“We aren’t in the ‘club’, but then we’ve known that a long time.” She paused. “I’m worried. I can’t reach anyone. I even went by the office and they were all in meetings. I’d go by Daddy’s house, but no telling what time he’ll be home.”
“You think it’s bad and they don’t want to tell us.” It wasn’t a question.
“I don’t know, Chris. I’m mad as hell for being left in the dark, though. I work for the damn newspaper. You know what kind of pressure having my family in the headlines puts on me?”
“I can imagine, Sis. I’m sorry.” He paused. “Damn. I hate this. I have to go. If you find out anything, leave me a message and I’ll call back as soon as I can.”
“I will. Good luck in your meeting.”
“Thanks,” Chris said. “I need it with this on my mind.”
“Chris?”
“Yeah?”
Just thinking about the question in her mind made Zoe’s stomach flip-flop. But she had to know what Chris thought. He was the youngest of her brothers but the wisest in her book. “You don’t think he’s guilty, do you?” she asked, the words barely-there as she forced them from her lips.
A moment of silence. “He’s an ass, not a thief. There’s a difference.” Then, “Call me. Gotta run.” And with his harsh words of clarity and truth between them, they disconnected.
* * * * *
He’d come here tonight hoping to convince himself that his distraction over Zoe came down to great sex.
But he now knew that wasn’t the case. Not at all. She intrigued him in some deeper way. Beyond the physical. Everything about her. From her cozy little apartment, full of dark colors and overstuffed furniture, to the sexy sway of her nicely curved hips.
The new, more vulnerable, Zoe of this night held no less appeal than the sensual kitten of their last meeting. Sensing she was bothered, he found himself wanting to comfort her. Proof he wasn’t interested in just sex. And when she’d seemed almost nervous with him, and not at all the bold, hungry woman who had led their lovemaking just hours before, he’d wanted to know why. It wasn’t likely they would be repeating the wicked romp of their first encounter but that didn’t discourage his interest in her at all. When he’d kissed her, Zoe’s resistance had started to fade. He’d felt her relax and start letting go of whatever had her so concerned. That he had managed to pull her out of the stress she felt, if only for a short time, seemed to confirm their connection.
When the phone had rung, the moment had slipped away. Just like that, she’d slammed the door on her emotions and blocked him out.
Declan hadn’t intentionally eavesdropped on the call but nevertheless, he’d heard part of the conversation. And he’d heard enough to confirm she had something serious going on in her life. A family scandal of some sort. His best guess was the caller was a sibling. Judging from the bits he’d picked up, it was a brother she had spoken to.
Knowing the phone call had ended, Declan considered feigning interest in the pizza. But one look at Zoe when she appeared in the doorway made him throw out the idea. He could see she was trying to act unaffected, but the worry in her eyes told the real truth. She was troubled.
“Everything okay?”
“Oh yeah,” she said, a little too quickly as she stepped inside the apartment and shut the sliding glass. “Just family drama.”
She gave him her back and set the phone on top of the television. He suspected the action was meant to give her a moment of reprieve from his probing gaze.
“Ready for pizza?” she asked, turning back to him, and eyeing the coffee table where the box sat. “It’s probably cold. I can heat it up.”
“It’s fine. Come sit down and eat with me.” Declan patted the couch beside him.
Zoe hesitated a minute and then moved forward sitting down on the floor across from him. “I’m messy. It’s safer for you to eat with some distance.”
Declan knew she simply wanted an excuse for putting distance between them. Yet, her need didn’t bother him. He sensed that she needed to feel in control, right now, and if that meant he needed to keep his hands to himself, so be it. As she took a bite of pizza, he reached for a slice and did the same. In silence, they ate, letting a full minute pass without words.
“How long have you been a reporter?” he asked, not only to make conversation but because he wanted to know about her.
She eyed him and put her pizza on her plate. “Why are you here?”
Her bluntness didn’t surprise him. He’d learned that she said what was on her mind. It hit him that it was this trait that was partly responsible for her appeal. In his line of business, everyone had unspoken agendas. Zoe didn’t hide what she wanted. “You thought you’d never see me again?”
“Well,” she said, “to be honest, I didn’t.”
“Is that what you wanted? To never see me again?”
She hesitated and then said, “It’s what I expected.”
He smiled. “That doesn’t answer the question.”
“You didn’t answer mine. Why are you here?”
“Since we’re being honest… I couldn’t stop thinking about you today.”
“Is that so?” she asked, tilting her head as if to study him. “You thought you’d return for a repeat of last night?”
He took in a breath and let it out. “I—” Her brow inched upward. “You what?”
“I think sharing pizza and conversation will do just fine.”
She laughed but without humor and then pulled her knees to her chest. “What’s so funny?” he asked.
“We are so not right for each other.” “That’s not how it seemed last night.”
Her eyes narrowed. “I’m not talking about sex.” “Who says I am?” he challenged.
“You don’t even know me,” she said.
“And you don’t know me, yet you judge me because of my job.” Her face registered shock. “That’s not true.”
He smiled. “Yes, it is. You even said so back at the bar. You know how attorneys are.”
“I just meant…” Her voice trailed off. “Yes?” he asked.
“Just eat the pizza,” she said, reaching for hers.
With a chuckle, Declan reached for his pizza. “We both like pizza. There’s one thing we share in common.”
“Everyone loves pizza,” she said, dismissing his words. “My mother doesn’t. She says it’s too fattening.”
“That doesn’t mean she doesn’t like it.” “She doesn’t eat it.”
“But does she like it?” she asked.
He laughed. “You should be the attorney. You have an answer for everything.” “Like you?” she asked accusation in her voice.
He gave her a probing look. She ignored him, opting to focus on a big bite of pizza. After several seconds, he decided this was important. He wasn’t going to let it drop. Her judging him as some sort of scum bothered him. “What is it about attorneys that bug you so much?”