Page 19 of Carlos
Zoe didn’t know a lot about how the club functioned and the different terms, but she knew that there were certain things they considered to be ‘club business’ that only patched members, and sometimes their ol’ ladies, could know.
As much as Zoe did not want others to know her story, Steel had an equal right to know as Jenna. Without being sexist, he probably had more of a right to know since he was the one working to keep her safe.
“You can tell Steel, but only him.”
Jenna patted her thigh. “I’ll make sure no one else is around. Ollie has been sleeping a lot. I’ll wait for him to go to bed before I talk to Steel.”
“Thank you.”
Over the next hour, as Kyle switched from going down the slide to the swings and then the rocking mushrooms, Zoe told Jenna everything. From meeting and marrying Davis to the first time he struck her. How Conner had tried to champion her and she’d turned him down. To her joy at finally seeing that positive pregnancy test and being able to hold her son for the first time in her arms. She explained in graphic details how her husband dehumanized her, forced himself on her body, and spied on her with cameras and trackers.
To the best of her recollection, she told what had happened the night before she shot her husband and, finally, what happened afterward.
The only part she left out was Owen’s involvement. She’d sworn she would keep his secret, and she would. She fibbed and said it was Conner who had gotten her away from the courthouse and had been involved in the gunfight with the hitman or men that had tracked her through her shoes.
Zoe told Jenna about Montana, though she left out the town of Whitefish’s name. She explained about the cabin they had lived in for over two years in the mountain, snowed off from civilization for over six months of the year. She described the beautiful landscape and how the men and one woman who called that mountain their home made sure she had plenty of supplies and firewood. She even told her about Jack, the older shopkeeper who seemed too knowledgeable and savvy with computers to be running a small-town general store.
Finally, she explained that it had always been Conner’s plan to bring her and Kyle to Mount Grove, but he had died before he could do it himself.
Throughout it all, Jenna kept silent but for the occasional gasp or reaching across to squeeze Zoe’s hand.
At the end of her tale, Jenna wrapped her arm around Zoe’s shoulders. “You have nothing to be shamed or afraid of. Even if Steel doesn’t know what happened, he would never blame you for the decisions you made. You will always have a home and be protected with us.”
Zoe leaned into Jenna. It had been a long time since she’d taken comfort from another human being, excluding her son. “I think I did something foolish.”
“What’s that?” Jenna kept her hold on Zoe, which she appreciated.
“Carlos asked me out on a date.”
Jenna sat up with a gasp and a smile. “Really? Oh, Clara, that’s wonderful.”
Zoe wasn’t entirely sure about that. She was so torn. She wanted to go to dinner that night with him. “What if it’s a mistake? What if he discovers the truth?”
Zoe appreciated that Jenna didn’t automatically push aside her worries for fanciful, romantic cliches, like claiming that love would win out. Instead, Jenna sat for a moment and thought before answering.
“You like Carlos, right?”
Zoe felt her cheeks heat as she nodded. “He’s…sweet. I like his eyes.”
Jenna nodded slowly. “He is very sweet. I’ve known him for over ten years. Steel and I came to visit Lucky here before we moved our family down and started the club. Bulldog and Carlos are also natives. I don’t know if you knew that. He was a new deputy when I met him, and I’ve watched him grow up to be the honorable, sweet man you met. He is nothing like your husband,” Jenna stressed. “And, I swear to you, you’ll have an entire club of men standing between you and him if he does anything you don’t like. Physical or otherwise. Hell, his own brother would be the first to stand in front of you if he tried.”
Zoe liked the idea of so many protectors. She had really only spent time with Bulldog and Steel, but she knew the names and faces of most of the others. “I want to go out with him, Jenna, but what if I end up liking him even more?”
“I’m not sure I’m following. Wouldn’t that be a good thing? To build a life here?”
“He’s a cop,” Zoe reminded her. “I can never tell him the truth about me. He already believes me to be your widowed niece.”
Jenna nodded slowly, deep in thought. “I can’t tell you whether you should or shouldn’t tell him everything you just told me. That’s between you and him. However, I can tell you that Carlos is trustworthy. He does not stand for any mistreatment of women and children. But he is an officer of the law. I don’t know how he’ll react.”
“You still think this date is a good idea then?”
Jenna smiled. “Absolutely. Come on. Let’s get Kyle inside to cool off with a snack while you and I go through my wardrobe. We’ll find something nice for you to wear.”
CHAPTER 7
It was twenty minutes after seven. Carlos was sitting alone at the far booth in the diner. Kelly had been by to refill his Coke twice already, each time with an air of curiosity about her. He still claimed he wasn’t ready to order yet. He was very tempted to text Bulldog to ask if he knew a way to get ahold of Clara but held off.
The bell over the entry door rang, and Carlos looked up. His heart about leapt out of his chest. Clara stepped nervously into the crowded diner. She swore a cute yellow summer dress that flowed around her knees with a pair of black flats. Her hair was done up in an intricate knot and she had a sunflower clipped above her left ear.