His eyes were a fascinating color, a deep silver-gray that seemed to go down and down forever. She wanted to learn everything about him. He’d said he took care of his younger brother—how had that happened? Where were their parents? He’d followed his brother to Glacier to be a park ranger with him: did he really want to be a ranger, or just want to be with his brother?
It was weird—following a family member to a new city and taking the same job to be near them sounded, on the outside, just like something her mom would do. Teri could see it now: Teri decided she wanted to be a park ranger, and got a job in Yellowstone or wherever, and the next day, there was her mom, showing up to work beside her. I didn’t want you to be lonely, dear.
But Zach had said that he’d wanted to send Joel by himself, but Joel had stubbornly waited until there was enough money for them both.
What was it like to have that kind of bond with your sibling? Teri could remember, a little wistfully, the days when she’d been little and Lillian had been a rebellious pre-teen. Lillian had been determined to stick it to their parents back then, and she’d...what? Protected Teri? Cultivated her so she’d have a tiny ally?
Whatever Lillian had wanted, it had ended up with Teri feeling like Lillian was the best sister in the world. She’d wanted to be exactly like her, had followed her around and asked her what she thought about everything.
Lillian had gotten sick of it eventually, of course. Who wouldn’t? And then by the time she’d graduated high school, she’d been well on her way to becoming a direct copy of their mom. They hadn’t spent much time together by then. Teri had been eleven, and spent all of her time outside, ranging through the woods, coming back to be yelled at for going out of sight for hours at a time.
Hmmm, that seemed familiar.
Anyway, she and Lillian hadn’t been close in a long, long time. Teri envied Zach his relationship with his brother.
She was going to see him again tonight. She wondered how much this really was a pity date. Was he attracted to her? Would she get a chance to touch him, kiss him, feel that muscular body pressed all up against hers?
Teri flushed, feeling warmth pool in the pit of her stomach. She hadn’t touched a man since she’d broken up with her last boyfriend, over a year ago. And that relationship had dried up long before it ended; they’d only been having the most perfunctory sex, hardly any fun for either of them.
Come to that, Teri had never dated a man who really set her on fire. She’d been attracted, sure, and she’d had pretty good sex, but she’d never met anybody who felt as...magnetic as Zach did. She wanted his hands on her, she wanted his mouth on her, she wanted his—
Whoo, calm down, girl. That was getting a tiny bit ahead of herself. For God’s sake, all they’d done was hold hands, and this was probably a pity date, anyway.
But maybe it wasn’t.
And that thought had her smiling helplessly at nobody, there in her empty room.
***
She didn’t tell her mother ahead of time.
It made her feel like even more of a teenager, but that was when she’d learned how this worked: telling her mom what she was doing that night would only lead to her mother refusing to let her.
And since her mother could not let an adult woman choose whether or not she went on a date, it was better not to bring it up ahead of time at all.
At six-twenty-five, Zach texted her to say, About to pull up to your house. Should I come to the door?
Teri smiled. No, I’ll come out, she texted back. As humiliating as the incident in the park had been, it was nice that Zach understood the situation already. She couldn’t imagine trying to explain to a man she’d just met that no, he couldn’t come to the door, because Teri lived with her controlling mother and there’d be a big scene if he did.
She stealthily grabbed her jacket and slipped on her shoes. She’d put on a dress, which she hardly ever did, but she couldn’t remember the last time she’d had a chance to dress up for any reason at all.
The shoes were comfortable flats, though. Even before the accident, Teri had never been strong in heels.
All right. Moment of truth. Teri took a deep breath, and said, “Bye, Mom, I’m going on a date!”
Her mother appeared instantly, as if by magic. Lillian was right behind her. “You’re what?”
“I’m going on a date. Bye!” She’d timed it so she already had her hand on the doorknob when she called out. She opened the door and slipped out.
As she closed the door, she saw her mother coming forward fast, with a look of ire on her face. What did she think she was going to do? Physically restrain Teri from leaving?
She and Lillian together probably could. Better not to think about that, maybe.
Teri ran lightly down the front steps—running! She was running! Just a few feet, maybe, but she could do it!
As she reached Zach’s car, she glanced over her shoulder to see her mother framed like a vengeful angel in the light of the doorway, Lillian hovering behind her shoulder. A vengeful cherub, maybe.
Teri stifled a giggle and got into the car. As she plopped into the seat and shut the door, she let out her breath in a whoof. “Safe!”