Meant for Me | ✔️

20) cards on the table

"Don't laugh," I pointed at Zac who held his hands up with innocence. I could see it though, he wanted to laugh. "Well, if I can't lift those, what can I do?"

"Sweep the loose strands of hay out of the truck for Tom? There's a broom in th—"

"Got it," I ran over to the barn, which was still vacant. The horses were out in the paddock for a few more hours.

I was about to climb into the truck, it was a little high for my short height, so I threw the broom into it and braced my palms flat on the lip but before I could jump, a pair of hands wrapped around my waist and I was lifted, as though I didn't weigh a damn thing.

Zac stood behind me and smiled before he grabbed the last bale and dragged it off. He made me all sorts of wound up and he didn't even try. I could still feel the ghost of his touch on my waist, tingling, wanting more.

"I'm just going to grab a towel and some water," he said, standing below the truck while I swept the back corner. "Want anything?"

You, I thought. "I'm alright. Thanks."

He disappeared and I thought about how selfish it was to want him so much. Selfish. Margo didn't get her true love. She didn't get her child. Those were things that she wanted and tried to get. Here I was, running, refusing to face the truth and it was all falling into my lap. It didn't seem fair. I didn't deserve it.

"I swear to God, Margo," I mumbled. "If you went and died just to orchestrate my own happy ending, I will—"

"Miss?"

My head snapped up to see a man standing at the end of the truck. He was wearing a plaid shirt and had a missing tooth, which I noticed when he grinned at me. He wasn't wrinkled or thinning but he sounded and seemed old. It was confusing.

"Oh," I pointed behind me at nothing in particular. "Is this— are you Tom?"

"Yeah, this is my ol' truck here. You are?"

"I'm Addie," I explained, twisting the broom handle. "I live here. I was just helping Zac. He'll be back in a second. Like super soon."

His brows pulled at the over explanation of Zac's whereabouts. I couldn't help it though. Margo and I had been alone for such a long time that we'd been vigilant about keeping ourselves safe. I was sure that he was just a regular farmer. It didn't seem likely that he would jump in, close the back of the truck and do whatever he wanted to me, but the idea still flitted across my mind.

Instead of letting him know that I was being cautious, I smiled.

"So whe—"

"Tom," Zac appeared, he was wearing a backwards cap now and had a towel around the back of his neck, draping down his front. He looked at me and back at Tom. "Dad sorted the check?"

"Yeah mate," Tom slapped Zac on the shoulder. "Good ol' Keith is slower ain't he? Hmm? Better start thinkin' bout sending him off. A home. Ooh he'd love that."

Zac smiled but it was forced. "He's fine. You want a drink while Addie finishes sweeping out the back?"

"Na," Tom waved a dismissive hand. "Need to keep movin'. I'm due home to the mrs. She'll have my head if I'm late tonight. You didn't mention you had a gal."

Zac looked at me and this time, his smile was genuine, one that turned his eyes into half moons and exaggerated his thick black lashes. I never believed that a smile could be one of those features that made your heart soar.

I thought that was a novel thing. Something someone writes about to add to the character's appeal. But when Zac smiles, it sends me into a tizz. Butterflies. Genuine appreciation for something so beautiful that you can't believe you've made it this far in life and never known that a smile can do that to a person.