somehow."
Annie translated that as 'We don't have a hope in hell
without Zack.' He was right. She had the clothes and a few riding skills under
her belt, but she didn't have the attitude. Or a bike. Or the social contacts.
"Bob," she called after him. He returned,
his feet moving quickly for a man past his prime with an unhealthy fondness for
doughnuts. "Can you tell me one thing?"
"Shoot."
"Is Zack as...bad as his reputation
suggests?"
His eyes narrowed. "Why do you want to know? What
did he say?"
She shrugged, trying to appear as if she didn't really
care. She was an atrocious actor. "Nothing. I'm just getting mixed
signals. One minute he seems so laid back and devil-may-care and the next he's
tense and mysterious."
"He's not as bad as the tabloids make him out to
be. He hates the public attention and I guess that can make him seem
stand-offish. Get him on his ranch and he's a different man."
Zack had a ranch? How had this piece of information
slipped her research? And why had he never mentioned it? Maybe he didn't want
her to know.
"Um, Annie," Bob said, "we really need
Dug-E. Maybe you should give Zack a call... He patted her arm and left.
Great. Way to make her feel guilty.
The rest of the day went by slower than a snail on
valium. At five to five, Annie couldn't stand it anymore and called Zack. She
figured breaking the kiss off was her fault. The slap afterward was definitely
deserved, but he could have said what he'd said to get back at her for the
interrupted kiss. So it was up to her to make the first move at reconciliation.
She rang his home number and left a message on his
answering machine. She left a message on his cell phone too and would have
called his office number if she had it. Probably just as well he hadn't given
it to her—she didn't want to speak to a secretary and start any rumors. He'd
hate people to think he was seeing someone like her. He might even refuse to
see her. And that was the last thing she wanted right now. Bob needed her and
Zack to work things out. She'd heard the desperation in his voice.
***
Zack listened to the messages on his phone and chewed
his lip. He was relieved Annie had called him although her apology for slapping
him made him feel guilty. She had nothing to apologize for. It had been his
fault. The kiss and the subsequent explanation were uncalled for. He'd felt
like a cad and wanted to call her, but he wasn't sure if that was wise. Maybe
they should just let it go, never see each other again.
All that flew out the window at the sound of her
voice. Bob's call just added to his resolution to call Annie back.
"What did you do to Annie?" Bob said.
"Nothing. Well, okay, something, but I'll fix
it."
"You'd better, DiMarco, because I've never seen
her like this."
Oh hell, he'd rubbed Bob the wrong way and hurt
Annie's feelings. "Maybe it's best I don't see her for a while." He
said it partly to test the waters and partly because he felt it was the right
thing to do.
"Crap. It's not the best thing. You better see
her, and soon." Bob hung up, leaving Zack confused. What should he say to
her? How could he make it up to her?
They needed to put the previous night out of their
minds. The best way to do that was to go out, away from the privacy of home,
but somewhere where they would be left alone...
He knew the perfect place. But knowing Annie, she
wouldn't have anything appropriate to wear and he didn't want her to use that
as an excuse.
***
At five, Annie left the office. She'd had enough of
the day. If Zack didn't call, she'd curl up with a good book and forget about
him. Forever. But a good dose of misery was boring without chocolate fudge ice
cream so she stopped on the way home and purchased a tub. She also bought two
Snickers bars and some Cheetos. No point doing things by halves.
When she got home, the red light on her answering
machine flashed wildly. She pressed the button and listened as she put her
groceries away.
"It's me," said Zack's sultry
Annie translated that as 'We don't have a hope in hell
without Zack.' He was right. She had the clothes and a few riding skills under
her belt, but she didn't have the attitude. Or a bike. Or the social contacts.
"Bob," she called after him. He returned,
his feet moving quickly for a man past his prime with an unhealthy fondness for
doughnuts. "Can you tell me one thing?"
"Shoot."
"Is Zack as...bad as his reputation
suggests?"
His eyes narrowed. "Why do you want to know? What
did he say?"
She shrugged, trying to appear as if she didn't really
care. She was an atrocious actor. "Nothing. I'm just getting mixed
signals. One minute he seems so laid back and devil-may-care and the next he's
tense and mysterious."
"He's not as bad as the tabloids make him out to
be. He hates the public attention and I guess that can make him seem
stand-offish. Get him on his ranch and he's a different man."
Zack had a ranch? How had this piece of information
slipped her research? And why had he never mentioned it? Maybe he didn't want
her to know.
"Um, Annie," Bob said, "we really need
Dug-E. Maybe you should give Zack a call... He patted her arm and left.
Great. Way to make her feel guilty.
The rest of the day went by slower than a snail on
valium. At five to five, Annie couldn't stand it anymore and called Zack. She
figured breaking the kiss off was her fault. The slap afterward was definitely
deserved, but he could have said what he'd said to get back at her for the
interrupted kiss. So it was up to her to make the first move at reconciliation.
She rang his home number and left a message on his
answering machine. She left a message on his cell phone too and would have
called his office number if she had it. Probably just as well he hadn't given
it to her—she didn't want to speak to a secretary and start any rumors. He'd
hate people to think he was seeing someone like her. He might even refuse to
see her. And that was the last thing she wanted right now. Bob needed her and
Zack to work things out. She'd heard the desperation in his voice.
***
Zack listened to the messages on his phone and chewed
his lip. He was relieved Annie had called him although her apology for slapping
him made him feel guilty. She had nothing to apologize for. It had been his
fault. The kiss and the subsequent explanation were uncalled for. He'd felt
like a cad and wanted to call her, but he wasn't sure if that was wise. Maybe
they should just let it go, never see each other again.
All that flew out the window at the sound of her
voice. Bob's call just added to his resolution to call Annie back.
"What did you do to Annie?" Bob said.
"Nothing. Well, okay, something, but I'll fix
it."
"You'd better, DiMarco, because I've never seen
her like this."
Oh hell, he'd rubbed Bob the wrong way and hurt
Annie's feelings. "Maybe it's best I don't see her for a while." He
said it partly to test the waters and partly because he felt it was the right
thing to do.
"Crap. It's not the best thing. You better see
her, and soon." Bob hung up, leaving Zack confused. What should he say to
her? How could he make it up to her?
They needed to put the previous night out of their
minds. The best way to do that was to go out, away from the privacy of home,
but somewhere where they would be left alone...
He knew the perfect place. But knowing Annie, she
wouldn't have anything appropriate to wear and he didn't want her to use that
as an excuse.
***
At five, Annie left the office. She'd had enough of
the day. If Zack didn't call, she'd curl up with a good book and forget about
him. Forever. But a good dose of misery was boring without chocolate fudge ice
cream so she stopped on the way home and purchased a tub. She also bought two
Snickers bars and some Cheetos. No point doing things by halves.
When she got home, the red light on her answering
machine flashed wildly. She pressed the button and listened as she put her
groceries away.
"It's me," said Zack's sultry
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