She pouted before answering, “Sure.”
I waited for them to leave the room to surreptitiously lower the volume of the television.
Their voices were just over a muffle.
“You gonna be okay? It’s pretty late.” Bernard’s voice was well made out.
“You do know that’s Jordan’s father in there, don’t you?”
“Yeah, but— Wait, Zo. Have you been drinking?” Bernard sounded alarmed. My fists clenched.
“I’ve had a drink. What is it to you, Bernard?” Zoey’s tone was callous.
“I don’t mean any harm. I-I just know you two aren’t together and that’s probably because he did something stupid to not deserve you.”
“You have no idea or business to know anything about me and my son’s father. I appreciate your concern, but it is wholly unwarranted here.”
There was a pause. My body tensed. I didn’t know how long I’d be able to stay in my seat and not on Bernard’s ass. Was he really trying to make me out to be a predator to Zoey of all people?
“Down the hall, to the right.” That was Zoey.
Seconds later, I sensed her entering the room.
“Bodyguard?” I asked with my eyes plastered to the screen ahead.
She waited a few seconds. “He means no harm. He’s just confused by our relationship.”
“I imagine many are.”
“Yup,” she sighed. “The masses.” Zoey reached down and poured another glass. She took a sip before asking, “So, outside of work, how’s things going?”
Internally, I sulked. I knew she was referring to my dalliance with Erika. That’s something I wouldn’t discuss with her. My situation with Zoey was too gray, too damn complicated.
“Nothing to write home about.”
I waited with bated breath for the topic to transition. No luck.
“I’m sure Erika is missing you for the holiday.” Her voice grew as she attempted to amend, “I mean, she did have you for the last.”
Damn it!
“Zoey, I didn’t plan to spend Thanksgiving with the Ercegs. Unbeknownst to me, they planned to fly into San Antonio and hired a chef to cook a spread. It was somewhat futile, in my opinion, seeing that I spent a considerable amount of time, locked in the bedroom of my suite, FaceTiming an infant.” My eyes finally trolled over to her.
After what seemed like minutes, Zoey exhaled deeply, I could smell the alcohol on her breath. It did shit to me.
“I’m sorry, Stent. I should have thought more carefully. I shouldn’t have had Bernard bring me up here. I was trying to psyche myself out of you showing after you didn’t for Thanksgiving. I was upset that you didn’t see how good JR’s crawling had gotten.”
What the fuck? Zoey apologized.
“Zoey, my schedule is a bitch, but you know I try—”
“I know!” her face balled. “You’ve been more than reasonable with your time. I’m sorry.”
I nodded as I chewed on my bottom lip. I was far more relieved than I let on. The last thing I needed was for Zoey to think I wasn’t playing my part. I didn’t want her to be overwhelmed. She didn’t deserve that.
“I know you have a life, and…more specifically a personal life to tend to. I’ll just…I’ll just have to adjust.”
I didn’t know what to say to that. The “personal life” she referred to wasn’t a priority. Nothing came before Zoey and Jordan. Period.
“Well, I’m going to bed. Wake me if you reach JR before I do in the morning,” she uttered softly before standing to leave.
I wanted to tell her to hold off for a minute so that we could talk some more. I didn’t want a peaceful moment to pass so quickly. Zoey Barrett apologized. That was a fucking anomaly. Nonetheless, I let her leave, believing it was for the best. Having Zoey alone in an empty room like this, smelling like that in a tipsy state was no bueno.
I must have stayed in there for another thirty minutes before heading to my room. On my way there, I ran down all of the things I’d planned to have set up for my son’s first Christmas and concluded I was ready.