The dry, hot air tickled Tori’s throat as she took a moment to scan her surroundings from the top of the rolling exit stairs attached to the jet. The red hills and valleys stretched for miles. The copper, sandstone mountains in the distance were covered in a mineral as white as snow.

“St. George!” Tori pointed to the northwest mountain range. “And that’s Snow Canyon.”

Annie stared up at her with a look of annoyance. “I thought you’d never been here?”

“I haven’t.” Tori shrugged. “But I’ve seen hundreds of photos.”

Zee took Tori’s hand to assist her down the stairs. “What’s kept you away?”

“I’m more of an escape to the beach girl, than an escape to the desert girl. But I’m excited to check it out,” she said with eagerness.

“I have to agree with you there. I’m not sure that I could live without waves for more than a few months. It’s in my blood.”

Tori wondered how that knowledge might affect her someday. “Your mom chose the right name for you then.”

“More than that. She taught me to love the salty sea and to appreciate its power. But more importantly, to know that we all have a similar power inside of us that is hankering to show the world that we are capable of conquering the most daunting challenges.”

As Tori and Zee entered the car, they found Annie clicking her pen rapidly with an eagle eye on her notepad.

“Do you mind if I change the word hankering? It doesn’t quite fit the tone.” Annie looked up momentarily. “Maybe to gushing, swelling, surging, billowing.” Annie continued to click her pen wildly. “Got it.” She continued to scribble recklessly in her little notebook.

“How did you hear me?” Zee questioned.

Annie rolled her eyes. “I was only two steps in front of you.”

Zee shook his head. “What words did you come up in your mad scheme to plagiarize my mother?”

“Let’s see.” Annie read her notes as she waved her pen in the air. “We have a similar power inside each one of us. A power that aches for moral transcendence. A power that lies in wait to demonstrate to all nations and peoples that we are capable of conquering the most daunting challenges. Rise up! It is time to release your inner power. As the waves of the sea swell and billow across the ocean, go too, and show this world what lies within!”

Tori grabbed Annie by the arm “Wow. What was that?”

Annie shrugged her shoulders “I don’t know. Crazy-lady gibberish.”

“I’d say.” Zee winked.

Tori wondered why Zee didn’t wink at her that way.

“Here we are,” Annie announced as they pulled into the parking lot of a Japanese restaurant.

Zee leaned forward. “Annie, the reason why I’ve never tried sushi, is that I really don’t like fish.”

“You’ve also never experienced hibachi.” Annie responded. “We’ll start you slow with the sushi. It took me years to appreciate it. Now, I could eat sashimi at almost every meal. I crave the thick, muscly tenderness.”

As they exited the car, a tall, toned man strolled over to meet them. Tori did a double take. “Is that Paxton?” She hadn’t seen him up close until then. He was a looker, just like Zee. He appeared a few years younger, closer to Annie’s age.

Annie let out a holler. “Speaking of muscly tenderness,” she said, running to meet him.

Zee turned to Tori. “Tell me she didn’t just say that. I think I’m gonna hurl.”

Tori huffed out a breath “You’d think they haven’t ever...”

“They haven’t. They’re getting married in two weeks. I guess I’d be the same way.”

Thoughts of Tori’s wedding rushed through her mind.

Zee took Tori by the arm. “Tori, you alright?”

Suddenly the heat seemed unbearably hot. “Yeah. Sorry. Too many memories.”

“I want to hear them. Not all of them, obviously. But he was a huge part of your life, and you talking about him would never upset me.”

“Thanks. Another day.” It was still too raw and uncomfortable speaking to Zee about Jim. “I’m starving. Even raw fish sounds appetizing.”

“You must be famished.” He took her by the arm and led her inside. “Let’s leave the lovebirds to their nest building. They’re headed to the sushi bar anyway.”

It took a minute for Tori’s eyes to adjust to the low light in the restaurant.

“We’re the only ones here,” she observed.

The hostess, dressed in a red kimono, ushered them back to a U-shaped table where an Asian chef stood on the other side of the hibachi grill with two slabs of raw steak, chopped onions, and zucchini.

“How do you like your meat?” The chef pulled out two large, flat, stainless steel spatulas from his chef’s belt, and flipped them in the air. “Steak for you? No fish, the woman said. Is that okay?”

Zee nodded, then motioned for Tori to make her request first.

“Medium, please,” Tori said, smiling.

“Medium rare for me.”

The chef acknowledged their responses with a flick of his spatula. “Good choice. Are we celebrating a special day today? We are normally closed now. Birthday?”

Zee shook his head. “No. Just a day away.”

“Day away?” the chef said with excitement, eyeing Tori’s wedding band. “Is it an anniversary?”

The heat rose, and it wasn’t from the flames rolling off the hibachi grill. Tori’s face burned. She shook her head, quickly placing her hands under the table.

The chef’s demeanor grew somber. She couldn’t hide her guilt.

Zee grabbed her left hand from under the table, and raised it triumphantly. “Even better. We’re celebrating this beautiful woman’s rise to stardom. Meet the lead in the next big blockbuster film, Oh, if Only.”

The chef’s mouth dropped open before banging his spatulas together multiple times. “Congratulations! This is a big celebration. We need pictures. Many pictures.”

It amazed Tori how quickly Zee could lift her spirits. Within minutes, several kimono and chef-attired employees filtered through, snapping photographs. It reminded Tori of her days on the runway.

Zee leaned over and whispered into Tori’s ear, “This is a first for me. How ‘bout you?”

“First for me as well. Never been a screen actress before.” She placed a searing-hot piece of fillet into her mouth. When people say, melt like butter, this is what they must mean. “How did you come up with the title, Oh, if Only?”

“Seemed fitting, somehow.”

“Isn’t that from The Wizard of Oz?” Tori began singing, “If I only had a brain…”

“I was thinking something very different.” Zee shook his head, laughing. “Ready for our next stop? I believe the rest of the day will be spent outdoors.”

“Can’t wait,” Tori said, popping another piece of steak in her mouth. “Let me finish off this amazing food, then I’ll be ready to show the world what lies within!”