Beneath the Scars

“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.