by Karen Booth
“It’d be nice to keep it as a remembrance of our time together, but we’re headed back to reality and my brother right now. I’d like to know where things stand.” Her face was colored with a seriousness he hated to see, but he understood why it was there. This was no joke. Zane had crossed a line, and he needed to return to the other side of it.
“I can’t betray him, Allison. You know that. Nothing about that has changed.” Zane could see the frustration bubbling up inside her. He knew that she was tired of this argument, but it was the truth.
“But the betrayal is done. It happened, and you can’t unring that bell. So now the question is what are you going to do about it?”
“You’re the one who said we would keep it all between the two of us. I think we stick to the plan. It was amazing, Allison. But it’s over.” If only the words didn’t sound so wrong coming out of his mouth. They certainly weren’t enough to convince him. If only they’d had a little more time…to talk all of this through, to share one last mind-melting kiss.
“We’re ready to leave,” Marcus called for them both from the boat.
Allison stepped past Zane. “Let’s just get out of here.”
Her tone told him all he needed to know. So that’s what last night had been—he’d been an itch that Allison had needed to scratch. Nothing more. He couldn’t allow his feelings to be hurt by this revelation. He’d felt that way about many women in the past, and he was certain that women had felt that way about him, as well. Still, it didn’t sit entirely right with Zane. Allison had never seemed like the type to love ’em and leave ’em, but her words and her posture were saying exactly that right now.
Between the persistent roar of the wind and the engine noise, Allison and Zane were unable to talk at all on the ride to Eleuthera. As soon as they arrived, a woman who said she was a friend of her aunt Angelique’s descended upon them. She was a physician’s assistant and insisted on joining them on the Learjet for the flight to Miami. She checked their vital signs and made sure they both ate and drank plenty of water. It was nice to feel taken care of, but at this point, Zane was just ready to get home. Between having weathered the storm, enduring the current cold shoulder from Allison and preparing himself for seeing Scott, Zane was completely and utterly exhausted.
As soon as they landed in Miami and walked into the private terminal, Scott rushed forward and scooped Allison up in her arms. “Thank God you’re okay,” he said over and over, squeezing her tight.
Zane watched the exchange, remembering the many times Scott had recounted the stories about Allison’s cancer as a young girl and the havoc it had wreaked on their entire family. Scott had said many times that he’d never been through anything more difficult than that—life and death, wondering if his sweet and innocent sister would live or die. To hear Scott tell it, every day since then with Allison was regarded as a gift by their entire family.
“I’m fine,” she said when he’d finally put her back down on the ground. “Really. Zane took care of me. He made sure nothing happened.”
Scott clapped Zane on the shoulder, nodding in appreciation. “I owe you one for keeping her safe.”
The guilt Zane had feared was slowly starting to crush him. He’d only done what a good friend would do. But then he’d also done what a good friend wouldn’t do—he’d slept with his sister. “Honestly, I think she saved me more than the other way around. She would’ve been just fine on her own. She’s too resourceful and smart to get herself into too much trouble.” Zane shot her a sideways glance to let her know he had her back. He’d paid attention when they’d talked about this on the island. He understood that she was fighting for Scott to see her in a different light.
“You need to stop worrying so much,” Allison said to her brother.
“Plenty of smart people die in natural disasters,” Scott said. “Especially when there’s flooding.”
“She’s an unbelievable swimmer. You should have seen her the day we snorkeled over to Mako Island. I could hardly keep up with her. And she wasn’t tired at all.”
“You two went to Makeout Island?” Scott asked.
Zane wasn’t sure he’d heard that right. “Wait? What?”
Scott narrowed his sights on his sister and twisted his lips. “Didn’t Allison tell you? That’s where teenagers go if they want to hook up with someone and want privacy.”
Zane would’ve laughed if it didn’t make the two of them look incredibly guilty. “You told me it was called Mako Island,” Zane said to Allison.
“It is called that. Scott’s being childish.” Just then, Allison’s phone rang, and she answered it right away. “Hello?” Her face lit up as she listened to what the caller was saying. “Ryan, you are so sweet,” she said, distancing herself from her brother and Zane. “I’m totally fine. Just got back to the States. We’re in Miami, safe and sound.”
Allison’s words reverberated in Zane’s ears like a bass drum. Ryan, you are so sweet. No wonder she’d agreed that anything between them was to stay on the island. There were other men in her orbit, and she didn’t want to mess with that. She’d given him an awfully hard time about his unwillingness to get serious with any woman, but she seemed to be playing the field just as hard.
“Hey. Can we talk?” Scott asked Zane.
Zane was not ready to fall under the purview of Scott’s eagle eye, especially not when he was so distracted by Allison and her phone call with Ryan. She kept smiling and laughing, which was driving Zane nuts. He was back to not buying the story about working together. “Yeah. Of course.”
The pair walked off to a corner of the gate area. Scott stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked down at the floor, seeming tormented. “Is there anything I need to know about? Anything with my sister?”
Zane’s brain shifted into overdrive. He did not want to couch things with his best friend, so he was immensely thankful for the phrasing of the question. “There’s nothing you need to know about.” That much was true. What had happened between Allison and him was entirely private. Nobody’s business. She was a grown woman, he was a grown man and they were two adults who had given their enthusiastic consent. End of story.
“You sure?”
“Well, it’s been kind of a whirlwind, if that’s what you’re asking. Not quite the relaxing vacation I’d been hoping for.”
“You know that’s not what I’m wondering about. I know you. I love you, but there’s a damn revolving door in your pants.”
Funny, but last night, Zane had been thinking about that very thing, wondering if maybe it wasn’t time to set aside his ridiculous bachelor ways. It wasn’t making him happy, that was for sure. Those few days he’d spent with Allison were the closest he’d ever felt to having an actual relationship. They’d formed a partnership, they’d worked together and they’d done it well. Plus, being able to act on their incredible chemistry had been a transformative experience. But as Allison hung up her phone and fought a smile, Zane knew that they were back to being nothing more than friends.
* * *
“Sorry about that,” Allison said, approaching Zane and her brother. The call had been from Ryan Hathaway, who was clearly a great guy. He’d heard about the storm on the news and wanted to make sure she was okay. How sweet was that? She was very excited about the prospect of him interviewing for Black Crescent. “I had to take a work call.”
“Yeah. Right,” Zane said, his voice clipped. “How’s Ryan?”
Oh, hell no. Allison was not going to play this game with Zane, especially when he’d been the one to declare that things were “over” back on the island. “He’s wonderful. Thanks for asking. He was really concerned about me and the storm. He wanted to make sure I was safe and sound.”
“How nice. He sounds like a great guy.” Everything in Zane’s tone suggested he did not truly hold this opinion.
Scott looked back and forth between Zane and Allison,
seeming perplexed by the conversation. “Uh, okay. I was able to snag the last three first-class seats on the next flight to New Jersey. We’d better get ourselves to the gate. It’s boarding in less than an hour.”
“What about Allison?” Zane asked, turning his attention to her. “Are you coming with us? I figured you were flying back to LA.”
She’d been so nervous about accidentally revealing the Black Crescent information that she hadn’t mentioned this detail to Zane. “Didn’t I tell you? I’m actually coming back to Falling Brook for a week or so. I have some work I need to do.”
“No, you didn’t tell me. Do you have a client in town?” Again, his voice was nothing short of perturbed, but Allison was pretty determined to let him stew in his own juices.
“Yes.”
“Who is it?”
“I can’t say. It’s confidential.”
“How long is that supposed to last? Falling Brook is not a big place, and I have lived there my entire life. I’m going to find out sooner or later.”
Allison’s pulse raced. She felt queasy at the thought of Zane figuring this out. She knew exactly how he would react—badly. “If you were my client, I wouldn’t talk about you to anyone else. It’s just the right thing to do.”
He rolled his damn eyes, not bothering to say that of course it made sense for her to keep things to herself for the sake of her business interests. She could hardly believe how things between her and Zane had changed in the last few hours. So much for fantasies brought to life—she wondered now if it wouldn’t have been better to keep Zane in her dreams, rather than begging him to become a reality. Careful what you wish for. It hurt too much to have him be such a jerk to her. And to think that she’d been mulling over some ridiculous confessions last night when she couldn’t fall asleep. She’d wanted to tell him that she wanted more of him. So much more. And if he’d given her any indication that he might feel the same way, she would have been all in. She would have even called Kianna and told her that they had to drop Black Crescent.
The Allison of last night was clearly an idiot. It didn’t matter that she and Zane had had an amazing time on the island together, and not just in bed. It didn’t matter that he’d made her happy. Made her laugh. Made her feel sexy and desired. Zane would always choose his friendship with Scott over her, and she couldn’t entirely blame him. That relationship had longevity. It had never faltered. He could count on it, and Allison understood how anyone would want to stick to the things in life that were reliable, especially if you were Zane, a man who’d been through the wringer.
That still didn’t keep her from wanting him.
The three of them took a shuttle over to the commercial terminal and waited to board, standing on the concourse outside the busy gate area. Scott and Zane had been knee-deep in conversation, leaving Allison to feel like the third wheel until Zane wandered off to find a bathroom and Scott pulled Allison aside.
“You didn’t tell him why you were coming back to Falling Brook?” Scott asked her pointedly.
“Wow. You really don’t waste any time, don’t you?”
“It’s a valid question, and he’s going to be back any minute now. You two just rode out the storm together and the topic of you coming back to Falling Brook never came up? Not once? It makes me wonder what in the heck you two did talk about.”
“I don’t want him to know about Black Crescent, okay? And I don’t want you to tell him, either. You know how he feels about it. You know it hurts him to talk or hear about it, and you also know he has a blind spot when it comes to the Lowells. I don’t want it to mess with our friendship.”
“Since when have you two been close?”
If Allison could’ve shot laser beams from her eyes at her brother, she would have. Why did he have to think that only he could be close to Zane? “We’ve always been friends, Scott. You know that. I can’t compete with your friendship, okay? So don’t try to compare the two.” She saw down the concourse that Zane was on his way back already. Even in rumpled clothes, with two days of scruff on his face and with an attitude that was decidedly cooler than the one she’d experienced during their last day on the island, he was irresistible. She was going to have to learn to resist. “He and I just went through a life-and-death situation, and I don’t want to hurt his feelings unnecessarily. He’s tired. I’m tired. Plus, there’s a good chance that I won’t get hired by BC long term. So if it’s only a one-off, I really don’t see the point in telling him and hurting his feelings for no good reason.”
Scott nodded. “Okay. That’s probably the right call then. Your intentions are good.”
Zane smiled as he approached them. It still made Allison’s heart melt. She was going to have to figure out a way to get over him. She had no idea how that would work. “You guys talking about me?” he asked.
“Always,” Scott said.
“Never,” Allison countered.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” the gate agent announced over the intercom. “We’re ready to begin the boarding process for Flight 1506 with nonstop service to Newark International Airport. We’ll begin by inviting our first-class passengers to board.”
“That’s us,” Scott said.
“Good. I can’t wait to get home to a hot shower and a good night’s sleep,” Zane said.
Allison felt the same way. She also wished she could do those things with Zane. She was going to need to work up to this whole business of forgetting her attraction to him.
The three boarded the plane, but as soon as Allison figured out the seating arrangement, she realized just how much she would always be the odd man out when it came to her brother and Zane. The two guys were seated together, across the aisle from her. That had been Scott’s decision, since he’d booked the flights, and Zane was obviously perfectly happy with it. Allison flagged the flight attendant and asked for a gin and tonic before takeoff. She needed something to soothe her ragged edges. Maybe she could catch some sleep after they were in the air.
But for now, since Zane and Scott were immersed in conversation, and the plane was still boarding, Allison took this chance to give Kianna a quick call.
“Tell me you’re okay,” she blurted without even saying hello.
“I’m fine. In one piece. On the plane to New Jersey.”
“I can’t believe that storm hit the island. It all happened so fast. I kept watching the forecast, hoping it would change for you. I can’t help but feel responsible. It was my idea for you to go down there in the first place.”
“No. No. It’s not your fault. I wanted to go. And believe it or not, it was still a good trip. Despite the storm. Despite everything.” She was trying to put the best possible spin on this, not merely for Kianna’s sake, but also for her own. She didn’t want to regret her time with Zane. She didn’t want to believe that it might have been a big mistake. But what do you do when you get what you’ve always wanted and then it’s snatched away by timing and circumstance? What do you do when the guy you’ve wanted for years tells you that it’s over before it’s had a chance to really start? Right now, it felt like nothing would ever sting as much as this rejection.
“Did you at least find a hot guy? Please say yes.”
Allison couldn’t suppress the smile that crossed her face. “I did. But I’ll have to tell you about it later. We take off soon, and I have to turn off my phone.”
“Okay, hon. Did you postpone your meeting with Black Crescent?”
“Nope. Still going in tomorrow. As planned.”
“Did you talk to Joshua Lowell?”
“I texted his assistant. We’re all good.”
“You’re a badass, you know that, right?”
Allison laughed. Her friendship and partnership with Kianna meant the world to her. She really hoped she wouldn’t end up letting her down. This Black Crescent meeting had to go well. “I’m trying.”
“Call me af
ter the meeting tomorrow?”
“You know it. Talk to you then.”
Allison hung up the phone, switched it to airplane mode and tucked it into the seat-back pocket. She swirled her gin and tonic, took a long sip and glanced over at Zane and Scott. Zane, who was sitting at the window, made eye contact with her. That instant seemed to speak volumes—there was a connection between them that hadn’t been there before they got to the island. Zane knew it. She did, too. But he seemed resigned to setting it aside. Keeping it in the past. No matter how hot and passionate that connection was, it didn’t seem to be enough for Zane.
He dropped his gaze and returned his attention to her brother. Allison’s heart plummeted to her stomach, but she was used to the disappointment now. It was the story of her life with Zane. And exactly the reason why this visit to Falling Brook would be all about her role as businessperson supreme, not the woman who couldn’t stop pining for a man she couldn’t have.
Scott leaned across the aisle to talk to her. “Do you have plans tomorrow night?”
“Hanging out at your house. Not sure what else I would possibly be doing.”
“I wasn’t sure if you had work obligations.”
Allison wanted to strangle her brother for bringing up Black Crescent while Zane was sitting right next to him. “Nope. I should be done by midafternoon. Why?”
Zane peered around Scott. “He invited me over for dinner.”
“I wanted to thank him for taking such good care of my little sister,” Scott added.
What in the world was her brother up to? “Okay. Sounds great.”
CHAPTER NINE
Right on time, Allison pulled her rental car into the Black Crescent parking lot the following afternoon, shortly before two o’clock. She’d arrived back in Falling Brook in the nick of time—less than twenty-four hours before her scheduled meeting with Haley Shaw and Joshua Lowell. Anyone else might have used the fact that she’d been stranded on an island in the middle of a hurricane as an excuse to postpone the meeting, but that detail was a dramatic selling point. She could tell Josh Lowell that not even a natural disaster would keep her from doing her job, and doing it well. In the end, she and Kianna needed the Black Crescent contract. It was their best shot at keeping their company alive.