When Boone had said, they would take things slow, that was exactly what he had meant. Zelda had seen him in class the following week, but nowhere else. She didn't know if it was because they were both busy or if he was avoiding her. She tended to think it was the former because she had a week full of committee meetings, Eden's school functions, and her class load. It had been an overwhelming week, so when Lucy called and suggested that she and Eden come for a weekend visit, Zelda had jumped at the chance to get away.

Eden gave a little squeal as the car pulled up in front of Lucy and Zebidiah's house in Belfort. It was a small town about an hour north of the city, and Zebadiah had bought the biggest house in the parish. It had been a wreck when he had taken ownership, so he had hired local contractors to restore it, and that was how he had met Lucy Monroe.

Lucy was a talented preservationist who specialized in wood restoration. She was a unique individual with silver hair and grey eyes, who was reserved and kept to herself, especially in a crowd. Zelda would have never chosen her as a match for Zebadiah, but they were crazy about each other, and she had never seen her brother so protective of anything in his life as he was of Lucy.

"Look, Mommy! It's Ms. Etta!" Eden cried as she jumped out of the car and raced up the steps, throwing herself into the waiting woman's arms. Etta was a little silver-haired old lady who was outspoken and wise. She was just as unique as her grand-daughter Lucy.

Etta wrapped her arms around the child in greeting. "So blessed, this delightful child," she said with a smile as she hugged her tight. "Lucy has a surprise for you inside," she informed Eden, who was off like a shot.

Zelda settled into the rocking chair next to Etta. The house sat in the bend of a river, but Etta was sitting on the front side, facing away from the water. "I would have thought that the breeze in the back would have been better than here," Zelda said as she started to gently rock in the chair, letting the motion sooth her.

Etta was knitting and only made a murmuring noise, which didn't mean anything one way or another. "I'm waiting," she explained without explaining anything at all.

"For what?" Zelda asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

"For the other blessing." Etta smiled. "They just keep coming."

Zelda thought about asking her what she was talking about but decided against it. Etta was always talking in riddles, and if she asked her she would only get another riddle thrown at her.

They rocked in silence as dusk began to fall, and Zelda was determined to enjoy the weekend, riddles and all.

"There you are," Zebadiah greeted as he stepped out onto the porch. "What are you two doing out here?" He leaned against one of the porch columns watching Etta's hands work the wool.

"I was just getting caught up with Etta," Zelda explained as she stood.

Zebadiah smiled one of his rare smiles, which were less rare with Lucy in his life. "How's that working out?"

"As usual, total confusion. She's waiting for the other blessing. I don't suppose you know what she's talking about?" Zelda looked up at her bother.

"I can guess," was all he said before he turned and walked into the house with Zelda, none the wiser, following his lead.

"Mommy, Mommy, Lucy built me a dollhouse that looks just like this one, come and see!" Eden grabbed Zelda's hand and dragged her up the stairs and into one of the guest bedrooms on the second floor.

Lucy was waiting in the room, fiddling with the dollhouse when they entered. Lucy glanced at Zelda without really looking at her, saying hello before turning her attention back towards the dollhouse.

"Lucy, it's beautiful!" Zelda exclaimed as she joined Lucy and Zelda on the floor in front of it. They spent the better part of an hour playing with it before Lucy excused herself, saying that she needed to start on dinner. Zelda knew it was a chance to break away while Eden was still entertained to talk to Zebadiah about Boone.

It was a conversation that she knew she needed to have with him, but she didn't know how to do it. Either way, putting it off wasn't going to make it any easier. So, she kissed Eden on the head and told her to be good before she wandered down the hall towards the study. When she reached it, the door was open and Zebadiah was working on his computer.

Zelda knocked, and he looked up, motioning for her to enter.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" she asked, sitting in the chair across from him.

"Sure," Zebadiah said, closing his computer and sitting back in his chair. "What about?"

Zelda took a deep breath. "Boone."

"What about Boone?" He wasn't going to make it easy or help her in any way.

"I know he's one of your closest friends..." she paused, trying to find the words, and Zebadiah waited. "I like him," she concluded lamely.

Zebadiah smiled. "I'm glad. He likes you too."

"I love him. I've been in love with him for as long as I can remember," Zelda said in a rush, finally admitting it out loud.

"I imagine that's for you two to work out together." Zebadiah raised his eyebrow.

"It is, but I want to know if you're alright with it?" Zelda asked, allowing her impatience to show.

"It's none of my business, Zelda. I have always tried to give you the privacy and space I thought you needed." Zebadiah took his glasses off and threw them on the desk. "But I don't mind. I wouldn't have minded eight years ago, if either one of you had been able to pull your head out of the sand and see the truth that everyone around you could see."

Zelda stared at him in shock. He had known how she felt all of those years ago and hadn't said anything. She could feel her anger rising as she thought of it.

"And you didn't think to say anything about to either one of us?" she choked on the words.

"You were both adults, and it was none of my business." He looked at her quizzically as he caught the note of anger in her voice.

"Did you ever think that I, as your sister, was your business? That maybe if you had said something it might have saved me eight years of misery?" She stood, feeling the tears of anger building.

Zebadiah's eyes grew wide in shock at her outburst. "Zelda?"

She couldn't speak, it felt like one more betrayal heaped on all of the others, her breathing was ragged. There was so much to say, but she didn't know where to start.

"Boone!" Eden's voice cried in excitement, and both Zelda and Zebadiah looked in his direction surprised to see him.

Boone scooped up Eden giving her a loud smacking kiss on the check.

"Are you here for the weekend too?" the little girl asked with excitement in her voice.

"I am," Boone confirmed as he put her back on her feet. "Lucy said something about needing your very talented baker's hands in the kitchen."

Eden was off like a shot, not wanting to miss any of the fun, and it left the three of them standing in Zebadiah's office in awkward silence.

"It sounded like you two were having a very interesting conversation, don't let me interrupt." Boone leaned against the wall, his eyes hard as he crossed his arms. This was the Boone that ran a multi million-dollar corporation, the one who got his way on everything.

Zebadiah and Boone were staring at each other, having a conversation without words, and Zelda was clueless as to what they were saying.

"I don't think I need to be here for this," Zelda said, wanting to be somewhere else.

"I think you do," Boone insisted, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him, trapping Zelda. She felt the click of the latch in her gut, and it made her jump. Whatever was about to happen next was going to change every relationship in the room.

It was all too much. All Zelda had wanted was Zebadiah's approval, and she still wasn't sure if she had it or not. Just as quickly as she had that thought she remembered that she had told Zebadiah that she loved Boone.

Had Boone heard that? She closed her eyes at the thought. This moment couldn't get any worse for her.

The answer to that was yes, it could.