Beneath the Scars (28 page)

I blushed a little under her gaze. I was thinking Zachary might ask me to stay with him eventually.

“Are you coming back, then—for the meeting?”

“I was hoping to let Bill handle it.”

“You should be there, Megan. Face Jared, tell him what you think of him.” Leaning over, she clasped my hand. “Chris and I will give you the money to fight this mess. You know we will. Bill will help you to find the right lawyer.”

“I have nothing to fight
with
. He has everything. Even my file of changes I thought I wanted to make.” I shook my head. “It’s my word against his. There are parts I wrote so long ago, I don’t know if I’d remember them. He’d be able to quote it all if needed. He has it all, Karen. I handed it all to him like a blind fool.”

“You trusted him.”

“Big mistake.”

“A mistake you’ve paid for dearly.” Her shrewd eyes regarded me. “Is the money the only thing holding you back?”

“No. The thought of a trial and what he would say and do bothers me. What might come out about, ah, what’s happening in my life now. I can’t risk it.”

“You’re worried about Zachary?”

“His privacy is important. I can’t risk exposing him.”

“Have you told him he’s part of the reason you’re not going to fight?”

“No. Don’t try and change my mind, Karen. I’d pretty much decided this before Zachary came into the picture. Now I’m sure.” I hesitated. “But maybe you’re right. I should come back and face him, end it once and for all. Leave him to deal with his publishers. I won’t fight him, but I’m not going to make it easy on him either.

“I want to put this behind me and start fresh. I have a different life to lead now, I think.” I smiled as I looked at the journals on the table. I had already shown them to Karen. “Maybe I’ll try writing again.”

Karen smiled. “It
is
a thoughtful gift.”

I nodded, encouraging her small allowance toward Zachary. “It is. He is thoughtful—and sweet. He only has to warm up to you.”

She laughed. “I’m not sure we’ll ever warm up to each other.”

Zachary’s phone buzzed in my pocket and I read the screen, chuckling at the fact he was using my cellphone.

Is she leaving soon?

Smiling, I replied.

I don’t think so.

I could almost hear the resignation in his answer.

Would you like to ask your friend if she wants to join us for dinner?

I grinned as I typed.

Can you handle that?

His response was swift.

At least that way I get to see you again. I’ll be polite.

I looked up at Karen. “Now’s your chance to find out. Zachary wants to know if you’d like to join us for dinner. He promises to be polite.” I left out the other comments.

“Well, this I have to see for myself,” she snorted.

She’s looking forward to it.
I typed, trying not to laugh. I knew he would read that and roll his eyes. Somehow I knew I would spend the evening refereeing the two of them.

“I’m leaving early tomorrow. Do you want to come back with me?”

I shook my head. “No. I’ll come in the next day or so. I have to do a few things here, then I’ll drive myself in.”

“Okay. Maybe you should stay at our place so Jared can’t get to you. Our building has great security.”

“Good idea. I’ll go to my place and get some things. Tidy it up, since I left in such a hurry.”

Karen stood up. “Okay. I’m going to shower and get ready for this big dinner.”

I rolled my eyes. “You have to be polite, too.”

“I will.”

“You better.” Picking up our empty glasses, I headed for the kitchen. “I’m going to walk over and help him with dinner. Come over when you’re ready?” I called out as I texted Zachary to tell him I was on my way.

I heard her laughing down the hall. “Help with dinner. Yeah. That’s a good one. I’ll knock before I come in this time.”

I was chuckling as I walked onto the deck. My breath caught as I saw Zachary hurrying down his steps to the beach. The dogs were in front of him when they hit the sand. His steps never lagged as he began jogging toward me, and I descended to the beach, my own feet moving faster than normal.

Soon, I was in his arms, held tight to his chest. Warm lips nuzzled the top of my head and I gripped his neck, happy to feel him close to me. I looked up at him, the emotion in his eyes catching me by surprise.

“Hey.”

His minty breath washed over me as he touched his mouth to mine in a series of small, light kisses. “Hi,” he whispered, relief evident in his voice. “I’m glad to see you.”

“Did you think you wouldn’t?”

His silence said it all.

I brushed my mouth to his. “I missed you.”

“How long ‘til we have company?”

“About an hour, knowing Karen.”

A surprised gasp left my lips as he swooped me up in his arms and began walking back to his house.

“Good. We have some unfinished thank yous from earlier.”

I giggled. “She said she’d knock this time.”

“She’ll have to—I’m locking the door.”

I sighed as I looked down at my plate again. I was beginning to believe Karen was right: they would never warm to each other. I looked between them in frustration. It didn’t help that Zachary was about as communicative with her as he had been with me the first day, answering most of her questions with grunts or brief yeses and nos. The fact Karen kept pushing him on things he obviously didn’t want to discuss was making him terse.

I threw my napkin down, shoving my plate so hard, my wineglass tipped over. Luckily, it was empty, but the noise drew both their gazes toward me. “Could the two of you try, please? For me?”

Karen’s eyebrow rose as I addressed her. “Why don’t you ask him about his paintings, or his photography?” I waved my hand around the room. “He took most of these photos.” I pointed to the mantle. “That painting? That’s the one I saw the day in the gallery before we met.” My voice softened as I smiled at Zachary. “I fell in love with him because of that painting.”

He ducked his head with a shy grin on his face, his eyes crinkling in the corners. His smile fell when I shook my head at him. “And you. Karen is my best friend. She asks a lot of questions, all the time—it’s not only you. You have a voice—a lovely one, in fact. Use it. Answer her—maybe even ask her a few questions. The two of you might be surprised how much you have in common.” I stood up, taking my plate. “You both love me, maybe that’s a good place to start.” Spinning on my heels, I walked into the kitchen, slamming my plate down and grabbing the coffee pot.

“Well, I guess we were told,” Zachary’s voice drawled from the dining room.

“You are rude,” Karen retorted.

“Right back at you, lady. You’re exactly like the women I dealt with all my life. Bitchy.”

I groaned, my head falling into my hands. They were both impossible.

To my surprise, Karen chuckled. “That’s my cover. Owning my own business, I have to be a bitch at times. And I kind of like being a bad-ass.”

There was a pause before Zachary spoke again. “Is it a hard thing, owning your own place?”

I straightened up. That was the first real question Zachary had asked all night.

“At times. Suppliers, landlords, staff, maintenance. There’re times I wish I was simply a hair dresser again, and not running the place.”

“Megan is a customer of yours?”

“Yes, that’s how we met. We got to talking and became friends.” She paused. “I love her like a sister.”

Zachary was quiet, his voice warmer when he spoke. “I love her, too.”

“You better not hurt her.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Then don’t. It’s that simple. I can’t let her be hurt again. That asshole did a number on her.”

“I’d be glad to take him to task for that.”

“I’d join you.”

I heard their wineglasses clink and like an idiot, I clasped my hands together in a silent sign of glee, waiting to see how they proceeded.

“If your customers look half as good as she does when they leave your place, you must be very good at your job.”

“I am good.”

“Modest as well, I see.”

“I call it how I see it.”

I rolled my eyes.

At least they were talking.

Karen stretched and stood up from the table. “I’m off very early, so I’m heading home.” She glanced at me. “Should I say goodbye now?”

Unsure how to answer, I hesitated. In truth, I knew I should go and stay the night with her since she had driven up here, but I really didn’t want to leave Zachary alone.

I was surprised when Zachary spoke up before I could answer. “I’ll walk her over later. I’ll make sure she gets there safe.”

Karen pursed her lips, her voice almost teasing. “What about me, Zachary? Don’t you want to make sure I get there safe? Or is Megan the only one you think some sea monster is going to attack?”

Zachary leaned back, a small grin playing on his lips. “I think you could probably handle a sea monster your own bad-ass self, Karen, but if you like, I’m happy to walk you home.” Then he smirked at her.

Smirked.

I thought my jaw was going to hit the floor. They sounded almost…friendly.

Karen’s eyebrow arched—a look I knew all too well. “You don’t think Megan could handle a sea monster?”

Zachary’s voice sent shivers through my spine. “She could—but she doesn’t have to. That’s my job now.”

Karen blinked, looked at me, then blinked again.

“Well, then, I guess there’s nothing else to say.”

She stopped at the door. “Are you sure you won’t come back with me tomorrow, Megan? You really have to stay?”

Beside me, Zachary froze. I closed my eyes, inwardly cursing. I hadn’t yet talked to him about me going back to Boston. We’d barely managed to get dressed before Karen arrived for dinner.

Slowly, he unfurled himself from the sofa, his voice quiet when he spoke. “Are you certain, Megan? I’m sure whatever is keeping you here can’t be that important if you’re ready to return to Boston.”

I stood up, my heart sinking at his words. He thought I was leaving him. Looking past him, I smiled at Karen, struggling to remain calm. “I’m sure. I’ll only be in Boston a few days when I come, and I don’t have that meeting set up.”

She shrugged, totally oblivious to the turmoil she had caused. “Okay then, thought I’d try. The drive is always nicer with two people.” She drew on her sweater. “Thank you for dinner, Zachary.”

He moved past me, avoiding my touch. “I’ll let the dogs out and watch you to make sure you arrive home safely.”

The door closed, shutting off her laughter.

I walked to the kitchen, automatically straightening up, needing to stay busy, my mind racing. His first instinct—his first thought—had been I was leaving. He still couldn’t accept he was loved or he came first to someone. He actually thought I would walk away from him.