The Wildflower (Completed) (Southern Nights)

Chapter 18

He was so sincere. She closed her eyes and willed the tears to stop falling. She was feeling more than a little overwhelmed, tired and just plain starved. If he wanted to pay to fix her car so bad then why did she have to keep fighting him? He’d seemed so set in his ways to help her. Why not just let him do it? It was one more thing that she wouldn’t have to stress over later.

Resigned, she nodded her head in meek acceptance. She felt his lips press against her forehead and opened up her eyes to see him smiling back at her. When he smiled, she smiled too. What was she going to do with this man?

Before she could answer her own question her stomach protested rather loudly its need for sustenance. Zeb glanced down at her abdomen and they both laughed out loud.

“Let’s get you fed,” He said settling back in the driver’s seat. He reached behind him and put on his own seat belt.

Elizabeth nodded and followed suit, snapping her seat belt back together. He pushed the key in and turned the ignition. The loud purr of the motor rumbled under the hood and in minutes they were backing out of the driveway and headed towards town.

“The Diner,” Zeb asked after several minutes of silent driving. Does that sound good?”

“Yeah, that’s fine. It’s Monday and the special is chicken tortilla soup. I haven’t found anyone yet who can make chicken tortilla soup like Doris. It’s the best.”

He chuckled and Elizabeth liked the way it sounded so care free and husky.“  Is that so? Good to know. But personally, I’m a meat and potatoes kind of guy- something that will stick to my ribs.”  He patted his hard stomach while keeping his sole attention on the road.

“Of course, you’re a guy,” she drawled out slowly and rolled her eyes. “A big one at that. But that is the best thing about the Diner.  Variety.  I can have my soup and you can have your steak and chicken too, whichever floats your boat.”

“Mm, now you’re talking my kind of language. Steak and eggs sounds perfect,” he told her coming up on the Diner.

There was an empty parking space right out front and Zeb slid into the space easily. “You’ve already got my mouth watering.  And-“ he said cutting the ignition, “it’s actually watering for something more than you.”

Elizabeth sighed and started to unbuckle her seat belt. What was she supposed to say to a remark like that? She wasn’t used to Zeb’s bold innuendos and couldn’t stop the heat from rising in her cheeks as she tried to get out of the car.

She’d barely gotten one foot out the door when his arm snaked out and pulled her back into her seat.

“God, I love it when your face blushes that beautiful rosy red color! Your innocent reaction drives me absolutely crazy.”

She didn’t get a chance to respond. He lowered his head and captured her lips in what she could only describe as a searing kiss. It was hot, it was desperate and it was all Zeb.

This kiss didn’t last nearly as long as Elizabeth would have liked because her grumbling stomach made itself known again, demanding to be fed.

Zeb pulled his head back and let his thumb caress her moistened bottom lip. “Come on, sweetheart, we’re here. Let’s get you fed before you starve to death.”

Five minutes later they both walked into the Diner, hand in hand. It didn’t take long for Elizabeth to notice all the curious looks they were getting. It seemed like every set of eyes were centered on them. Had she really forgotten how much everyone looked up to Zeb? Since his return, he was considered the town’s very own special hero.  Everyone looked up to him for all the time that he served our country.

And then she considered herself. She was just the local girl that had somehow managed to get herself pregnant right out of high school.  No husband, no boyfriend, no nothing.

She followed Zeb to a table in the center of the room. He pulled the chair out for her and she couldn’t help but be on alert.  She sat down and was beginning to feel really, really uncomfortable.

“Elizabeth, what’s wrong?” he suddenly asked, oblivious to all of the attention they were getting.

She glanced around the room while he took his seat in front of her. He watched her expectantly. When she didn’t reply, he followed her gaze around the room. When everyone else’s head’s turned or looked down, it was apparent that the unwanted attention had riled Elizabeth.

Reaching over the table, he grabbed her hand and squeezed it. “Ignore them, Elizabeth. They're just too nosey for their own damn good,” he whispered. “Look at me.”

When she raised her head and their gazes locked he told her, “It’s just me and you, okay? No one else- just me and you.”

She swallowed hard and slowly nodded her head. She held onto his words- it was just her and Zeb, she reminded herself when the waitress stopped at their table and asked for their drink orders.

They both ordered sweet tea. Zeb opened his mouth to say something when the old bell on the door started to chime.  It was strategically placed there so the waitresses would know when a patron walked in.

Sitting there Elizabeth, shuddered. All of a sudden she had an ominous feeling float over her and sink deep into her bones. Something was wrong

She turned around and everything that happened after that played out in torturous slow motion.

“Oh. My. God.” She gasped, unable to believe what she was seeing. This couldn’t be happening. It can’t be real, she told herself.

But it was real and this was happening. The evidence was standing a little less than twenty feet in front of her. She turned back around in her seat and felt all the blood run from her face.

“What is it?” Zeb asked, all of a sudden sounding so far away.

He glanced over her shoulder to see what she had been looking at. By the shocked expression on his face, she was certain that he now knew exactly what she had discovered only a few days ago back in the hospital.

Standing there in doorway stood a little boy. And not just any little boy either.  This was unmistakably their son, Brandon.

And looming over him was none other than his adoptive mother, Nicole- glaring right back at them.