by Lynn Stevens
You really want my help? He replied.
Yes.
One word, but it knocked Zac back in his chair. He would help her. But he knew he needed to be cautious. This was Macie Regan. There had to be another shoe that would drop on his head. Probably a worn out red Chuck.
When? He hit send.
Tonight? Or do you have a hot date? She added a winky emoji.
He actually had plans to meet with Ford for drinks. He wanted to help her, though. Ford would understand.
I’m free. Zac hoped Ford would understand. It wasn’t like Ford hadn’t cancelled drinks with Zac to rescue Lauren before. Zac smiled. Macie was far from a damsel in distress.
Great. When and where?
He thought about having her over, making dinner like she had done for him. Something stopped him cold. His apartment. It wasn’t as warm as Macie’s. Despite the small size, Macie’s place felt like a home. His apartment felt temporary. Seven? Your place?
Sounds great. And, thanks.
Zac smiled at the kissing emoji. He knew it wasn’t anything more than Macie being grateful, but it lifted him up for the rest of the day.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Nancy didn’t argue when Macie said she had to leave by six-thirty at the absolute latest. She didn’t even bat an eye. Something was up. Macie sat in one of Nancy’s uncomfortable chairs instead of leaving like a smart person would have done. She propped her feet on the edge of Nancy’s desk, earning an evil eye. Macie shrugged and dropped her feet. Probably not her smartest move.
“What?” Nancy asked without looking up from the file on her desk.
“I should ask you the same question,” Macie said.
“Everything’s just peachy. Now get out of here before I change my mind.” Nancy’s red felt pen moved across the page.
“I call bullshit.”
Nancy’s head snapped up. They stared at one another for longer than necessary before Nancy’s shoulders relaxed and she nodded toward the office door. Macie stood and closed it, settling back into the plastic chair.
“Your little stunt in front of the boss has given you a free pass for the time being.” Nancy leaned back in her chair and steepled her fingers. “He said to make you happy. So that’s what I’m doing.”
Macie tried not to grin, and this really wasn’t a grinning moment. Sure, she wanted to be happy, but she wanted to be treated fairly, too. A wiser person would run with it. “Good for me. What’s in it for you?”
“Keeping my job.” Nancy reached for a photo frame on her desk and turned it around. Two identical twins smiled at the camera. They weren’t much younger than Macie and both were the spitting image of Nancy. “They graduate this year. And college isn’t cheap.”
“Ain’t that the truth.” Macie grimaced as the image of her payment came up.
“Yeah, so as much as I hate cowering to him, I need to keep my job.” Nancy turned the frame back around, her face softening as she stared at her daughters. “For the time being, you’re getting a free pass.”
Macie nodded and stood. The conversation was over. “Thanks, boss.” She stopped before she opened the door. “Nancy, can I ask you a question?”
Nancy waved her hand.
“Did I do something wrong?” Macie’s fingers tightened around the doorknob.
“Your last two pieces were sloppy. They looked rushed.” Nancy tapped her pen against her desk blotter. “You’ve done better with less time.”
Macie grimaced, but she nodded. “Okay. Is there time to rework them?”
“I had Ethan fix them before he left this morning.” Her lips pressed into a thin line. “Don’t let it happen again.”
“Yes, ma’am.” A wave of disappointment crashed through her. Macie never wanted to turn in sloppy work, but Nancy was right. She’d rushed through the pieces and hadn’t put enough effort into them. Her focus on how to pay her student loan bill had taken over her every thought. “I’m still good to freelance, right?” Macie blurted out.
“Yeah,” Nancy said, staring at Macie. “There’s nothing to say you can’t. You have a non-compete that says you can’t work for other stations, but nothing about freelancing. Why? What’re you thinking?”
“Like you said, college isn’t cheap,” Macie said, pulling open the door. “Eventually you have to pay up.”
Macie slammed into Alex’s chest outside Nancy’s office. He hadn’t spoken to her since his father’s verbal beat down a week ago and this was entirely too awkward. Everything had been through Nancy or email with Nancy cc’d. Not even a text message. Macie enjoyed the reprieve, but she had a feeling it was about to end.
“Regan,” he said, planting his feet in the middle of the short hall.
Macie had no other choice but to engage. Her battle flags raised as she prepared for war.
“That last promo clip for my special feature was two seconds too long.” Alex never tensed or crossed his arms. Nothing defensive.
“I hit all the parameters I was given. Nancy okayed it.” Macie kept her arms down and her fists unclenched. If he wasn’t going to get defensive, neither was she.
“Look, I don’t want to argue. I’m in an awkward position here. I can’t complain or even say I need something changed unless I want my father breathing down my neck.” Alex sighed and his entire posture shifted from relaxed to defeated. “I want to do a good job. Sometimes that means being an asshole.”
“Sometimes it means just asking like a decent human being and not screaming every cuss word on the planet at someone.” Macie couldn’t stop herself, she crossed her arms. “And I’m a fan of cuss words.”
Alex smiled, and damn her if it wasn’t actually genuine and attractive. “As a reporter, let me tell you one thing you need to remember.”
“Oh, and what’s that?”
Alex leaned down, shoving his hands in his pockets. “There’s always more to the story.”
Macie raised her eyebrows. Alex mimicked her, then turned on his heel and strolled away. There was something else going on with him. He all but told her. Curiosity nudged her forward, but she wasn’t a reporter. She had no desire to be. She did want to be a good designer. In less than a minute she was in her office trimming the video by two seconds. It wasn’t hard, but if that was what needed to be done for the job, she was damn well going to do it. She shot an email off to Alex, bcc’ing Nancy to keep her in the loop.
Ten seconds later her email chimed. It was Alex with a simple ‘thanks’. Nancy didn’t even get involved.
SHIT. SHE WAS LATE again. Although answering the door in just her robe again wasn’t a bad idea, Macie didn’t want to be too obvious. Besides, she knew Zac was attracted to her on a physical level. The way he took in every inch of her bare skin the last time was enough to know that wasn’t an issue.
This, unlike last time, was a business meeting. She almost wished they’d met somewhere else. Her tiny apartment wasn’t exactly visitor ready. Cleaning up came first, then maybe changing if she had time. Or maybe she’d change once he got there. The thought intrigued her. What would he think of her getting naked in her bathroom while he waited on the futon?
She shook it off. Not a time for seduction. She’d work on that later.
With ten minutes to spare, Macie put her dishes in the sink and ran water over them to soak. She threw her clothes in the armoire. That would have to be reorganized later. A quick feather dust over everything else and her apartment looked presentable. There wasn’t enough time left to change so she freshened her mascara. Like her place, she was presentable. If in a messy professional sort of way.
Zac was notoriously punctual. Something Macie learned freshman year. Lauren and Ford had planned a sort of double date for them. Macie had no way out. Lauren knew Macie’s schedule like she knew her own. She also knew Macie didn’t have any plans since she’d sworn off guys after a disastrous date with a basketball player. Lauren had an appointment with her advisor, so she was meeting them at the restaurant and Ford had somehow managed to ge
t out of picking Macie up, so that left Zac. Macie was late. She’d just gotten out of the shower and was hurrying down the hall toward in her room in nothing but her bra and undies under an over-sized towel. Zac waited outside her door. She noticed him as she tripped over the end of the towel and fell face first into the dirty tile floor.
“Hey, Chomper,” Zac had said with his perfect smile. Giggles filled the hallway. “Have a nice... trip?”
If she hadn’t hated him before, she hated him from that moment forward. She always claimed it was from the first time they’d met, but really, it was the fake date. His arrogance was on display full force. He was everybody’s dream boat. Until he opened his mouth. Macie had been determined to let bygones be bygones. That moment was the true turning point.
Even the memory made her fume with untethered anger. What was she thinking? There was no way she could have a real relationship with Zac. He did whatever he could to goad her, to frustrate her, to piss her off in general. How could they move past that?
They had to move past it if there was any chance at a future.
Macie stared at her painting. She’d taken the bigger canvas and painted a larger spiral with the colors at an opposing line and the spiral churning in the opposite direction. Very carefully, she cut a square in the larger and inset the smaller canvas. She left a half an inch out, giving it more of a 3D appearance. Then she’d reinforced the backing. The effect was face-slapping. There was more work to be done, but Macie loved what she’d created. It was the first time she’d loved her art in a long time.
Everything she’d done in college felt forced. This was a piece of her.
She opened the portfolio on the table. The majority of her art was stored at her Mom’s house. There wasn’t a lot of it, either. Macie had destroyed most of her artwork. Not for any other reason than they weren’t good enough. She’d kept the pieces she’d deemed okay. Looking at them now, they didn’t speak to her. They were just there. Sellable, maybe, but not inspiring. Art should be inspiring.
Her phone lit up with a text from Lauren, but what really caught her attention was the time. It was ten after seven. Zac was late. That never happened. Macie’s heart leapt into her throat, choking her on the intense beat. Where was he? A million things ran through her head, each disastrous thought cut off by the next then the next then the next. She watched another five minutes tick away until a soft knock pulled her from inside her head.
Macie ran to the door and threw it open, leaping into Zac’s arms.
“Whoa, neighbor. It’s nice to meet you, too. But, damn.”
Macie jumped back and stared at the man standing in front of her. “Omigod.” He grinned, and over his shoulder Zac did the same. Bastard. “I’m sorry. I thought you were...”
Her neighbor turned around, following Macie’s pointed finger. “Lucky guy.” He faced Macie, grin still intact. “Anyway, awkward as this has been, I just wanted to introduce myself.” He held out his well-manicured hand. “I’m Barton Wilkes.”
“Macie Regan.” His hand was softer than hers. “Nice to meet you.”
“Well, if you want to meet me again, I’m in 3C.” He motioned to the door across the hall. “I make a mean chai latte.”
Macie tried not to wrinkle her nose. “Thanks.”
Barton brushed by Zac who raised his eyebrows. Once Barton was inside his apartment, Zac stepped forward. “What? No hug?”
“You’re late.” Macie crossed her arms. Yet again, Zac Sparks witnessed another embarrassing moment. And he made a fucking joke.
“Yeah, I lost track of time.” He held out a manila file folder. “Research for starting a business.”
Macie’s eyebrows crashed together. “How did you know?”
He snorted a laugh. “You asked about setting up an online store, remember? What else would you want to talk about? Money, sure, but that didn’t seem likely. And I have no idea how or where to sell artwork. I figured you might want to do something like this. Besides, Ford told me about his student loans coming due.” He shrugged. “I know you had less scholarship money than he did. So...”
Macie stepped back, allowing him to enter her apartment. Logic. He’d just blindsided her with logic. She’d been prepared to tell him everything, basically pitch him the plan. He sat the file on her coffee table. The need to hug him overwhelmed her. He’d done all of that work for her. Without her asking. Without her begging, which she’d been fully prepared to do. He really was the guy she’d ‘met’ online. She just needed to show him she was that girl.
“Zac...” she whispered. He turned toward her. Nerves racked her body as she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist. Her head fitted perfectly against his shoulder. She relaxed against him as his hands touched her waist. “I was ... You’re never late.”
He squeezed her gently. “Not usually, but it’s been known to happen.”
“Don’t let it happen again.” She let go, realizing how that sounded. It sounded way too... girlfriendy? Needy?
Zac’s mouth twisted into a knot. “You were... worried about me?”
“You’re never late.” Macie sat on the futon, hoping that would be the end of it. She wanted to say more, to tell him she was his mystery girl. God, she hated how she lied. “Show me what you brought?”
Zac settled in next to her, but Macie could feel the tension rolling off him. She closed her eyes. She’d royally fucked this up already. It was time to get back on track. Refocus on the plan to start her own business, and not on the plan to get Zac to see her for who she really was.
BIPOLAR? NO, THAT WAS not how bipolar people act. Macie didn’t suddenly worry about him after years of animosity. Something else was going on. What would Ford call it? Transference. Yes, that was it. Macie transferred her emotions onto Zac’s tardiness. That made more sense. Focusing would be a better idea.
“So, it’s not that hard. I can set you up as a corporation, but the fees can be high once you take in the city and state requirements.” Zac rubbed his hand over his face. “You could probably get away with no business license for a month or so if we don’t incorporate right away, but that leaves you at risk for liability. Personally, I mean.”
“A corporation would protect all this?” Macie deadpanned as she motioned around her small apartment. “I think I’ll be fine.”
Zac shook his head but hid his growing smile. “Fair enough. Other than selling your art, you didn’t tell me what this business was for.”
Macie stood and paced the short room. She kept her head down as she rubbed her chin. Zac wondered what was going on in her head, but he had feeling he was about to find out.
“You know the invitations I made for Lauren and Ford?” she asked, stopping dead in front of him. After he nodded, the pacing continued. “Graphics. People want their weddings, birthday parties, or whatever, to be unique. I’ll customize invitations, programs, thank you cards, stuff like that. But I’ll also make some pre-made designs too. At a cheaper price than my custom jobs. I figure it would take about a month to get those done and up on a site. Then I can start advertising.”
“You could make book covers. There’s a big need for those, too.”
Macie jumped. “Great idea. That’s something I can add down the line, like in six months or so.”
“Mace, you need a solid business plan.” Zac leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. “And you’ll probably lose money the first few years.”
“No, I won’t. I mean, I probably won’t make enough to get me out of debt, but I have a second plan for that. I just...” Macie plopped beside him. “I’ve been thinking about what you said. About Mom being proud of me and about getting my degree and all that. I ... I want to be my own person. My own boss. Working at the station was temporary when I took the job, but even more so now. I can make this work. I’m willing and able.” Her eyes softened. “Aren’t I?”
She wanted his validation. His. What was going on with this girl? “How much debt, Mace?”
Her eyes dark
ened. “Enough.”
“I did some research on student loans.” He pulled a page of notes out of the back of his folder. “You can defer if you’re underemployed. Based on what I think you make, that will never fly so deferment is out. I did learn that you can make the minimum required payment until you’re on your feet better. That’s different from what your bill says.”
“Seriously?” She took the information from him, skimming over the facts. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Zac, you’ve given me a lot of heartache over the years, but you’ve never lied to me.” She sat up and stared straight into his eyes. “Do you think I can do this? Do you think I can be successful?”
“I know you can do it, Mace.” Zac felt his chest balloon with pride. She really did value his opinion. “And I’m going to help.”
“I can’t pay you.” Horror sketched her face.
Zac shrugged. “Can’t a friend help out another friend?”
“So we’re friends, now?” Macie’s lips quirked into a grin.
“It’s weird, but I think we’re getting there.”
Macie’s laugh filled the room. “Lauren and Ford can never know. They’ll act all triumphant and superior.”
“We’ll keep it our secret.” Zac nudged Macie’s shoulder. “Ready to get started on this?”
Macie held out her hand. “Yep. I’m ready, partner. Are you?”
“Partner?”
“I figured maybe if you wanted to be my partner instead. I do the creative stuff. You manage the money and shit.” Macie shrunk back. “I mean if you want to. I’ve never been great with money. If I had, my savings account would be full of my tips instead of pennies.”
Zac smiled. “Let’s get this started first and see where it goes. Then we can talk about that later.”
“Right. It may be an epic failure.”
“Or a massive success.”
“I’m going with that one.”
“Me too.” Zac shook her hand. Partners. Huh.