Chapter Four
Come on, Zach. Give a little.
Zach glanced up at him. “Oh, so now you wanna talk to me?”
Nick held up both hands. “Whoa, whoa. Waving the white flag here. Can we call a truce?”
Zach blinked. “So because we’re about to be related, you expect us to be BFFs?”
Nick rolled his eyes. “I said I’m waving a white flag. That does not mean I’m going to be a card-carrying member of the Zach Tate fan club.”
Zach smirked. “Thank God. I thought for a moment you’d suffered from an embolism or something equally life-changing. What do they say about leopards and spots?”
Nick knew a lot of the hostility was the result of his own actions. “Look, I need to eat too. Let me grab something, and then… we should talk. So… can I join you?”
Zach opened his mouth, and Nick steeled himself for the barbs he knew would be forthcoming. But no sound came out. After a moment, Zach sighed. “Fine. Go buy your lunch. I’ll still be here. I haven’t finished mine.”
Nick peered at his plate. “Is it any good?”
Zach’s lips twitched. “It’s difficult to go wrong with mac and cheese, don’t you think?”
Nick cocked his head. “Ya think? I’ve been all over the country, and I have to tell you, there are some pretty freaky combinations out there for mac and cheese. Think truffle oil, lobster, or best yet, zucchini noodles instead of pasta.”
Zach grimaced. “Yuck. Not that I have anything against zucchini, but… yuck. This one is a safe bet, I promise. Just plain ol’ mac and cheese that sticks to your ribs.”
Nick could go for that.
He went over to the line and waited his turn. By the time he returned to the table, carrying a glass of juice, Zach had almost finished. Nick took the seat facing him and sat. “We don’t know each other, do we?”
Zach arched his eyebrows. “And whose fault is that?”
Fuck. This was getting them nowhere.
Nick took a drink from his glass. “Did you see your mom? That was where you hurried off to, right?”
Zach wiped his lips with a napkin. “Yup. And I’m going to be brutally honest. I questioned what in the hell she was doing, marrying your dad.”
Nick tensed. “What’s wrong with my dad? You don’t even know him.”
“Five failed marriages? That’s all I need to know.”
Nick swallowed. “Four. Mom died when I was thirteen.”
Zack stilled. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said five. Mom told me about her. You were younger than I was when my dad died.”
Zach’s apology was the first sign of a thaw, but Nick wasn’t about to get his hopes up. “Your mom never remarried?”
Zach shook his head. “She never even dated again. So the news about your dad was kind of a shock.” His eyes twinkled. “I guess you can’t say the same, huh?”
Nick almost choked on his juice. “Okay, you got me there. Maybe sixth time is the charm?”
“Excuse me?” Zach widened his eyes. “Don’t tell me you’re holding out for this marriage to succeed, with his track record?
” But before Nick could fire back a response, Zach pushed away his plate.
“You know what? I need to shut up. I promised my mom I’d give Lee a chance.
Maybe I should keep quiet on this subject until after dinner. ”
“Why then?”
Zach shrugged. “It’ll be a chance to see them together. I have to admit, I’m curious. Aren’t you?”
Nick chuckled. “Totally.” His mac and cheese arrived, and Nick thanked the server. It did smell good.
Zach grinned. “Don’t tell me you listened to something I said. Wow. This is a red-letter day.”
The conversation was veering back into familiar rocky terrain, so Nick headed it off. “I do listen at work, you know.”
That earned him a wide-eyed stare. “Really? When? Every time I make a suggestion, you ignore it.”
“It might look that way,” Nick said casually. “But that doesn’t mean I dismiss it. You’ve come up with a few great ideas.” And I shouldn’t have tried so hard to make it look like I wasn’t impressed.
Zach gave him a stony look. “First I’ve heard of it.”
“Yeah, well, maybe I should’ve said something at the time.”
“Ya think?” Then Zach sighed heavily. “So much for a truce. You’re the one making all the concessions, and I’m the one taking potshots at them.”
Nick’s stomach was tight. “I don’t blame you. I’m the one in the wrong here.” The roiling in his belly eased a little once he got the words out. It was the truth, right?
Zach’s mouth fell open, and he blinked again. Then he narrowed his gaze. “Okay, who are you, and what did you do with the real Nick Brent?”
Nick couldn’t help it. He burst out laughing. “Truce?”
Zach nodded. “Truce.” He pointed to Nick’s plate. “Now eat it before it gets cold.” When Nick raised his eyebrows, Zach smirked. “You have to do what I say, right? I’m going to be the older stepbrother.”
He had to go and say that, didn’t he? Nick did not want to think about that. He said nothing, but ate a forkful of mac and cheese. “You were right,” he said after a few bites. “It is difficult to go wrong with this.” Then a thought occurred to him. “How do you know you’re older than me?”
“My mom told me.” Zach’s eyes twinkled. “She made a joke about me finally getting a little brother. It only took thirty years since I asked her for one. Why? Am I not supposed to know how old you are? Is it a state secret?” He fell silent, drinking his water and staring out the window at the scene beyond.
Christ, it’s one step forward and two steps back with this guy.
Nick couldn’t blame Zach for being on the defensive, however, not when he reacted to every little thing Zach said.
He followed Zach’s gaze. Snow was falling steadily, and now and again a gust of wind picked it up and swept it along.
“Do you think we’re going to get that blizzard? ”
Zach sighed. “I was just checking the weather reports when you came over. Yeah. It isn’t looking good. If they’re right, the worst of it will hit tomorrow. And when that happens, everything will shut down.” He glanced at Nick. “Right in time for the wedding.”
“Then let’s hope our parents have a Plan B, in case the courthouse closes.” Nick surveyed the coffee shop and the hotel lobby. “Not really the place I’d want to get married in.”
Zach put down his glass. “So how long have you been a Process Improvement Manager?”
Nick got the message—Zach did not want to discuss the wedding.
It was on the tip of his tongue to say, What—?
Didn’t your mom tell you that too? but he pushed down hard on the urge.
There had been enough sniping. “Five years. Head Office sends me all over the country, because we have branches in every state.” It made the job interesting, but Nick was getting tired of all the traveling, the instability, the inability to put down roots.
His belongings amounted to whatever he could fit into his car—the rest was in storage.
Of course, it was his own damn fault. Why did he have to be so good at what he did?
“How long do you spend in each branch?” Zach asked with a casual air.
Nick couldn’t help himself. He snorted. “That’s a back-door way of asking when I’m leaving, isn’t it?
The short answer is, I’m there for as long as it takes, and I go when the job is done.
” He chuckled. “Don’t worry. I’ll be out of there before you know it.
Though I wouldn’t get comfortable if I were you. ”
“What does that mean?” Zach glared as Nick took another mouthful of food. “Hey, you can’t say shit like that and then leave it hanging.”
Nick gestured toward his plate. “You told me to eat it, remember?” He ate a bit more, then leaned back in his chair.
“Once I’ve got a branch into a better shape, HO normally appoints a new manager to keep it that way.
And those kind of managers don’t tend to be the cozy type.
” From his experience, they kept their staff on a tight leash.
Zach’s lips twitched. “So you’re saying the guy—or woman—who follows you will be even worse than you?”
Nick figured he deserved that.
Zach cleared his throat. “Can I ask you something?”
Nick bit back a smirk. “Ask away. Speaking your mind doesn’t seem to be a problem for you.”
“It’s about your dad.” Zach’s brow furrowed. “Why did all his marriages go sour?”
Nick knew what lay at the heart of Zach’s question. He was concerned for his mom. “What do you expect when most of them were gold-digging bitches?” Harsh words maybe, but an apt description.
Zach widened his eyes. “Wow. You really didn’t like them, did you? What makes you think they were after his money? Is he worth that much?”
Nick stared at him. “Your mom hasn’t told you any of this?” So Nick wasn’t the only one being kept in the dark.
“Not a word.”
Nick ate a couple of mouthfuls of food before continuing.
“Your mom won’t have to worry about money, that’s for damn sure.
She’ll be comfortable for… well, for however long they stay married.
” It seemed a mean thing to say, but Nick had been through this situation so many times, he had little hope of anything changing.
Zach stiffened. “That sounds as if you think Mom is marrying Lee for his money.”
And she isn’t? Nick bit back the words. He didn’t know that for certain. “I don’t know anything about her, okay? And after going through this so many times, you can understand why I’m not jumping for joy at the prospect of yet another stepmom.”
“I guess.” Zach’s shoulders still seemed tense. “I haven’t exactly been complimentary about your dad either.”
“And to answer your question… Dad’s interests are vast. He’s made a pile. He forms a company, builds it up, makes a success of it, then sells it. He’s been doing this for the last twenty years.” Ever since Mom died.
“But how come you don’t work for him?”
Nick frowned. “Why should I?” Then it clicked.
“Oh, I get it. I’d have an easy ride, is that it?
Well, that’s not me. I love the challenge of what I do.
Sure, there are a couple of downsides, one of which is the resistance I meet every goddamn time I walk into a branch.
After five years, I’m getting better at working with people.
” He didn’t miss Zach’s smirk. “Yeah, I know what you’re thinking.
You haven’t seen any evidence of that, right?
Trust me, you were the exception.” As soon as the words left his lips, Nick regretted them.
He was skating way too close to the truth.
Zach widened his eyes a little. “My branch, or me personally?”
Shit. Nick’s mind worked fast. “I’m sorry.
I’ve been rough on you, I know. I think you’d be good in management.
That’s why I treated you more harshly than your coworkers, to see if you could deal with it.
” That wasn’t a lie. Zach was adept at his job, and it was obvious he had people skills.
And sure, one day he’d make a great manager.
Nick’s motives for the way he dealt with Zach were not so innocent.
Zach swallowed. “You mean that?”
He nodded. “Truce, remember? Maybe it’s time to bury the hatchet.” Nick didn’t want to spend the entire weekend living under this continuous strain. There had to be some give-and-take, and from where he was sitting, it was down to him to do most of the giving.
He owed Zach that much.
And who knows? Maybe Zach will turn out to be a decent guy once I stop riding him so hard. And didn’t that steer his thoughts in a definitely carnal direction?
Stop that.
Nick could play nice for a weekend. Then once they were back in the office, he’d only have a few days before he was out of there, and off to another branch after New Year’s. Not that he intended sharing that information with Zach.
To his surprise, Zach held out his hand. “Okay. Truce.” They shook, and Nick liked the way Zach grasped his hand firmly. Zach indicated the remains of Nick’s mac and cheese. “I’ll leave you to finish your lunch. I’m going to take a nap. This morning has worn me out.”
Nick wasn’t sure whether that was down to the trip or the emotional wrangling they’d both been through. “I’ll try not to disturb you when I come back to the room.”
He intended staying out of Zach’s way as much as possible.
Zach got to his feet, pushed in his chair, and left. Nick watched him go.
What is it about him?
Zach wasn’t drop-dead gorgeous. He was good-looking, sure, with eyes the color of a summer sky.
Nick liked facial hair on a guy, and Zach’s wasn’t one of those barely-there beards that seemed so prevalent at the moment.
The times Nick had wondered how it would feel to be stroking Zach’s beard while they kissed and touched each other…
Whatever drew Nick to Zach wasn’t his appearance. It was something deeper than that. But it didn’t matter. Nothing could happen while they worked together, and then Nick would be off to another branch, maybe another state.
He had no time for romance.
Maybe that was why Nick sucked at relationships. He wasn’t a one-night-stand kind of guy, and his lifestyle didn’t lend itself to building anything solid.
The kind of solid he’d like to create with Zach.