Meet Mr. Prince (7 page)

“Why do you need to know? Are you planning to ask someone else if I say no?”

He laughed. “It would serve you right if I did. But no, I've learned my lesson. It's you I want. You and you alone.”

She almost said yes right then, but she bit her tongue to keep from saying it. He could just wait a few days. It wasn't as if he had to make plane reservations or anything. Harry's private jet was always ready and available to him, even on an hour's notice. And a few days would give her time to plan just what she was going to say to him about his role in the matter of Greg and his new job.

After telling her he would check in with her the following day, they said goodbye. Cornelia stood there afterward holding the phone and thinking. Was she being silly? Should she just forget all this courtship business and the way he had summarily gotten rid of Greg and tell Harry yes, she'd marry him? Neither she nor Harry were spring chickens. Who knew how many years they had left? Why was she wasting even one minute of them when they could be together?

You love him, faults and all. You know you do
.

Yes, she did.

Then there's no reason not to say yes.

But there
was
a reason. Harry had broken her heart once. How could she be sure he wouldn't break it again?

 

Now why had he done that? Zach'd had no intention of inviting Georgie to dinner, yet he'd given in to the impulse. And he had to admit that he was looking forward to having her there. Truth was, he liked her. He hadn't thought he was going to, but she'd quickly proven herself to be not only hardworking, with good judgment, but she was smart…and he could relate to her. It also didn't hurt that she was easy on the eyes.

It was kind of a shock that he had noticed. And, if he was being honest, that he'd responded to her. Until now, he'd been attracted to women who were more like Jenny: small, dark, girl-next-door types. No doubt about it. Georgie Fairchild was at the opposite end of the spectrum: tall, blonde and…sexy. Very sexy, because the sexiness wasn't flagrant. But it was there. It certainly was there.

Still thinking about her, he walked into the kitchen to tell Fanny he was having a guest for dinner. He wondered what Fanny thought. She didn't reveal anything of her inner thoughts when he told her, simply smiled and said, “I'll use the good china, then.” After a moment, she added, “Will you still be joining the children for their dinner?”

“Until Miss Fairchild arrives.” Zach usually ate his dinner early, with the children, but tonight they would be fed first so he could enjoy a more relaxed evening with Georgie.

After he'd freshened up with a shower and changed into jeans, well-worn loafers and his favorite blue sweater—a shade Jenny had always teased him about, saying it matched his eyes—he went back to the family room to check on Katie and Jeremy. He found Katie there alone.

“Where's your brother?” he asked, looking around.

She shrugged. “He got bored. I think he's in his room.”

“What're you doing, honey?” The television was dark, and Katie just seemed to be sitting there.

She shrugged again. “Nothing.”

He gave her a quizzical smile. “Nothing? Is something wrong?”

“I don't know.”

“What do you mean, you don't know? Is your throat hurting again?”

She shook her head. “No. It doesn't hurt.”

“Well, then…”

For a long moment, Katie stared down at her hands, which were folded in her lap. When she looked up, her eyes met his almost defiantly. “Fanny said that woman is coming for dinner.”

“By ‘that woman,' do you mean Miss Fairchild?”

“Yes. Her.”

Zach suppressed a sigh. Before Jenny died, he could count on one hand the number of times he'd sighed. Now that's all he seemed to do.

“I don't like her.”

“Katie, you don't even know Miss Fairchild. How can you not like her?”

“I don't know,” she mumbled. “I just don't.”

“But why not, honey? You must have a reason.”

Katie didn't answer, just kept looking down and avoiding his eyes.

“Katie?”

Finally she looked up. Zach was alarmed to see tears. “Katie,” he said gently. “What's wrong, honey?”

“Are you gonna
marry
her?”

Zach's mouth dropped open. “Marry who? Miss
Fairchild?
”

She nodded miserably.

“Of course I'm not going to marry her. She's just a friend. Someone who is working for me.” And yet, even as he said this, he knew it wasn't the whole truth. He and Georgie weren't really friends. They hadn't known each other long enough to be friends. And he
was
attracted to her. Too much so, in fact. Maybe Katie had sensed that.

“I don't want you to marry somebody else.” Now the tears had spilled down her face. “I want Mommy.”

“Oh, sweetheart …” Zach knelt by the bed. He felt like crying himself. “I know you do. I—I do, too.”

“Why'd she have to die?” Katie sobbed.

At times like this, Zach felt so helpless. He knew the pat answers to these questions, but he also knew how unsatisfying they were. “I don't know, sweetheart,” he said honestly, putting his arms around her. “Sometimes things happen that have no explanation.”

“It's not fair.”

“I know it's not fair.”

“I miss her.”

“Me, too,” he whispered.

After a few minutes, Katie seemed to gather herself together, and her tears stopped. “You know, honey,” he said, reaching for a tissue so she could wipe her eyes, “Mommy's always with us. I know you can't see her, but she's here. She's probably watching us right now, and maybe, if you close your eyes, you can feel her giving you a hug.”

Katie's eyes met his, and he could see she wasn't buying it. She didn't want her mother's spirit. She wanted a real, live mother. And not just any mother.
Her
mother.
Zach sighed again. What could he say to his sweet child to make her feel better? That he would never marry anyone else? Never bring another woman into their lives? How could he promise that? He was only thirty-seven years old. He didn't want to spend the rest of his life as a widower. And he knew Jenny wouldn't have wanted him to, either. In fact, one of the last things she'd said to him before she died was that she hoped he'd meet someone someday.

Finally, not knowing what else to say to his daughter, he whispered, “I love you, Katie. That will never change. You know that, don't you?” She nodded.

Zach hugged her again, then in a brighter voice said, “Fanny's got macaroni and cheese and tomato soup for you and Jeremy. Do you feel like eating tonight?”

“Uh huh.”

“Okay, let's go then. I'll sit with you until Miss Fairchild gets here, okay?”

“Okay.”

It hurt Zach to hear the resignation in her voice. Poor kid. She'd barely had time to be a kid before Jenny got sick. Then there'd been the year of treatment, the chemo, the hair loss, the weight loss—all taking place in front of Katie's eyes. She'd had to grow up too soon, experience things no kid should have to experience.

In that moment, Zach knew he could not add to the burden Katie carried. No, he couldn't promise his daughter he'd never marry again, because he hoped someday he would. But he could promise himself that he would never do anything to make Katie feel she came second in his life. And if that meant he would have to be alone for longer than he'd like to be, well, that was the way it was. Unless and until he met a woman his children
could wholeheartedly love and accept, he'd just have to accept his own burden of loneliness.

Because his kids came first.

And always would.

G
eorgie had just finished getting ready—she'd changed into her favorite pair of black jeans, a red sweater, knee-high black boots with four-inch heels (she'd take a cab to Zach's, no walking in
these
boots)—and was ready to go out the door when her cell rang. Stopping, she dug the phone out of her bag and saw that it was her mother calling.

“Hey, Mom, I'm just on my way out the door.”

“Hi, honey. I was thinking about you and thought I'd check in. See how you're doing.”

“Great. I'm doing great. Listen, can you hold on a minute?” Georgie juggled the phone and her bag while letting herself out of the apartment. Once the door was securely closed and locked, she headed for the elevator and resumed her conversation.

“So where are you going?” her mother asked.

“My boss invited me to have dinner at his place. Right now I'm waiting on the elevator.”

“Are he and his wife having a dinner party or something?”

“No, it's just me, and there's no wife. But don't worry, it's all on the up and up. He's a widower with three young children. Plus a housekeeper.” Georgie wasn't sure if Fanny lived in, but she probably did.

“Oh, really? A widower? What's he like?”

“He's very nice. I wasn't sure I was going to like him, but I do.”

“Well, that's good. How old are his children?”

“He's got two daughters, ten and three, and a son. I'm not sure how old the boy is, but I think he's the middle child.”

“Oh, that's sad, they're so young. How did his wife die?”

“Honestly, Mom, I don't know. I just know she did.”

“What's his name? Is he attractive?”

Georgie rolled her eyes. “His name is Zachary Prince. And yes, he's attractive. But I'm not interested in him as anything other than an employer and a possible friend. So don't get any ideas.”

“I just asked a simple question, Georgie.”

“Yeah, right. I know you. That was more than a simple question.”

Her mother laughed. “No sense arguing with you. I never win. You'll think what you want to think, anyway.”

By now Georgie was outside and had bravely stepped off the curb to try to get a cab. Unfortunately, at this time of night, every single cab seemed to be occupied.
Shoot. She should have allowed for that contingency and left earlier.

“Well, honey, have a good time. Call me tomorrow and tell me all about it.”

“Okay,” Georgie said. “I will. So what's up with you? Anything new?” Deciding to put her mother on the spot for a change, she added, “Seen Uncle Harry lately?”

“Actually, I just talked to him. In fact, I—” She broke off. “Oh, darn, someone's at the door. I'd better go. We'll talk tomorrow.”

It wasn't until Georgie had finally hailed a cab and was on her way to Zach's apartment that she thought about her mother's call again. Had her mother wanted something other than to find out how Georgie was doing? For some reason, Georgie had gotten the impression something was on her mother's mind. Well, if there had been, Cornelia would call her again. Because if there was one thing Georgie knew for sure about her mother, it was this: when Cornelia Fairchild wanted something, she doggedly pursued her goal.

As evidenced by the way she is still trying to find a man for me.

Georgie grimaced. Good thing her mother had no clue that Georgie was attracted to Zach, because if she did…she'd never give up. For the first time since arriving in New York, Georgie was extremely glad there were thousands of miles between her and her family.

This way, if Georgie forgot everything she'd decided about steering clear of Zach after tonight and ended up making a fool of herself, at least no one else would ever know.

 

“And this,” Zach said, “is Jeremy.”

Georgie smiled at the dark-haired youngster standing
before her. Bright blue eyes the exact shade of his father's stared back at her. In fact, Jeremy Prince was a miniature Zach. He would be a heartbreaker when he grew up. “Hi, Jeremy.”

“Hi.”

“Your dad tells me you're quite a hockey player.”

Jeremy grinned, showing a missing tooth. “I scored two goals in my last game.”

“That's great.” Georgie smiled ruefully. “I don't even know how to skate.”

“You don't?”

Georgie shook her head. “Nope. Where I live, we don't get snow and ice very often.”

“You
don't?
” Now he seemed aghast. “Why not?”

“It's not cold enough. Instead we get a lot of rain in the winter.”

“I don't like rain.”

Georgie laughed. “As a kid, I didn't, either.”

“You should come skating with us sometime,” Jeremy said. “We go 'most every Sunday, don't we, Dad?”

Throughout this exchange Katie hadn't said a word.

Zach turned to his daughter. “What do you think, Katie? Think we could teach Miss Fairchild how to skate?”

Katie shrugged. “I don't know.”

Georgie noticed that she didn't look at her father.

“I bet I could teach you to skate,” Jeremy said proudly. “I'm the best skater in our family.”

“I'm just as good as you are,” Katie said, glaring at her brother.

“So do you wanna?” Jeremy said to Georgie. He ignored his sister. “It's a lotta fun.”

Georgie was trying to think how to answer that
wouldn't embarrass Zach or put him on the spot when he said, “You're welcome to join us anytime, Georgie.”

“Thank you. Maybe one of these days I'll take you up on the invitation.” But she knew she wouldn't. She could feel the hostility coming off Katie.
She doesn't like me.
The thought made Georgie feel bad. She would have liked to be friends with Katie, because she thought she understood how the child felt. After all, they had something important in common. Georgie had been barely two years older than Katie when she'd lost her father.

“Now that we've settled that,” Zach said, “it's time for you two to get ready for bed.”

Georgie was impressed that neither Katie nor Jeremy argued or tried to wheedle their father into changing his mind. Instead, with a polite good-night from Katie and a big grin from Jeremy, they gave Zach a kiss and headed for their respective bedrooms.

“They're nice kids,” she said to Zach once they were gone.

“They are.”

“I'm sorry I didn't get to meet Emma, though.”

Later, during dinner, Georgie thought about how different his life was from hers. The strange thing was, though, that she felt more than a twinge of envy. Distracted and more than a little unsettled by this discovery, she had a hard time pretending to have a good time during dinner.

“Is something wrong?” he asked when she picked at her dessert, a really luscious apple tart.

She quickly shook her head. “Oh, no, everything was wonderful. Fanny's a marvelous cook. I'm just too full…and a bit tired.”

He smiled. “A new job, a new city, new hours… I'm not surprised.”

She nodded. “If you don't mind, I'm going to head on home now. Thank you again for inviting me.”

“My pleasure.”

Zach walked her out to the foyer, where she retrieved her coat, scarf and gloves from the coat closet. As she buttoned her coat, he said, “You know, I was worried when Alex told me you were coming to work at the office.”

“Really?” She wound her scarf around her neck. “Why?”

He shrugged. “Friend of the Hunt family and all that…I didn't know what to expect.” He laughed softly, almost in embarrassment. “I wondered if you were coming to spy on me.”

“Alex would never do anything like that.” And yet hadn't
she
wondered about Alex's motives herself?

“But I've been very pleasantly surprised,” Zach said warmly.

Georgie's heart gave an unwelcome lurch as her eyes met his. She couldn't think what to say.

“I think we're going to make a good team.”

“I—I do, too.”

“And I'm very glad you're here.”

Georgie swallowed. There was a look in his eyes she couldn't define. Whatever it was, it was making her heart thud—too fast and too loud. God, he had gorgeous eyes. For a moment, she continued to stand there, feeling like a tongue-tied fool.
I'd better get out of here.
Finally she said, “Thanks again, Zach, for a great evening. Good night.”

“'Night, Georgie.” He held the door open for her. “Don't forget. Let the doorman call a cab for you.”

“I will.”

“Don't even think about walking home alone.”

“No, I won't.”

“See you tomorrow.”

More than anything, she wanted to turn around and see if he was watching her as she walked away, but she forced herself to go to the elevator without looking back. Only when the elevator dinged its arrival did she glance over to the entrance to his apartment. Zach stood there in the open doorway, and when their eyes met, he raised his hand in farewell.

She smiled, raised hers in return and entered the elevator.

She felt…she didn't know how she felt. As if she'd run a marathon or something. As if she'd climbed a mountain and had finally reached the top. As if all the oxygen had suddenly been zapped from the air.

She was actually trembling. Geez Louise, what was
wrong
with her? She kept remembering the way Zach had looked at her when he'd said they made a good team, that he was glad she was there. And then, like a bucket of ice water, she remembered the way his daughter had looked at her. Then she remembered Deborah's warning, for that's the way she was beginning to think of what she'd said:
Those children really need a mother
. And finally she remembered Joanna and the reckless way she'd taken up with a man who was completely wrong for her.

Don't be like Joanna. You know Zach isn't for you. No matter how attractive he is, no matter how attracted to him you are, he isn't for you. You need a Mr. Right-Now, someone sexy and attractive to flirt with and possibly have a fling with while you're in New York. Zach is the opposite of that—he's a Mr. Commitment, with
three children who need a mother. And even if you were willing to consider being that mother someday
—which she
wasn't—his oldest child doesn't like you.

How could Zach possibly fit into her life? Or her into his? Was she ready to give up her job and move to New York? Ready to stop traveling around the world? Ready to assume responsibility for a ready-made family?

No, she wasn't.

So she needed to put his sexy smile and gorgeous eyes right out of her head, and then she needed to run as far and as fast as her legs would carry her.

Because Zachary Prince might as well be wearing a big red sign saying Danger Ahead.

 

Cornelia finally made up her mind. And she did it without consulting anyone. She'd thought she might bounce her idea off Georgie, see what her oldest daughter had to say, but Georgie had obviously had other things on her mind when Cornelia called her, so in the end, Cornelia made her own decision. Still, talking to Georgie hadn't been a waste, because the conversation with her oldest daughter had given Cornelia an idea.

Picking up the phone, she called Harry.

“About time,” he said. “I was beginning to think you were just going to ignore me, not give me any kind of answer at all.”

“Now, Harry, you should know me better than that.”

He chuckled. “I do, Corny. I was just trying to get a rise out of you.”

She smiled. “I've made a decision.”

“I hope it's a favorable one.”

“I've decided that yes, I'd love to go away with you this weekend.”

“Wonderful. What's it to be? Paris? Montreal?”

“Not exactly. Um, what would you say to New York?”

“New York? But, Corny. It's February.”

“It's February in Paris and Montreal, too.”

“But what does New York have that Paris doesn't?”

“Georgie,” Cornelia said without a moment's hesitation.

“Ah. I see. You're missing your girl.”

“Something like that. I just thought…as long as we're going somewhere…I could kill two birds.” She didn't dare tell him she wanted to check out this boss of Georgie's, this young widower. Especially since she'd gotten onto Harry's case when
he'd
meddled in her daughters' love lives. Oh, Harry would have a field day if he knew what she was thinking.

“Tell you what. Why not really kill two birds?” he countered. “How about if we go to New York tomorrow, stay over a night or two so you can see Georgie, then on the weekend fly to Paris. We could stay there two or three nights—have a real Valentine's Day weekend, then come back home. That way you can see Georgie
and
Paris.”

“You know, if we're going somewhere after New York, I'd rather go somewhere warm,” Cornelia said. She was still thinking about that Valentine's Day remark he'd made. “We can save Paris for a possible future trip. How about the Keys? I've never been to Key West.”

“You know, Corny, you never cease to surprise me. Key West would be about the last place I'd ever imagine you wanting to go.”

“And why do you say that?” Cornelia wasn't sure whether to be flattered or insulted.

“Key West just doesn't seem like your style.”

“Well, Harry, for your information, I know how to let my hair down as well as the next person. In fact, I may just surprise you.” She actually had more than one surprise for him.

He laughed. “Is that a promise? Or a threat?”

“You figure it out.”

But she was laughing, too, when they hung up. She was actually looking forward to this.