XOXOXO
Chapter 9
XOXOXO
Ami shook her head sighing at her reflection. 'I can't believe I'm going to do this.' She thought to herself, examining her outfit critically.
After a long hard discussion with Serena, Ami had come to a few realizations. She had been running scared, using any excuse not to be with Zoi, not because of his past or because of their differences but for the worst reason of all. Because she was scared of opening herself up to someone.
It had been a hard truth to face. She was a coward, she admitted and her friend had called her on it.
Of course there had been some tense moments and uncomfortable silences between the two. Serena hated to hurt her friend but Ami needed to hear the truth. And after a long conversation in which Serena had shamed her into baring her soul, Ami actually felt better. Especially when her friend had told her that everyone had barriers and it was ok to be cautious-that she didn't have to put herself out there every time she met someone.
But she did have to do her part, which she was going to do now.
Ami was going to 'go get her man.'
She blew out a nervous breath and studied the outfit Serena had helped her choose. After the tense talk and self-recriminating tears her friend had coerced her into shopping as an apology for the harsh talk and to reaffirm their friendship.
Now she smoothed her hands over the pretty summery skirt that skimmed just to her knees. It was clean white with a thin winding design of navy laced through it and a dark blue sleeveless shirt of soft jersey material that's neck drooped slightly to show the top of her breastbone but not her chest so that she felt pretty, not on display.
On her feet she wore an adorable pair of shoes with a bit more heel than she liked, but that made her feel so good she vowed to buy more cute pairs just like it. She had never been a 'shoe person' but she hadn't realized how great a nice pair could make her feel. Standing back she surveyed her appearance.
She looked slim and lightly curvy and feminine.
As a last touch, she spritzed perfume and put on her thick silver cuff bracelet and slim silver watch as well as a pair of tiny dangly earrings that swung freely in her ears and made her feel like a million dollars.
Ami nodded to herself; it was time and she was ready. Now she just had to find Zoi and convince him that she was ready to begin a real relationship with him, with no reservations. He would have to give her time to come to terns with her feelings, she decided but she had rehearsed what she would say and believed she was ready.
Ami grabbed her keys and took off out the door, feeling anxious and nervous.
xoxoxoxo
After a call to Zoi's apartment she had learned from his grandmother 'Gigi' that he was on Jones street and she believe Ami would find him easily. Ami thought Gigi sounded very kind and hoped she would get the chance to get to know her better-as Zoi's girlfriend. Just the thought of the word sent shivers of anticipation up her spine.
She hoped Zoi would forgive her cowardice and give her another chance.
Ami turned her car in the direction of Jones Avenue and when she found the sign she drove slowly down the road looking for him. She was very curious as to what he could be up to that she would be able to 'spot him easily' as his grandmother had said.
But as she neared the end of the street she did indeed see him. He sat at an outdoor table of a shabby looking restaurant, and he was with a group of people-two men and a woman whom he apparently knew.
Ami pulled her car over to the opposite side of the street but did not get out. Nervous chills ran through her and she knew there was no way she could approach him in front of strangers. She was prepared to ask him to forgive her, but not in front of a crowd of people-no matter how small.
But all the same she couldn't seem to stop staring at him. She had missed him more than she realized achingly. He was relaxing, clearly among friends but his smile didn't quite seem natural. Zoi and the two men sitting at the table with him were playing cards, perhaps poker. As it was a sunny day with no sign of a breeze they were taking advantage of the nice weather.
A tall woman stood next to the three men, her long brown curly hair pulled back into a ponytail and she was shaking her pointer finger at the three men fussing about something. One of the men, sporting a dark ponytail of his own, laughed at something she said which only infuriated her further until he stood, unbelievably towering over her tall height and soothing her with a kiss on her cheek.
On the other side of Zoi sat a blond with similar colored blond hair. A relative of his perhaps? The trio of men were extremely handsome together but Ami only had eyes for one man.
Just when she had decided to restart her car and just leave undetected, she was startled when a man knocked on her passenger car window, scaring the wits out of her.
As she rolled down her window to see what the man wanted, she was painfully aware that Zoi could notice her at any minute and things could get embarrassing. He would surely demand to know why she was here but had not gotten out of the car to speak to him.
"Hey…hey lady…" The man addressing her through her car window slurred his words as he spoke. "Got any change...?"
Ami was horrified and uncomfortable, and grabbed her pursing, thinking to give the man some money and have him go on his way. But as she used her credit cards for just about everything she didn't have much money. She handed him the only cash she had-two crisp dollar bills.
She glanced back over at the table where Zoi was sitting and was relieved to notice he hadn't seen her. But at the next moment he went out of her thoughts completely as the bum became angry and began yelling.
"What the hell lady?" He demanded, "You drive this nice car and you can't give me more than two damn dollars? You bitch, you better give me more than that…" Between his cursing and swearing Ami was becoming frantic with fear. She needed to get out of here before the man stole her purse or worse!
She started her car but he refused to move away so that she could drive off, instead leaning further into the open passenger window. "I'm sorry!" She cried, her heartbeat pounding painfully. Tears stung her eyes but she was too upset to let them fall.
Suddenly a familiar firm voice sounded next to her window. "Leroy, get the hell away from her before I kick your ass." Zoi's voice conveyed fury, yet he didn't have to yell to make his threat believable.
Ami watched with undisguised relief as the bum known as Leroy backed off and began shuffling away, but not without a lot of grumbling and fist shaking.
Zoi bent to look through the driver's side window and she could see the concern on his face. He pulled the door open and hunched down next to the car so they were face to face. "You ok?" He asked softly.
Wordlessly Ami turned off her car, unbuckled her seatbelt and literally tumbled from the car into his waiting arms.
He caught her to him, pulling her small form tightly against him so that she was half crouched on the ground and half leaning into his embrace. He spoke soft soothing words to her, stroking her hair. He held her tighter than necessary, not because he had been worried for her, for Leroy was no real threat, but because seeing her so upset was shaking him up more than he could handle.
"Why do these things keep happening to me?" She asked in desperation, her voice muffled into his shoulder.
Zoi couldn't help but smile. She really was sheltered if she thought a purse snatching and a crazy bum were the horrors her tone implied them to be. In his life they were minor occurrences, almost a daily thing.
As he stroked her smooth back in a comforting caress he could hear his friends coming up behind him.
"Is she ok?" Asked a worried female voice. Ami looked up over Zoi's shoulder to see the impossibly tall brunette she had noticed scolding the men minutes earlier. Shyly she hid her face back against Zoi.
The move sent his protective instincts into overdrive. He murmured to Ami that he was going to stand up, and did so, pulling her up with him so that she was still wrapped in his arms.
Turning so that he was leaning against the car, he face his friends, Ami pulled tightly to him, her back to the others approaching.
"She's fine Leets, just a bit shaken." He reassured her.
His two friends approached and Zoi nodded silently to them but didn't address them right away. "Give us a minute." He said in a hushed tone, and they nodded, the towering man who had kissed 'Leets' earlier grabbed Lita's hand pulling her back along protesting.
Finally it was just the two of them. Ami refused to look up into his face; now that the moment had passed she was feeling incredibly foolish. She would rather just stay in his arms anyway she told herself, then they wouldn't have to talk and drag out all their issues.
So much for her composure, the effect of her pretty outfit was ruined-the distraction over the bum had ensured that, and so much for the speech she had been rehearsing in her mind.
"You ok?" He asked softly, and she nodded breathing in the warm scent of his aftershave before pulling back a little. She struggled to find the courage to meet his gaze.
"I will be." She said, addressing his chest. "Thanks for rescuing me."
He gave a soft laugh. "That wasn't much of a rescue lille one. But you're welcome all the same."
Ami savored the strength and comfort he offered. She may be book smart, but he had street smarts and somehow she felt he had the advantage. And the way he made her feel that her small size wasn't a detriment but something he treasured about her warmed her heart. She liked it when he called her lille. She liked it too much.
Her feeling's overwhelming her, she blurted the first thing that came to mind. "I missed you Zoi."
She heard his indrawn breath, and felt his heart rate increase under the flat palm of her hand against his chest. "I'm glad to hear it." He said, but his tone held no arrogance when he spoke, his heart in his voice. "I missed you too."
At this she was finally able to look up at him, and she felt her body react to that possessive, yearining look in his face.
"Zoi…" She wasn't sure what she was going to say next, and he began to close the distance between them for a kiss, but it appeared the matter was taken out of their hands entirely.
"Oi! Dumbass! Make sure the girls ok before you start making out in the middle of the street!" Incredibly, the voice seemed to be coming from above them.
Ami looked up, too startled to do otherwise and saw a raven-haired woman leaning out the window of the tall building right behind them.
Zoi scowled. "Damn nosy woman." He grumbled, but Ami noticed he didn't say it loud enough to be heard. Curiously she glanced back up.
The woman would not be ignored. "Did you hear me? I said…"
"I heard you Raye! The whole damn neighborhood heard you!" He finally shouted, his voice loud in Ami's ears.
Ami winced in reaction, and Zoi apologized immediately. "Sorry about that." He said, his voice soft again. "I hate to admit it but she's probably right. I want to make sure you're ok. Maybe a shot of scotch will help."
Before she could protest he was straightening up away from the car and crossing the street with her in tow. As they neared the table where his friends were waiting Zoi couldn't help but frown at the blond man who shared his looks.
"Do something about your woman Jed." He ordered, then turned to Lita. "Got something strong to drink?" He asked and she nodded and disappeared into the entrance of the shabby restaurant.
Ami always felt shy around people she didn't know, though she knew it was a silly reaction for a grown woman of 33 to have she couldn't seem to help herself. But incredibly it seemed as though Zoi understood. He kept her positioned slightly behind him so that she was partially hidden from view. She felt so protected and sheltered and she loved the feeling.
Lita came hurrying back out. "Sorry, we don't have any scotch left." She turned a sour look to the pony tailed man. "Someone had to finish off the bottle night before last." She plunked down a beer on the table. "This will have to do."
"Damn Neph, you drank a half a bottle of scotch in one sitting?" Jed asked in censure.
"Hey, in my defense, we were celebrating, and as I recall, I wasn't the only one who imbibed." He said, shooting a glance back at his woman.
Lita had the grace to blush. "So I had a glass, I'm entitled!"
Neph grinned and walked over to her, slinging an arm around her shoulder. "That's right, my baby's going to culinary school. She's gonna be a big chef one day and then we'll leave this place behind!" His voice was full of pride and excitement.
"Hey, my family left me this restarant, and if you think…" Lita was fussing and Neph held up his hands in surrender, gingerly backing away.
But the words were a forcible reminder to Ami how much older she was than Zoi's friends. They were just getting started in their careers and lives while she had hers firmly established. She suddenly wanted to leave, feeling sure she must stick out like an old stick in the mud amongst the younger crowd.
Zoi moved to the seat he had been occupying before all the trouble had started and surprised Ami by pulling her onto his lap. She stumbled and fell across him, shocked by his display. She hastily glanced over at the others who seemed to be paying no attention to the two of them.
"Zoi..." She protested lightly, a blush on her cheeks. Her mother would have been mortified to see her. 'A woman your age…really…' Her father would have said. Secretly Ami loved it.
"Here, drink a little. It'll help calm your nerves." He said, ignoring the fact that she seemed well recovered by now.
She took the beer, but only sipped a little. Zoi was watching her intently and she felt overwhelmed by his steady gaze. She turned her head so their eyes met and the rest of the world seemed to melt away. Ami lowered the bottle and opened her mouth to say something when a shout came from the window where the woman Raye had appeared earlier.
"Jed, get over here and watch your son so I can fix lunch. He's driving me crazy!" She said demandingly.
"Guess the fun's over." Jed mourned; looking at the cards they had left-their poker game unfinished.
"Jed!" Raye bellowed.
"I'm coming!" He shouted back. "Damn woman, what's your problem…" He continued his rant as he crossed the street and she stayed in the window continuing their argument for everyone to hear.
Ami couldn't help but stare, fascinated by the two who clearly didn't care about their image or what people thought of them. They simply continued they're yelling, and apparently it didn't matter who heard them.
"They're really crazy about each other." Zoi said, his voice in her ear. She turned her startled gaze back to him, and realized he had been watching her.
She ducked her head. "Such…interesting people…" She said hesitantly. It was the best she could do.
Ami suddenly remembered she hadn't thanked Lita for her beer. She turned to tell the woman so and realized that she and her boyfriend had disappeared. They were all alone and suddenly, things felt a little awkward. Their last argument came rushing back to her, and all the cruel things she had said.
"Not that I'm not glad to see you and all." Zoi began, apparently thinking the same thing. "But I thought we were through?" He raised an eyebrow, waiting for an answer.
"Well…I was hoping…" She had never done this before, Ami realized and she had no idea how to start. "That is…I've been thinking…"
"Took you two weeks to think?" He asked, lightly teasing. He could afford to be generous now, since she appeared to have come for him.
She gave a nervous laugh. "Something like that. I guess I owe you an apology for the way I acted…I was unprepared for things and then with you thinking you're in love with me I just…"
He cut her off. "Thinking I'm in love with you? I don't recall using that word. I am in love with you, there's no doubt about it." His voice was hard, insistent.
He was pressuring her with his feelings again. "Zoi you have to give me time, I just…"
Zoi opened his mouth to say more, when they were both interrupted by a male voice that caused Ami to shoot up out of his lap.
"Ami? Is that you?" Asked an incredulous voice.
She stared hard at the be speckled man before her, stunned. "Greg?" She said in shock. "What are you doing here?"
XOXOXO
TBC!!!
