Part 3
Zoe was sitting in her office feeling terrible about how she had snapped at Dan like she did. He didn't deserve it and she knew it, this was her problem and she had to work it out herself. Getting over him wasn't going to be easy but she had to try. Just then Zoe had a sudden urge for coffee; she got up and walked out of her office and towards the coffee machine where she saw Dan. 'Great' she thought 'why do I have to see him so soon? Whatever now im not even allowed to get coffee if he's there no I cant let my thoughts of him run my life.'
"Hey Dan … listen im sorry about before im just really stressed out lately can you forgive me?" Zoe explained giving him one of her most childish smiles.
"Yea I guess, look M said that we have to check out the Costa case again, she doesn't think Mr. Costa's alibi adds up.
"Alright let's go now then." Zoe answered but she dreaded having to sit in the same car as him.
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"No answer' Dan stated as they rang the doorbell to the Costa's home. "I guess we should head back to the office" Dan was wondering why Zoe was so quite as they headed back to the car, he didn't seem to remember five minutes having goon by without her saying something to annoy him. But he had to admit he loved being annoyed by her.
"So what's wrong with you lately Zoe?" Dan questioned.
"What are you talking about, nothing the matter with me I told you im just a little stressed out." She answer, she knew that he could tell that there was something else wrong with her, she was just thankful that he didn't know what. If only he knew how she felt, of course she knew he had feelings for her too. The constant flirting, the boyish smiles, but what if that was all it was, flirting. What if it didn't mean the same to him as it did to her? She didn't want to risk it even if it did mean a chance at happiness.
"Ok fine." He answered and that was all they said for the rest of the ride. She decided that she was going to go home for a little bit and change her clothes, so as Dan drove her back to her house there was silence in the car.
"Ok here we are ill see you later at the office then I guess, but you know that if you ever need to talk im here for you Zoe." Dan said as he pulled in front of her house.
"Yes I know Dan thanks that's why I love y-." Zoe's face fell, what had she just done? Did she really say what she thought she said? "Oh I really gotta go" She said as she ran out of the car and into her house. All this time Dan had his jaw slightly dropped, he couldn't believe what he just heard his partner say, did she just say that she loved him? Maybe it didn't mean anything but if it didn't then why did she run out of his car? This was all too much information for him; he just couldn't process it all. He drove away from Zoe's house trying not to look back, and trying not to think about what had just happened.
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"Aunt Zoe are you alright?" Taylor asked as she saw her aunt run through the front door.
"Yea Taylor im fine." Zoe answered but Taylor knew her aunt better then that to believe this.
'Is it Dan?" Taylor asked but she already knew the answer.
"What … how did you, never mind what do you mean?" Zoe asked half shocked still that her niece was this mature to piece everything together I mean she hardly talked about Dan, but he was always around and she loved that.
"Look Aunt Zoe I mean its kinda obvious that your head over heels in love with the guy so what are you waiting for?"
"Ok lets just say for arguments shake that your right I still wouldn't be able to act on it I couldn't put you kids through that if it didn't work out." Zoe used that excuse that she had been telling her self over and over again in her head but the real reason why she couldn't act on her feeling was because she couldn't put herself through that.
"Oh no don't use us as an excuse I think I can speak for all three of us when I say Dan's a pretty ok guy and he's good for you, plus you can totally see that he's in love with you. Just go for it." The teenager answered.
"Ok ill think about it." Zoe said while walking up the stairs. "Hey Taylor … thanks."
"No problem." Taylor answered as she got back to finish up the rest of her homework.
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Zoe walked into her room thinking about the conversation she just had. How was her niece so incisive and how did she grow up so fast right before Zoe's eyes? Everything was happening too fast; she needed someone to talk to, not that her niece wasn't doing a terrific job on reading her aunt like a book. What Zoe needed was Dan but she couldn't talk to him right now especially not about this. She looked into her mirror and started to cry, she suddenly felt her knees give out and she fell to the floor weeping. Only Dan could make her loose her balance. As she sat on her bedroom floor, still crying, she wondered if everything was going to work out this time.
