Brushing an imaginary strand of hair from her face, she swiftly turns her back to me.“With Grandmother off to England, she’s asked me to be her proxy for the foundation.”
“Yes, yes.Blythe told me.She felt bad about leaving us for the entire summer, but I told her that’s nonsense.It’s lovely she’s spending time with her sister.”
“Yes, she didn’t want to leave you and the foundation in the lurch with the benefit coming up.I gladly offered.I’ll be at the meetings and available to help in any way you need me.”
All this talk about the benefit and foundation and my food sloshes around, unsettled, in my stomach and suddenly I feel queasy.
“Well, thank you.The help is appreciated.”Nan dons an almost crafty smile.“And you should know, Paige here…”
Reagan swings in my direction, disinterest clear in her now blank green eyes.
“She’s with Zachary, they live together…she’ll be running the benefit this year.”
I don’t know what just happened, but Nan’s news is something akin to dropping a bomb.Reagan staggers back a step before grabbing hold of herself.
“Oh.”Straightening, her expression flattens.“Is that so?”Her gaze narrows imperceptibly and I swallow with difficulty, finding it hard to refute her comment.
“Yes.So you’ll be seeing a lot of her,” Nan says, and it sounds like a cautionary promise or taunt and Reagan lifts her chin, giving me her back again.
What just happened here?Was it the news about my supposed role in the benefit or the mention of Zach?If she wants to run the benefit, she can have at it.
“Well, I won’t take up any more of your time.Nice to see you.”She leaves without so much as a backward glance at me.
“Who was that and why do I get the feeling she doesn’t like me?”
“No one for you to be concerned with, my dear.”Nan hooks her arm in mine and we walk through the restaurant to her waiting car.
We spend the drive to Zach’s talking about anything but the gala and foundation and I’m grateful for the distraction.I’m not quite grasping all that this entails.
“Please give my love to Zachary and Morgan.”Nan pats my hand and I slide across the leather seat to the open door where the driver extends a hand.
“Morgan?”I peer back at her.
“Yes, dear.The timing is poor.Unfortunately, these arrangements were made before you moved in.I leave for London on Wednesday and I tried to get her to come with me, but she insists on staying.It isn’t a good idea to leave her alone for too long.”
She pauses and I’m lost as to her meaning.It’s as if she’s suggesting her granddaughter is unstable or a child.
“My granddaughter can be boisterous and unruly at times, but she does know how to be discreet.She won’t bother you lovebirds.”
Lovebirds?Zach and me?
I want to correct her but don’t.Morgan can stay as long as she wants.I’m leaving tonight, or tomorrow at the latest.Staying at my mom’s is best and she’s expecting me to move in.If I tell Nan my plans now, she won’t let me leave the car until I see the error of my ways.
This woman has other plans and if I didn’t know any better, I’d think Zach and his grandmother are in on this fake relationship but for different reasons.His goal is purely business, whereas Nan’s vision is to solidify a future where Zach and I are a couple.For real.
15
Zach
My phone vibrates and, absently, I answer with my eyes glued to the spreadsheet on the computer screen.I’ve been in my office for several hours now, and even when Walker and Donovan arrived earlier, I left them with Morgan so I could get some work done.I hope they take the hint that I’ve no time to socialize and leave soon.
“Rothwell.”
“Zach, it’s Drew Hayes.Paige’s brother.”He sounds formal and uptight.
I bite back my smirk at the mention of Paige.We knew each other before his sister, but now that I’m supposedly with her, he’s calling about her.I expected this call, just not so soon.
“Drew, nice to hear from you.”Resting back into the chair, I push away from the desk.“Paige is fine.”
