A Little Wild (32 page)

Zach looked at his brother. “You knew about this?”

“Unfortunately, yes.” Ruddy color washed Ethan’s face.

“And you didn’t tell me?”

“I asked him not to,” Dad said.

Zach lifted a hand. “This is a practical joke, right?” he asked Eth. “And you convinced Dad to play into it. Very clever.”

Ethan rolled his eyes. “Zach, in case you haven’t noticed, Halliday is experiencing a monster growth mode. I’m too busy to play games.”

“But when you’re most stressed is when you usually cut loose.”

“Not this time.”

Zach looked at Dad, then Ethan again. “You’re serious.”

Both men nodded.

“I know you’ll excel at managing the supermarkets, son,” Dad said. “You’ve never shown interest in spearheading our deals, but Crockett’s will be
your
company, to oversee how you see fit. How does that sound?”

Zach’s gut fisted. “Awful.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m not running Crockett’s.” Zach shoved the portfolio back across the table. “I can’t think of anything less intriguing.”

“I see.” Dad patted a knee. “You’re surprised. Take a few days to let the idea sink in. Then, if Crockett’s doesn’t interest you, Ethan is working on the Rockford Brothers’ luxury car dealerships. They might be more your style.”

“Yeah, right. When I took those bozos sailing in June, I got so sick of hearing about their stuffy car dealerships that I almost jumped overboard.”

“You’re exaggerating.”

“Sorry, Dad. No car dealerships.”

Ethan’s gaze darted skyward, as if to say,
I knew it.

“What, then?” their father asked. “Video-Flix? The Richmond mall?”

Zach stood. “
No
. No Rockford Brothers, no Video-Flix, and no malls. Dad, you should have asked me about this.”

“I’ve asked about expanding your participation in Halliday for years, son, and we’ve gotten nowhere.”

“Did you ever think why that might be?”

“Sit down, Zachary. Let’s discuss this rationally.”

“I’m not sitting down.” He sounded like a spoiled brat, ungrateful for everything his father had done for him. “I’m leaving Halliday Enterprises. I’m starting my own business.”

His father and Ethan exchanged surprised glances.

“You’re scouting opportunities for Halliday?” Dad’s forehead puckered.

“No. This isn’t a chain, just one place.
My
place.”

Ethan scratched his jaw. “When did this happen?”

“Been in the planning stages all summer. Incorporated last month. The opening’s in November.” In time for his birthday. The height of irony.

Quickly, he outlined his plans. “I realize that before now it might have looked like I was slacking off. However, as you can see, I’ve had my own dreams all along.”

His father waved a hand. “How will you finance this climbing center?”

“The insurance money from Mom. When the proceeds from my trust fund kicked in, I invested my portion into high-risk markets, sold them before they crashed, and stashed the profits. Contrary to popular belief, I didn’t fritter away my legacy or my future.”

Ethan sighed. “You should have said something before now, Zach.”

“I’m an adult. I don’t have to run to my daddy about every little thing.”

“Hey!” Ethan sprang off his chair. “I’m talking basic consideration. If you wanted out of Halliday, you should have told Dad years ago.”

“You’re right, I should have. But it takes some of us a bit longer to find our way. Especially when it’s drilled into you that you’ll follow in your father’s footsteps. Hell, do you think I
wanted
to disappoint Dad? Since Mom died, all I’ve heard is that the Halliday boys need to stick together. I’ll stick like glue, but not on this point.”

“Boys! Arguing won’t solve anything. Zachary, sit down. Ethan!”

Ethan shook his head. “I don’t have time for this. I rescheduled my day to accommodate this meeting.”

A stern frown hooked their father’s mouth. “This is your brother’s future. You’ll make time.”

Swearing, Ethan sat.

Zach jammed himself onto the love seat, his jaw clamped.

Dad leaned forward, hands clasped on his knees. “It’s time for you to choose, Zach. The supermarkets, the car dealerships, or the Richmond mall. Operate the climbing center if you must, but as a sideline. Your plans are too focused on niche marketing to succeed.”

“That’s bullshit, Dad. Starbucks started as a niche market.”

“Zachary.”

Swiping a hand in the air, Zach stood again. “No. That’s it. I’m finished.”

“You’re finished when I say you are.”

“Like hell. Damn it, Dad, I’ve spent my life trying to be who you want me to, and I’m miserable for it. It’s time I made my own way. I need to.”

“With Crockett’s, you
can
make your own way.”

“No, I can’t. You’re a self-made businessman. You should understand where I’m coming from. But you don’t.” Zach marched to the door. Only one person could help him cut through this mess. Tess. He had to see her.

“Where are you going?” his father’s voice boomed.

“Into my future.”

“Thanks, Teresa,” Phil said, opening his office door for her. “I’ll finish my end and report to you Monday.” They stepped into the hall banking the secretarial pool.

“Sounds good.” Tess forced a smile until Phil closed the door again. She’d had it up to her earrings with the Crockett’s deal. Since learning about Graham Halliday’s plans, even her involvement with the grunt work felt like a betrayal of Zach. She couldn’t dump this final stretch on Phil, though. Besides that she’d actually grown marginally fond of the guy, she couldn’t risk Lawrence Greenburg’s disapproval.

She eyed her own office door, two down from Phil’s. Clutching the Halliday files, she approached Sammi’s desk.

Sammi lifted her hands from her computer keyboard. “Hi, Miss Sheridan.”

“I’m holing up for the rest of the day, Sammi. Please don’t put through any calls unless they’re vital.” She wanted to devote this weekend to Zach, not spend it toiling on the acquisition. That gave her the remainder of the week to tie up loose ends.

“Um, okay. But, I’m sorry, Miss Sheridan, someone’s already in your office. He says he’s a client.”

“Teddy Wallis?” Yesterday, Sydney van Hoyt had mentioned that Teddy might drop by. Technically, Teddy wasn’t a client yet, but Tess was making progress.

“He asked me not to say. But if you want me to—”

“No, that’s okay.” Since the break-room incident, trepidation had shadowed Sammi’s behavior. Tess wanted to reassure the girl that she didn’t hold her responsible for Marcy’s mistake. “I’ll find out soon enough.”

Tess entered her office, and warmth rushed through her. Zach—not Teddy—stood at the window, his back to her as he gazed out over the street scene.

“Hi, lover,” she whispered, closing the door.

He faced her. “Tess.” The lines crinkling his forehead smoothed. “Babe, I’m so happy to see you.”

“How long have you been waiting? Is something wrong at the climbing cent—”

The remainder of her question lodged in her throat. Zach wrapped her in his arms, and the Halliday files in her hands crushed between their bodies. “I need to talk.” Gruff need roughened his voice.

“What’s wrong?” Tess set the files on her desk. A confidential memo from Lawrence regarding Marcy’s indiscretion slid out of the top folder. She shoved it into place.

“You won’t believe what just happened,” Zach muttered.

She scrutinized his rigid stance. Restrained anger darkened his eyes. Despite that she wore a long-sleeved blouse with her skirt, her skin popped out in goose bumps.

He knows.

“Wh-what?”

“I’ve just come from a very illuminating meeting with Dad and Ethan.”

“Did you tell them about Climbing The Walls?” Over these last two tormenting days, she’d prayed countless times that he would.

He nodded. “I didn’t call the meeting. Dad did. Once there, I knew I had to tell him, but he beat me to the punch with his own news.”

Tess’s stomach cramped. “What news?”

“Crockett’s. Seems dear old Dad wants to give me the supermarkets for my birthday. Ever hear a more asinine idea?”

“It’s not so ludicrous, Zach. You have excellent business instincts.”

“And I intend to implement them. But on my terms, not his.”

“Your father didn’t know that. You said he’s tried to convince you to take an active role in the company for years. Maybe this was his misguided attempt to—”

“Choke me until I can’t breathe? Then he’s succeeded. I love my father, babe. I owe him a hell of a lot. But he stepped way over the line here.”

“Maybe he’ll change his mind.”

“No. He thinks I’m a slack-ass and that the climbing center is a waste of time.” He pinched his nostrils.

Tess touched his arm, the warm, masculine skin and coarse, dark hair. “I’m sorry.”

“Thank God I have you in my life, babe. My father’s planned this fiasco for ages. And Ethan—my own brother. He should have told me.”

“Maybe he couldn’t. Maybe your dad asked Ethan to keep the details confidential. You didn’t tell Ethan about the climbing gym so he wouldn’t feel torn between you and your father, right? But your father did tell Ethan about
his
plans. When a superior asks that a business matter remain confidential, it puts a person in a tight spot, Zach.”

He smiled, but frustration skulked in his tightly set jaw. “How did you get so smart?”

Simple. I know how your brother feels.

“I’m a lawyer. We deal with confidentiality issues all the time.” Like Zach’s request about Climbing The Walls.

“Dad said he told me about Crockett’s now because a leak occurred at this firm. Obviously, someone sucks at keeping secrets.” Zach hesitated. “You didn’t know about the Crockett’s thing, did you? Wait, forget I asked. You wouldn’t have agreed to represent me if you’d realized what Dad had planned.”

Her face heated. “No, I wouldn’t have.” However, she was certainly keeping secrets from him now. And she hated it.

So tell him, Tess.

“You’re an honorable person, babe. The only person in my life who understands how important the climbing gym is to me.” He clasped her hands. Like a scene from a fairy tale, he lifted one hand to his mouth, turned it over and kissed her palm. His lips grazed the underside of her amethyst birthstone ring. “Thank you.”

“Oh, Zach.” She lifted her gaze, and her insides shifted. Emotions she’d refused to let surface for weeks crashed in.
She loved him.

God, she
loved
him.

His caring, his generosity, his sexy sense of humor.
She loved Zach Halliday.

How the hell had this happened?

She tugged her hands free. He was supposed to be her boy toy, her hunk of burnin’ love, her randy piece of eye candy! Telling Chloe to stop haranguing her about the sex-for-sex’s-sake dare had been a monumental mistake. Without Chloe riding her, she’d slipped back into her old, destructive patterns. She couldn’t have sex without falling in love.

Sure, loving Zach felt great now—actually, it felt terrible—but next thing she knew, she’d smother him with her desperation to receive love in return. Asking for more than any sane man wanted to give. Ruining the simplicity of their passion.

Agh! What was wrong with her?

She whirled around and straightened the files on her desk.

“Tess?”

She yanked pens and pencils from the ceramic holder and rearranged them according to barrel style and ink color.

“Tess?”

Her hands splayed. Compulsive tidying! Another Patrice Sheridan gene!

She dumped the contents of the holder onto her desk.

Zach stepped behind her, hands curving around her arms. He lowered his head to her ear, and she breathed in his clean, sexy scent.

“What’s going on, babe?”

“Nothing.”

“Something’s definitely going on. Please talk to me, sweetheart.”

She closed her eyes. Damn it, why couldn’t he be a manipulator? When she’d met him in Danver’s, he’d come across like a good-time sex machine. Exactly the sort of man who wouldn’t mind a woman using him in return.

Who’d even find her bet with Chloe amusing.

But no, Zach Halliday had to turn out to be one of the good guys. Monday, in his arms, she’d said she didn’t deserve him. She’d been right.

“I have to tell you something,” she whispered.

“What?” He rubbed her arms.

Please stop that.
The gentle caresses distracted her.

“I knew—” her heart thudded “—about the Crockett’s leak. I found out on Monday.”

“Sweetheart, that was two days ago.”

She stared at her desktop. “I overheard secretaries talking. I went to Lawrence, and he confirmed the gossip. He said he’d speak to your father.”

Zach’s hands fell off her arms. She faced him.

“Zach, I’m sorry. I couldn’t tell you. Lawrence asked me not to.”

“L.G. doesn’t know about us, babe.”

“I—no. Lawrence didn’t ask me not to tell
you
, Zach. He
doesn’t
know about us. He asked me not to tell anyone. That’s how these things work.”

“How these things work?” Zach scraped a hand over his face. “Tess, I realize you have ethics…”

He understands.

“…but they don’t include me?”

“Of course they do.”

“How can you say that? We made love on Monday. We were together for hours. You didn’t say a word.”

She pressed a hand to her chest. “But I did. You asked if you should talk to your father, and I didn’t say not to.” Even as she spoke the words, they sounded like the worst excuse. “That’s all I could manage then. If I’d said more, I would have risked—”

“What?” His eyebrows webbed.

As if he didn’t know. She sighed. “My career, Zach. Lawrence asked me to leave the matter in your father’s hands. Mr. Greenburg specifically said the information was to stop with me. If I’d told you and then you’d gone to your father—”

“Then maybe I wouldn’t have had to suffer the hell I went through today!”

Any hope she’d harbored that he would comprehend her situation shriveled.