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“You sure?”Concern lined Keely’s voice, reminding Bethany what a mess she’d been for the last week.
And what a mess she still felt inside.
She sucked in a breath.“I can’t quit my job, Keel.And I can’t keep hiding in my bedroom hoping everything will right itself.”
“Okay.Dinner and drinks on Wednesday?”
“Sure.I’ll call.”
She rang off and pushed back the sheets.Getting out of bed, she froze for a minute as the memory of Zach in her bedroom hit her full force.
In the light of day, she was even more staggered by his self-control.Had their positions been reversed, she doubted she could’ve stopped herself from leaping on him.
Their sexual chemistry hadn’t diminished one iota—hell, it was as fiery as ever.And yet he’d respected her wish and kept his distance.
No matter how much she wanted to hate him for keeping her out of the important parts of his life, Zach had a core of integrity that kept her from completely hating him.
If there really was a reason why he couldn’t talk about what had happened between him and Farrah, was she right in pushing him to tell her?
Confusion followed her into the shower and stalked her as she pulled on a pair of light blue capri pants and a white top.She shoved her feet into heeled wedges just as her doorbell rang.
She let her parents in and accepted a bouquet of flowers from her dad.
Professor Todd Green looked nothing like your typical professor.He favored descriptive T-shirts and loafers rather than tweed coats and bowties.Tall, with a full head of greying dark brown hair, he looked like an overgrown teenager.
“Happy birthday, sweetheart.”He kissed Bethany’s cheeks, then frowned down at her.“You’ve lost weight.Are you eating properly?”he asked.
“I’m fine, Dad.”She bent her head so he wouldn’t see the shadows lurking and hurried to escape into the kitchen.He followed and watched her arrange the flowers in a vase.
“Are you sure?”
“Leave her alone, Todd,” her mother said, waving him away.“How was Paris?”
“Umm, it was great.Lots of fun and… great food.”She sent a desperate prayer that the heat building at the back of her neck didn’t flare into her face.
Veering away from her parents’ prying eyes, she returned to the living room and took her time positioning the flowers on her coffee table.
By the time her parents drifted back into the room, the smile she’d spent a few minutes practicing in front of the mirror was in place.
“So, Mom, I thought we’d hit a few art galleries around here?There’s a new one I think you’d like.Then we’ll go to lunch?”she said airily.Her mother was addicted to art galleries, especially ones featuring local artists.
“Sounds great.I’ve been meaning to find something for the guest bedroom.But it’s your birthday, sweetheart.Are you sure that’s what you want to do?”
Her father rolled his eyes over his wife’s head and made cutthroat signs at Bethany.
“It’s fine, Mom.I’m happy to.”
Felicity Green pursed her lips.“See, Todd.Not everyone thinks shopping for art is akin to catching the plague.”
Her father flinched.“I’m sure some in-depth research would prove otherwise, dear.”
This time Bethany’s smile felt less tight as she grabbed her purse and followed her parents out the door.It felt good to be semi-normal again, to bask in her parents’ easy banter and affection for each other.She didn’t miss her father’s concerned glances as they entered the elevator, but she carried on smiling, determined to put a brave face on her chaotic emotions.
A sense of déjà vu hit her the moment she crossed the foyer and exited into the sunshine.
The town car was back on the curb.Heart in her throat, she watched as Zach opened the back door and slowly stepped out.
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