Speak Low If You Speak Love

Jacoby was sitting having lunch with his lawyer when he saw Zoë walk in and saw the sadness and frustration in her eyes. And he saw that she’d been crying. He told his lawyer to hold on a second got up moving to her. She glanced up when he said her name and their was guilt in her eyes, for what he didn’t know, but he let it slide.

“Are you okay Zoë? What’s wrong?”

“I’ve had a long fucking day…”

“Are you okay?” He asked again.

“Yeah I’ll be fine.”

“Want to go for a drink when you leave here?”

“I shouldn’t…”

“It’s just a drink.”

“I.. I… sure.”

“Here call me when you get ready to leave.” he said writing a number on a napkin from a table near by. She took it smile half heartedly at him. He went back to what he was doing and until he left he kept an eye on her. She looked like she was fighting demons and he wanted to know what was wrong with her. He was leaving when he heard her laughter and someone saw someone swing her around as he lifted her off the ground.

“ONE!”

“Hey Zoë… heard you could use some laughs… come on we’re getting you outta here.” Jimmy said as Blaire laughed at her husband. Coby’s eyes saddened.

“But I already promised…”

“Nope, c’mon.”

“But!!” She glanced across the restaurant at Coby who was leaving. He mouthed the word go at her and she sighed as he left. She glared at the others and let her self be led from the restaurant knowing that it would be closed right. She really had only gone in to get away from the house. “Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.”

Coby was sitting staring at his fridge when his cell phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and answered it without looking at the caller ID. He heard laughter on the other end.

“Hello?”

“Jacoby, it’s Zoë…”

“Oh hi, wasn’t expecting you to call tonight…”

“Yeah, well I finally got them to give my cell phone back since we’re headed home.”

“Oh.”

“So uhm you want to meet me for dinner somewhere?” She bit her lip and Jimmy shook his head from the front seat and she reached up and smacked him. Blaire shook her head and grinned at Zoe.

“Uh sure okay…where?”

“Well, I’m about thirty minutes from Denny’s which is all I’m fit for after the day I’ve had…”

“Sure I’ll meet you there. You can tell me about your day.” the two hung up Coby nervous and in the car Blaire finally spoke.

“I’m so telling Paige you just asked Coby out.”

“Oh my god Blaire you wouldn’t…” Zoë said.

“Oh please he’s her best friend. Just don’t sleep with him on the first date.”

“I’d kill him.” Jimmy said and the rest of the ride was silent.

After they dropped Zoë off at Denny’s they headed to Matt’s for the evening Barbeque. They walked in and Paige looked at them. She waited a whole minute and then glared.

“Where is Zoë?” Paige demanded, her hands on her hips and glaring at Jimmy and Blaire.

“She asked Coby out on a date and they’re having dinner…” Blaire said grinning. Paige stared at her.

“Wait what? Wait she did what... but uh.. there’s no way... she I mean...wow.” Not very many things had ever left Paige speechless, this just happened to be one of them. Matt touched her arm. She turned to look at him confusion mixed with laughter in her eyes. He shook his head.

Zack was out back sipping a beer avoiding Andrea Sanders. He sighed. After that morning he highly doubted Matt would ever let him anywhere near his sister. He watched as everyone walked back outside and sighed downing his beer when he saw Andi walk out with them clad in shorts and a oversized t-shirt. She was barefoot and her hair was in a messy pony tail and he wanted her. Andi glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and Matt caught her looking. He closed his eyes and pretended like always not to notice. He would kill Zack if the two hooked up and he hurt his baby sister. He knew last night had been because Zack was scared to ask Andi out and hadn’t happened intentionally but it had pissed him off anyway because obviously he hadn’t been sober when he was introduced to Zoe. Matt walked over to his sister.

“Andi”

“Hmm?” She asked as she sipped her beer.

“I’m just gonna straight out ask this.”

“What Matt?”

“Is there something going on between you and Zack?” Andi turned to look at him. Her face showed shock at what her brother was saying.

"Matt... why would there be anything between us?"

"I see the way you look at him Andi. I'm not stupid."

"Matt, he's not into me okay."

"Yeah he is... and I can't believe that I am saying this but... go."

"Huh?"

"Go fucking talk to him. And Andi..."

"Yeah?" She asked biting her lip.

"He hurts you I wanna know."