Notice me

CHAPTER III : NEEDED YOU

Rory stood outside his house looking blankly at the tire markings on the paved driveway from when Zoe drove away from him like a nascar professional. All night he called her phone but the call wouldn't go through. It was safe to say she was avoiding him like a bad plague.

Tipping his dark khaki hat to the skids he climbed into his GMC Terrain reversing out the driveway with a thermos full of poorly brewed coffee.

The sheriffs station was just a mile away a shorter distance from the five miles he runs every morning. Today just felt off, "guess that's what it feels like having your heart stop beating" he mumbled.

Switching on the radio he heard the song that reminded him so much of Zoe. "You're as sweeet as strawberry wine" he sung along to Chris Stapleton's Tennessee whisky his mind flying back to the beauty that reeked havoc on his whole being.

Parking at his usual lot in the station driveway he immediately saw that today would be a switch in his usual bright mood. Closing the car door he nodded to whoever greeted him all while a sour look marred his face.

Passing by everyone in the station he went to his office slamming the door harshly before planting himself in the plush leather spin chair. On his desk were some files and a steaming cup of coffee. Last night Zo had made sure to put all his files one place and he couldn't be more grateful.

The coffee tasted good but not like how Zo made it. Zo's coffee could warm your belly and your heart in one gulp- it could even steal it.

A soft knock resonated from his office entrance door. "Come on in" he urged who was behind the door with his hand leaning back into the chair tucking his hand under his chin fingering his scruffy beard that made him look rugged.

His door opened to revealed a just as upset Dacia who's glare pinned him to his seat.

"Rory Tate you are many things but a cold blooded ass will be on the list and so will my foot up your ass for hurting Zoe the way you did!" Her face screamed seriousness it was expected from someone like Dacia. She genuinely cared for his Zo.

"Are you sure she's the one who's hurt?" He felt awful. His eyes looked sleepy and sunken a trait that came with sleep deprivation the same as the dark rings under them and his red tipped nose.

This wasn't Rory's usual appearance- it shouldn't be anyone's.

"What happened Tate" she wouldn't give him sympathy until she knew the full story from both sides.

" Zoe asked how I felt about her and I told her the truth. I told her why I left but I didn't mean for it to hurt her believe me it's the last thing I want to do. She ran away before I got the chance to fully explain and now I think I damaged our relationship more than it was when I left" He sorrowfully confesses his head hung low in self disappointment as he felt the familiar stinging running from his nose to his eyes.

He would not show these emotions I front of anyone except Zoe. His emotions were for her. He was for her.

"Why did you leave Rory" she wanted to know. It wasn't her place but she wanted to know.

"Zoe was too young for me to be with her that time, I didn't want to jeopardize anything we could've had. I wanted her to experience everything she could without me holding her back so I left before I got a chance to. It was the most traumatic point in my life when I decided enough was enough and I was coming back to the woman I'd call my world"
Maybe he should've stayed away. He came again and damaged her.

"Do you regret leaving?" Did he?

"At this point I do but I want to spend the rest of my life with her and look where that landed me" he sighed in defeat.

"If you love her and want to see her happy you know what to do" Nodding he cleared his throat swallowing slowly trying to process what happened in the span of twenty six hours and counting.

At this time Dacia saw all she need to know.

"Good luck Rory" she dropped at piece of paper on his desk before leaving.

His eyes stayed glued to the paper even after twenty minutes before he finally decided to have a look.

He opened the small crumpled paper to see " frontier art gallery open 9:00 am - 4pm blue chevy Malibu " was this where Zo was stowed away. He hoped so.

Hurriedly grabbing his coat and locking his office on the way out he issued instructions to the staff before dashing to his vehicle and speeding to the art gallery. Sure he knew this was manipulating his own authority of the rules and regulations, but the rules could kiss his ass when it involved Zo.

He stopped when he saw the two story building with the entrance full glass displaying the splatters of paint and landscapes canvases on sale.

When he exited his truck his heart started beating wildly against his rib cage almost like it wanted to go and run to the person who took it captive for eternity.

He looked around the lot for the blue Chevy Malibu but found in across the street under a weeping willow tree at Aunt Bev's pastry shop.

Going at the driver's door he must've stood a good ten minutes reciting his apology to Zoe before he heard the sound of the decorative bells on the door.

He looked up and starred in awe as Zoe exited the shop in her work attire and a folded brown bag of what he could only expect to be caramel filled chocolate brownies with shredded strawberries on top. She looked up too only to stop in her tracks at the sight of the man she now so desperately wanted to escape

She went to swerve him but he blocked her with her back against the car door placing the folded bag in the wind shield wiper lacing his hands with hers.

" I never ever meant to make you feel or second guess yourself in anyway Zo I love you and only you. I left because I didn't want to ruin us. You are my whole world. I couldn't live with myself if I in any way possibly hurt you. You have my heart,body and soul not to mention the big goon that comes with them too. You baby girl are the greatest gift god could give a man I never want to lose you because you are everything I want and more. Will you Zoe Drew go on a date with me" she couldn't believe it.

He -he loved her. She felt like the only girl in the world. How could she deny him when her own heart couldn't.

"Is your favorite color blue?"
Is his favorite color blue? He nodded yes regardless although she already knew the answer.

She looked at his through his equally teary eyes and nodded her head yes.

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Thank you fore reading💝