probably leave you alone. How could we have that kind of connection and you walk away? And don’t tell me you didn’t feel it. You had to. There’s no way I was alone in my reaction.”
“Zack, you know I was pretty much a virgin that night.”
“And that confused me even more. How? You’re stunningly beautiful. You’d had a boyfriend, you know, the one you went back to after me.”
I dropped my chin to my chest. I was embarrassed by my actions and this uncomfortable discussion.
He pulled me out of my chair and into his lap. I put my face on his shoulder, but tipped my face so our gazes met. “Talk to me, Princess. This is important.”
“I was totally inexperienced. I mean, I’d been with Henry, but we hadn’t had sex, and now you’re going to ask why.” I sighed and looked in his eyes. “It never felt right. I know that sounds crazy, but in my heart, I didn’t want to sleep with…any guy…until you.”
