Barefoot in the Sun (Barefoot Bay)(66)

“She read shampoo bubbles when I did her hair,” Gloria Vail said as she stood flanked by her cousin, Grace, and her aunt, Charity, who looked around like she was determined to find someone doing something she could criticize. “Said I’d found true love.”

“You have found true love,” Zoe said. “I could see it all over Slade’s face when I met with him the other day.”

Goria beamed. “How can we thank you enough, Zoe? Closing that case by proving Matthew Hobarth Senior had murdered his son was the best thing that ever happened in his career.”

“He’s in Naples, meeting with his new boss.” Gloria smiled, brushing back her dark hair in a nervous gesture. “He’s so excited about the promotion to the Naples office.”

“He should be,” Zoe said. “Thanks to him, we not only got the DNA sample the FBI needed, we got a confession.”

Next to Grace, Charity snorted. “It wasn’t like Slade muscled it out of the guy using his state-of-the-art interrogation techniques.”

Gloria closed her eyes, fighting for patience. “It doesn’t matter how he got it, Aunt Charity. He got it.”

“On the man’s deathbed while he was getting last rites.” Charity rolled her eyes. “Puhlease.”

“I’m eternally grateful,” Zoe said quickly, pulling Gloria to her with a kind hand. Not only had Slade gotten the DNA evidence to prove Pasha was innocent and her ex was guilty, he’d convinced the FBI to drop any and all charges against Zoe for aiding and abetting a kidnapper and using false identification. She had a clean slate now. At the thought, she added another hug to Gloria. “Your boyfriend is a hero.”

“I know he is,” Gloria said, shooting a look at her aunt. “I couldn’t be more proud of him.”

Tessa signaled Zoe from across the patio. “You ready?” she mouthed.

Zoe nodded and walked to the rail that faced the Gulf. Tessa pressed a button that worked the sound system, and the first strains of an old Romanian folk song played through the speakers. When everyone sat down, Zoe stayed standing and started her short speech.

“Pasha would tell you all that today’s cloudless sky was a sign.” She skimmed the faces of the few guests, lingering for a moment on Tessa, then Jocelyn and Will, who sat with Jocelyn’s father between them. Last, she looked at Ashley, next to Lacey and Clay, who bounced baby Elijah in his arms.

She might be burying the only “family” she’d ever had today, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have family…and a home.

“She’d say it meant clear sailing straight to…” Just then, Oliver stepped onto the patio, with Evan next to him. “Heaven,” she finished.

Everything stopped. Time, her heart, her very next breath. She couldn’t help staring at him, inhaling the sight she’d missed so much the last few days.

He met her gaze, but his only movement was to put a comforting hand on his son’s shoulder, reminding Zoe that Evan had cared for Pasha and he must be devastated, too.

“Today, we’re going to sprinkle Pasha’s ashes in the water of Barefoot Bay and while the tides will carry her from place to place in a way that would please any gypsy, I hope that a piece of her will stay here in our hearts forever.”

She stole another look at Oliver, easily able to read the question in his eyes.

Pasha will stay forever, but will you?

Somehow, she pulled it together and made it through the rest of the service, stepping aside while her friends spoke about Pasha. Then, arm in arm in arm with her three best friends, Zoe walked down to the shore to bid Pasha good-bye. The ashes fluttered in the breeze, then landed on the water, spreading slowly to start Pasha’s next journey.

After that, Zoe felt ready to face Oliver, but he was gone.

The sharp, unexpected pang of disappointment was as powerful as the heartache she’d felt when she’d flung the ashes.

“You okay?” Tessa asked.

“Ready to go in for lunch?” Lacey took her hand and tugged her toward the resort. “We’re christening the new kitchen.”

“I want to walk for a little bit,” she said. “Can you go up with everyone and start? I need a few minutes alone.”

With understanding hugs, they left, and Zoe turned to the private beach that curved for nearly a mile. The solitude beckoned, and she kicked off her shoes and let a brisk walk become a run. The Gulf breeze whipped over her face, drying her tears before they spilled.

Tears that weren’t for Pasha, but for Oliver.

He’d left, of course. She’d made it clear that she didn’t trust herself or her lousy track record, that she couldn’t endure the pain of loss, that she’d never seen what true love looked like up close, so how could she even know how to live that kind of fairy-tale life?

She’d buried him with excuses and lost him, too.

She glanced over her shoulder. She was a good half mile from the resort now, and completely alone. Finally, she dropped down to the sand and reached into her pocket for the letter.

What would have happened if she’d gotten this letter when Oliver had intended her to? What could he have possibly said that would have changed her life? She slipped her finger into the old seal and started to tear.

“Dear Zoe.”

She whipped around at the sound of Oliver’s voice, a gasp on her lips.

“Those are the first two words.”

Unable to speak, she watched him approach, silent until he sat down next to her.

“Want to hear the rest?”

“I thought I’d read it for myself.”

“You can, or I can tell you what it says.” He reached his hand out and waited.

She hesitated, then slipped the envelope between his fingers. “Read it to me.”

“No need. I remember exactly what I wrote.”

“You do? Every word?”

“Every word.” He held it up to the sun, like he was trying to see through it, or offer it up as a sacrifice to the gods of star-crossed lovers.

“Dear Zoe,” he said again.

She smiled. “I got that much.”

He placed two fingers in the middle of the envelope and took a breath. “Imagine my shock and sadness when I found you’d left.”

For a moment, she wasn’t sure if he was reciting the letter or talking. But before she could ask, he tore the envelope…right in half.

“What are you—”

“I cried like a stupid kid,” he said, looking out to the horizon as he spoke. “Just sat in that living room where we’d once played Strip Egyptian Rat Screws and you cheated—”

“I did not!”

“So that I had to play for ten minutes in nothing but socks.”

A half laugh caught in her throat. “It was a good ten minutes,” she whispered. “I dominated that round.”

He turned the two squares of paper sideways and ripped again. “You want to hear the rest?”

“If I’m hearing the real letter. Otherwise…” She looked at the torn pages. “I’m never going to know what it said.”

“This is exactly what it said,” he assured her, clearing his throat to recite again. “After I realized you weren’t coming back, I started a search for you. A search I doubt will ever end.”

The sound of tearing paper—and of breaking hearts—punctuated that sentence. Nope. She’d never know what was in that letter now.

“And?”

He took another breath, still looking at the water. “Zoe, I want you to know that unless you come back, I’m going to make a life-changing decision that you might not understand or agree with. But I know it’s the right decision, at least I hope so.”

“The decision to marry Adele and be a father to Evan?” she asked.

He nodded.

“It was the right decision,” she whispered.

“I’m making this decision with full knowledge that I currently do and probably will always love you.” He had the letter in very small pieces now, his fingers still. “And I believe that, even though you never told me, you love me, too.”

“I did.” I do.

“And no matter that everyone and everything is against us…” He turned his head to look at her. “We are meant to be together.”

“We are.” The words came out in a hoarse whisper, caught in a sob.

“Forever.” Once last time, he tore what was left of the letter, the pieces no bigger than an inch by now. “So if you ever find it in your heart to come back to me, Zoe, I will change my life in whatever way is necessary to make you the biggest, best, and most wonderful part of it.”

Was this Oliver’s letter of yesterday or Oliver’s heart of today speaking to her? She didn’t ask because she was lost in his eyes.

“Many things will change in our lives,” he continued, “but one thing will never ever change. I’ll make mistakes that I can’t fix and so will you, but through it all, Zoe Tamarin, I will love you. I love you now and forever. If there is any way you’ll spend your life with me, I want you to know I am yours. Always.”