by Elle E Kay
“I’m glad I didn’t run home the other night.”
“Not as glad as Zach is.”
“I’m worried. We keep hurting each other, and I’m afraid I don’t know how to be a proper wife.”
“Don’t rush it. He doesn’t yet know how to be a husband either. You two have your whole lives ahead of you. You can learn about marriage together, the same way you learned about life when you were kids, and take the lessons as they come.”
“That’s it!” She smiled.
“What’s it?”
“I think you gave me the answer I’ve been searching for. I have to find Zach.”
Amy pointed. “Just down that hall and to your left. His name is on the door.”
She knocked on Zach’s office door feeling silly.
He hollered, “Come in.”
After entering, she closed the door behind her and leaned against it resting her eyes for a moment. “Amy said something that brought everything into perspective.”
“What’s that?”
“We can learn together. The same way we learned lessons as kids.”
“Learn what?”
“How to be married. We don’t have to know it everything now. We can trust each other and learn how to be husband and wife together. All we have to do is be together and trust that the rest will come.”
His gaze traveled from her eyes to her feet and back up again, finally settling on her face. “You’re cute when you have an epiphany.”
“Whatever.” She crossed her arms over her chest.
He rose to his feet and closed the distance between them. “I’m going to kiss you now, Mrs. Williams, and I hope you won’t run off.”
She unfolded her arms and allowed her hands settle on his hipbones. “I look forward to—” he cut off her words when he lowered his mouth to hers.
It was some time before he raised his head and looked into her eyes. “Thank you for agreeing to work here. I can’t think straight without you close.”
“You’re crazy.”
“I need you.” He kissed her again, slowly. A knock interrupted the moment. “What?” he growled.
The receptionist hesitated for a moment before announcing the call without first opening the door. “I’m sorry, sir. Your phone seems to be on mute. Nikki West is on line three.”
“Tell her I’ll call her back.”
“You should take the call.” Addison edged the door open and squeezed through it. “I’ll be in the break room if I can find it.”
“I can show you.” The willowy redheaded receptionist offered. She knew Amy had introduced her earlier, but couldn’t remember her name.
She followed the other woman down the hall. Her stomach churned as she thought about Nikki’s call. Was it about the baby? She wondered if the other woman was pleading for Zach to take her back. It wouldn’t be easy, but she’d walk away if he wanted to make things work with her. There was a child involved, so she couldn’t stand in their way. He said it wasn’t what he wanted, but how could he be so positive when he didn’t even know for certain if the baby was his yet. She strongly suspected that it was.
When they arrived in the break room, the woman strolled over to a fancy coffee machine and messed with the buttons. A minute later she handed her a cup of coffee. “I hope you’ll enjoy this. It’s my favorite. This machine makes so many things.”
She brought the cup to her lips. It was sweet, but tasty. “Thank you. This is delicious. I’m sorry, I forget your name. Amy introduced me to so many people today.”
“Stacy.”
“I’m glad to meet you again, Stacy. Thanks for the coffee. Maybe you can show me how to work this machine later.”
The girl beamed. “I’d be happy to.” Stacy hurried from the room leaving Addison by herself. Finding a seat, she waited, hoping Zach would think to come find her and tell her how his conversation with his ex-fiancée went.
It was nearly time to wrap-up for the night, and he hadn’t been able to find Addison. Hitting his intercom button, he buzzed Amy. “Where is my wife?”
“In her office.”
“She has an office?”
Amy hung up and strolled into his office. “What did you want me to do with her? Of course, I gave her an office. She’s the boss’ wife. Did you want me to sit her in a cubicle somewhere?”
“No. You’re right. She should have an office.” He scrubbed both hands over his face. “I’m frustrated because I haven’t been able to find her. I searched the building for thirty minutes.”
“You should’ve asked me sooner.”
“You weren’t at your desk.”
She pulled her cell from her jacket pocket. “I was in a meeting with your lawyer, but I always have my cell with me.”
“Sorry. I know I’m making you crazy.”
“What’s going on, boss?”
He ran a hand over his face. “Nikki called while Addison was in my office.”
“Ah.”
“I was rude to that new redheaded girl, Stacy. Apologize for me.”
“I will, but do so yourself when you have a chance. She’s a superb receptionist. We don’t want to lose her.”
“Sorry.”
“Really, Zach, this is so unlike you. What’s going on? I’ve never seen you be rude to anyone.”
“It’s Nikki. That was the third time she called today. She’s trying to destroy my marriage. She threatened Addison. That’s the main reason I wanted her here.”
“Maybe we should hire a bodyguard for her.”
“I don’t know. She’ll get freaked out, and I’m sure Nikki is all talk. Don’t you think?”
She leaned against the door frame. “I don’t know, Zach. You’re on your own when it comes to analyzing Nutty Nikki’s true intentions. I’m not touching that one. I think I’ll stay out of it.”
“There’s a first time for everything, Ames.”
Through the glass wall of her office, Addison watched her husband approach. She enjoyed the open feel of the space, but it would afford little privacy.
Zach leaned his muscular frame against the doorjamb. “You about ready to go home?”
“Leaving already? She glanced at her watch. It’s only six.”
“I thought we might go home together and have a nice quiet dinner.”
“I’d like that.” She signed off her computer, grabbed her purse off the chair, and tucked her hand in the crook of his arm.
“Nice office.”
“We won’t be able to kiss in my office. Everyone will see.”
“I’m not sure that would stop me.”
“Save the passionate kisses for home.” She placed a chaste kiss on his cheek.
“If you insist, but if we’re in the privacy of our home, don’t feign surprise when the kissing gets out of hand and leads to more.”
Her cheeks warmed at the suggestion. “Please be patient with me, Zach.”
“I’m trying.”
“What did Nikki want?”
“Do we have to talk about that?”
She took a step back and turned to face him. “Eventually, yes, but not right now if you don’t want to.”
“Thank you.” He grimaced. “I want to put her out of my mind and focus on you.”
His hand moved to the small of her back as he guided her through the maze of hallways until they arrived at the front doors. “I called ahead for the car to be brought around.”
“All this extravagance will take some time for me to get used to. Maybe we can drive ourselves sometimes.”
“I know it’s a huge change. It was for me, too.” He smiled. “We can drive, but I don’t have any vehicles you won’t consider over-the-top.”
“You can buy me a Ford Focus.”
“Do they still make them?”
“I don’t know, but you can get me a used one if they don’t.”
“Maybe we can compromise and I’ll buy you a new BMW.”
The driver came around and opened her door. Addison slid inside. She h
eard tires squealing and looked up just in time to see the blur of a blue sports car before it blasted into the limousine.
Zach watched in horror as Nikki’s car barreled into the limo his wife had entered and her side of the car was crushed against the brick building. His driver lay on the ground behind the twisted metal wreckage. “Someone call 9-1-1!” He shouted the words as he entered the car through the rear driver’s side door and checked Addison’s pulse. She was alive, but unconscious. Despite his misgivings about leaving her, he had to check on Javier, so he crawled back out of the car and hurried to where his driver lay still. His pulse was thready, and he was bleeding profusely from his leg. Quickly, he took his jacket and shirt off and tore his shirt, so he could use it to wrap the other man’s leg with it.
It felt like time moved in slow motion while he made his way back to Addison. “Darling, wake up.” Hot tears ran down his cheeks, and he brushed them away.
Nikki picked that moment to get out of her car. Her face was cut, and she was red from the airbags. “You can’t throw me away like so much trash. If I can’t have you, she can’t either. If you won’t leave her, I’ll kill her.”
Outwardly, he ignored her taunts, but he worried for Addison’s safety. What would Nikki do next? “Get her out of here.” He shouted to security who’d only just appeared. “This was intentional, and Ms. West is responsible. When the police get here, I want her arrested.”
He kneeled down beside Addison, held her hand, and stroked her hair until an EMT insisted he move, so they could transfer her to an ambulance. Once they had the stretcher loaded, he climbed into the ambulance and took her hand in his. “Is she going to be all right?”
“Can’t say, but it could be worse. They’ll check her out thoroughly at the hospital.”
By the time she regained consciousness, he thought he might’ve worn a hole in the floor from pacing. He crossed to her side and cupped the side of her face in his hand. “You gave me a scare.”
“What happened?”
“Car accident. Sort of.”
“Sort of?”
“It wasn’t exactly an accident. Nikki rammed her car into the limo on purpose. We’ll talk about it more later. What do you remember?”
“I remember getting into the car, but it’s foggy.”
“I will go get the doctor and let her know you’re awake.”
She closed her eyes. “Try to stay awake for a few minutes, sweetheart.”
He hurried to find Addison’s doctor. “My wife is awake.”
When they returned to the room, Addison’s eyes were shut. The doctor hurried to her side with a penlight in hand. “Open your eyes, Mrs. Williams. I have to check your pupils.”
She did as directed. The doctor ordered some scans, and once they were read, they released her, but told him to keep a close eye on her since she had a concussion.
Amy picked them up in her personal car. “Nice scrubs. What happened to your shirt, boss?”
“My shirt was a tourniquet for Javier until EMS got there. His bleeding was severe.” He grimaced.
“Is Javier okay?”
“He will be, but he lost a lot of blood. They had to do a transfusion.”
“I can’t believe that nut job went after Addison like that.”
“Thanks for the ride, Ames. We don’t have a driver on duty now that Javier’s laid up, and Addison needs to get home and rest.” He shook his head. “That sounded cold. I didn’t mean to make it sound like Javier’s injuries are an inconvenience. I would’ve called an Uber, but you know the danger that could present.”
“I do.” Amy glanced over at him. “Don’t sweat it. I know you care about Javier, but we’ll have to call in another driver.”
“We can talk about it tomorrow.” In the morning he’d hire her the best bodyguard in the business. Keeping his wife safe was his top priority.
Addy didn’t speak on the ride. He wasn’t sure if it was the concussion or the pain medication keeping her sedated. When they arrived home, he didn’t invite Amy in because he didn’t want to talk anymore about what happened. After assisting Addison up the stairs and into their bedroom, he brought her a nightgown and left the room to give her privacy. When he returned, she was dressed for bed.
“How are you feeling?”
“Like I have three broken ribs from being hit by a speeding car.”
“I’m so sorry, love. I didn’t expect this to happen.”
“I guess your conversation with Nikki didn’t go well.”
“You could say that.” His hands tightened into fists. “She made threats. I should’ve taken them more seriously.”
“How could she put her child at risk like that? To slam her car into ours?”
“I told you she wasn’t in her right mind.”
“Men say that kind of thing all the time. It doesn’t make it true.”
“What are you talking about?”
“They have called me crazy, wacky, insane, and more when they couldn’t get what they wanted from me.”
“I’m sorry. You are none of those things.”
“You say that now, but when you find out how little experience I have, you’ll reject me, too. I’ll never be good enough for you.”
Guilt settled in the pit of his stomach. It was wrong for him to let her open up when her system was compromised, but he couldn’t stop himself from asking. “What are you saying, sweetheart?”
“That you won’t want me anymore when you find out I’m a virgin. A twenty-nine-year-old virgin. I’m a punch-line. A joke. Is it any wonder men mock me about it?”
He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He’d married a woman who’d kept herself pure, and she was ashamed of it. Worse yet, he’d rewarded her goodness by shoving a homicidal pregnant ex-girlfriend in her face. He raked his fingers through his hair. There was no easy way to fix this. How could he reassure her that he thought she was perfect the way she was?
“Addison, honey, saving yourself for marriage is commendable. It is such a precious gift, and I would never reject you for it. Purity is the greatest gift one spouse can give another. I only regret that I can’t offer you the same.” There was a chance she wouldn’t remember having this conversation. He wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing.
She smiled and closed her eyes. “I don’t want to lose you, but I don’t have a clue what I’m doing. I can’t compete with all those other women. I’ll understand if you don’t want me.” He wondered how many women she thought he’d slept with. It had only been two, which was two more than it should’ve been, but she talked like it was hundreds.
“You’re my universe, darling. Don’t talk like that.” He kissed her forehead. His heart swelled with love for her. When she’d refused him, she’d been pushing him away because she feared his rejection. How had he missed it? There had to have been signs, but he’d been too caught up in his own pain to see them. He needed to prove to her that he could be trusted with her heart.
Chapter 13
A ddison sat up in bed and winced. It all came back to her. The blue blur and the crash. She gingerly set her feet on the carpet and prepared to stand. That’s when she noticed Zach watching her from the loveseat on the other side of the room. “You scared me. I didn’t realize you were in here.”
“I’ve been here all night.”
“Why? I’m okay.”
“The doctor told me to keep an eye on you. You had a concussion.”
“I doubt he meant for you to stay awake the entire night.”
“I fell asleep at one point.”
She crossed the room and stood in front of him. “Thank you. You’re a prince.”
He pulled her down, so she was sitting beside him and kissed her forehead. “Now that you’re awake, I will go take a shower and wash off Javier’s blood.”
“You didn’t do that yet? That’s gross.”
“My primary concern was for the welfare of my wife.”
“I’m fine. I’ll be ready for work in twenty minutes. W
e can drive in together if you want.”
“You’re not going to work today.”
“How am I supposed to learn the job if I don’t go to work?”
“Doctor’s orders. You’re home for at least a week, and, even then, you need clearance from your doctor.”
“I’m not sure I believe you.”
“I have the note.”
“That you told her to write?”
“Why would I do that?”
“I don’t know, but I’ll bet you did. What am I supposed to do with myself all day?”
“Rest and get better. I’m staying home with you.”
“What are we going to do, binge Netflix shows?”
“Sure. We can even watch chick flicks or Disney movies if you want. Just don’t tell anybody.”
“You must be feeling guilty if you’re willing to watch those. You know this wasn’t your fault, right?”
He grimaced. “It sure feels like it was.”
“You can’t control your ex-girlfriend’s behavior.”
“I know.” He winced. Who knew what Nikki would try next? “Meet me in the kitchen in thirty minutes. We’ll have breakfast, and then we’ll decide how to spend our day together.”
“I’m holding you to the chick flicks.”
“Very well.”
Zach didn’t spend much time in the theater room since he worked long hours, but it was comfortable, and he hoped Addison would enjoy having a movie theater experience in the comfort of their home. It surprised him when she chose a seat near the back. He’d expected her to sit up front in one of the reclining chairs with the armrests in between. It would’ve been an effective barrier to cuddling, but instead she’d chosen a couch in the shadows along the back wall, and when he sat on the opposite end of the couch from her, she scooted closer to him, leaning her head on his chest. His arm circled her automatically, and he sent up a silent prayer of gratitude. It seemed his lovely wife was finally thawing toward him.
He’d been surprised she’d chosen “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” when there were so many newer options available, but she said it was one of her favorites, so he’d shrugged and put it on for her. As she watched Matthew McConaughey on the big screen, he studied her. Memorizing every smile, chuckle, and frown. It was no wonder he’d married her. The woman snuggled up beside him was one-in-a-million, and Zach planned to do everything in his power to keep her at his side.