As Long As You Love Me ✓

38. It Must Have Been Love

"Zari? I have your chocolate. May I come in?" Jerry eased open the door before waiting for an answer.

Zari sat up, stuffed pillows behind her back, and took the cup offered. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it. You want to talk about it? I'm sure the argument can be settled."

Zari tried not to cry but failed. Tears flooded down her cheeks. "I can't. I'm sorry. I don't know why I can't stop crying."

Jerry sat on the edge of the bed and patted Zari's leg. "Oh, sweetie. Love can turn us inside out, but whatever it is, I know you and Gabriel can resolve it because if two people were ever meant for each other, it's the two of you."

Zari set the cup on the side table and sobbed into her hands. An hour ago, she would have agreed. He was everything she wanted. She had opened herself up and laid her heart and soul out bare for him, and it hurt.

Jerry didn't say anything for a few minutes, then offered probably the only thing she could think of. "Tell me what I can do to make things better."

Wiping her eyes, Zari shook her head. "I'll be okay. Thanks for the hot chocolate."

"You're welcome. If you need us, we'll be in the kitchen taking inventory. We want to get that out of the way before Christmas, then we won't have it staring us in the face when we open on New Year's Eve."

Once Jerry left, Zari curled into a ball and tried to relax, but every position created a problem. If she got her shoulder eased, then her hip hurt. Shifting to relieve it, her ribs screamed in torture. At this rate, she'd have to stand to sleep. After switching from one side to the other, she pushed pillows under the most severe pressure points and finally drifted into dreamland.

*

On Christmas morning, Zari came out of her room for the first time since arriving at the bar. She'd spent the last two days trying to make sense of everything. Perry was still a stranger. The harder she tried to remember him, the more frustrated she got, which made her question their relationship even more.

Dale stood behind the bar restocking shelves and whistling Jingle Bells. Zari slid onto a stool, and he turned to face her. "Well, thank goodness and Merry Christmas. I was giving you until noon today before I stormed into your room to make sure you were still alive!" He moved closer, cupped her chin, and turned her head for a better look. "You look a mess. Puffy eyes and this cut isn't much better. Putting anything on it?"

"No."

"Needs some antibiotic ointment. Here, let me get some." He strolled to the end of the bar, opened a drawer, and returned with a tube. After washing his hands, he squirted a dab onto his finger then rubbed it across the three-inch scrape just above her eye stretching down to her temple. "Probably needs a bandage to keep the ointment on, but this will do for now."

"Thanks."

"Want something to drink? Water, milk, tea, shot of whiskey?"

She almost smiled but Dale's concern reminded her of Gabriel's kindness and her heart squeezed. "No, thanks."

"You need to eat something, baby girl.  You've barely had more than a few crackers, hot chocolate, and marshmallows since you got here."

"I don't think I can keep anything down." She rested her arm on the bar and laid her head on it.

Dale lowered his voice. "Why don't you tell me what's going on. Maybe I can help fix it."

She spoke into the wood. "He lied to me."

"For whose benefit?"

She rolled her head to one side and looked up. "What does that mean?"

"Did he gain anything from it, or was it to help someone?"