Being Zolt by D. L. Raver Page B

me.
    “What?”
    “I’ve been thinking about the video. I think Chris left us a clue. I don’t think he simply wanted you to remember him by driving his car. What was yours and Chris’s favorite song?”
    “Cabo Wabo. Why?” I asked, arching a brow.
    “My sixth sense is telling me there is something there. He did leave the video in the OU812 file folder. I told T-bone about it. He’s going to check out all the Van Halen files in the Mustang’s stereo.”
    “I don’t understand.” I picked some lint from my black, tuxedo-inspired jumpsuit.
    “I just have a feeling, is all? It can’t hurt to have T and his guys go through it. I promise the Mustang will be returned in pristine condition.” Zolt kissed my nose. “You look amazingly hot in that, by the way. Too bad the flight is so short; I’d love to introduce you to the mile-high club.”
    I smiled at him wickedly. “Oh no, Mr. Hamil. No sex until you’ve made an honest woman of me.”
    The doorbell rang, saving me from Zolt’s advances. I was pretty sure he was about to test my resolve.
    “That’s probably the guy from Kavanagh’s with my wedding band. I told him to have the Irish jeweler make a band that matches your engagement ring, but we won’t have that for at least a month.”
    “Well done,” I said patting him on the back. “I didn’t even see you cringe when you said wedding band.”
    “I’m ready for this, Irelyn.” He kissed me sweetly. “I have no nerves about this at all.”
    “Me either.” But I did have concerns about one thing, and I didn’t know how to bring it up. Instead of saying anything, I started gnawing on the side of my thumb.
    “What?” The corner of his eyes tightened with concern.
    “What about your medical marijuana? You can’t travel to Vegas with it.” I sucked in a breath and hoped he’d see the question as one of concern and not condemnation.
    “T has arranged for it. The driver will have some waiting. It’s nothing for you to worry about.”
    “Okay. I just want you to have what you need.” I gave him a small smile.
    “I have everything I need, baby.” Zolt pulled me into him, and his mouth descended on mine. He kissed me until we both panted for air. “I better go see who’s at the door.”
    I nodded, smiling as he left the room. Just a few weeks ago, I felt terrified at the thought of marriage, knowing that the proposal would come from a man I couldn’t stand. It didn’t matter to me that our wedding would be small, not the grand affair Rach and I had always fantasized about. With all the changes in my family, and with Dad’s involvement with Marcus, the sordid details would come out, along with the snubs and finger pointing.
    Yes, it was selfish of me to do it this way. Rachel and Cory, not to mention my parents, were going to be pissed we’d eloped. But as I glanced over at Zolt and saw him wearing the same large grin as me, I knew I’d made the right decision.
    We drank champagne on the plane to Vegas and enjoyed our time alone.
    “Hey, Zolt,” I said after I finished my second glass.
    “Hey, Irelyn.” He winked at me, and I felt my insides turn to mush.
    “Will you tell me about your mother?”
    “My mom? Sure. What do you want to know?” He turned his chair to face me.
    “You never talk about her. I’m just curious,” I said tentatively. I didn’t want to pry, but then we were getting married…
    “Neither Brody nor I have spoken to her in years.” He ran his finger up and down the stem of his flute.
    “Why?”
    “Well,” he said, dragging his gaze to mine. “She married a man we both couldn’t stand. A man who used her for the money she’d received when our Dad died.”
    “Oh.” I didn’t know what else to say.
    “After our dad died, Mom went crazy. She started dating all kinds of losers.”
    “He died in a car accident, right?” I remembered reading that in one of the articles about Zolt when he played football.
    “Yeah. The weather was rainy and wet, and he