Always & Forever

by Chantel Rhondeau

  “Grandma?” He met her eyes. “Do you really think I want to go through that with another woman?”

  “You’re not scared of marriage, boy. You’re scared of being hurt. You just have to find the right lady.” Margaret rocked back and forth in her floral-patterned chair. “Your sister and Steven are happily married. Tommy’s engaged. You need some good news of your own this year.”

  “You’re the one who matched Sarah up with Steven.” Zach chuckled. “I don’t suppose you’re working on finding me the perfect woman.”

  Margaret lowered her eyes. Zach could almost see the cogwheels turn in her brain.

  “I did hire a new assistant last week. Her name is Lilly Price, and she’s quite charming. Only twenty-seven years old, perfect age to start a family.”

  Zach ran his hands through his hair and prayed for patience. “It was a joke, Grandma. I don’t have time for a relationship. I want to write a mystery novel next, instead of more non-fiction books. I’m much too busy for dating.”

  Margaret bared her teeth at him and growled, but Zach could see the sparkle of humor in her eyes. “Why do you insist on working for a living?”

  “Maybe it’s because my grandparents were such great role models.”

  “We were hard workers, weren’t we?” Margaret asked, a proud lift to her chin.

  “Grandpa worked six days a week until the day he died,” Zach agreed.

  Tears misted her eyes. “Oh, I miss William so much.”

  “We all do.” Zach stood and kissed her wrinkled cheek. “I’ll come back soon, okay?”

  “You’re leaving?” She clutched his hand. “But Lilly will be back from the library soon. Why don’t you stay a few more minutes? I really want you to meet her. Such a cute little thing. I know you’re going to like her.”

  Zach sighed. “You never give up, do you?”

  “Woodbridges aren’t quitters.”

  He grinned. “It’s a long drive back to Seattle. I’ll meet her next time.”

  A light knock sounded on the door to the suite and it cracked open. “Mrs. Woodbridge? I’m sorry to bother you. I stopped by the nurses’ station before coming up. It’s time for your medication.”

  Margaret shot a triumphant look at Zach and released his hand. “Come on in, Lilly. You’re no bother at all. I want you to meet my grandson.”

  A redheaded young woman opened the door the rest of the way and entered the room slowly. She limped across the plush carpet and balanced a tray laden with sparkling water and a plastic cup full of pills. A book rested on the corner of the tray; some sort of romance novel, Grandma’s favorite.

  He watched Lilly make her way toward them. What happened to her leg? He wanted to offer to take the tray from her, but that might sound as though he didn’t think she could handle carrying it.

  She smiled at him, meeting his eyes directly in a manner that spoke nothing of servitude. Her attitude wasn’t that of a normal staff member faced with the boss. A tingle of excitement passed through him as he returned her smile.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Woodbridge. Your grandmother has talked about you,” merriment sparkled in her deep blue eyes, “extensively.”

  He laughed. “That doesn’t surprise me. I’ve been hearing all about you this afternoon.”

  Lilly lowered her eyes and turned a charming shade of red.

  Grandma was right. This woman aroused Zach’s curiosity, and her beauty would turn any man’s head. Her silk blouse outlined her slim body, hugging her small breasts in a way that drew his eye. She walked past him, and the top of her head barely reached his chin. He’d never been with such a petite woman—the thought intrigued him.

  She bent down to hand Margaret her pills and water. Zach’s eyes focused on Lilly’s rounded derriere. Perfectly shaped, just like the rest of her. It had been a full eleven months since his last relationship, a long time to be on his own.

  Zach tore his gaze away from her rear. Maybe his family had a point. He did need a woman. He was here with his grandmother for crying out loud. Definitely not the time to dwell on Lilly’s finer qualities, though he knew he’d think about them on the drive home.

  His grandmother caught his gaze and raised her eyebrows in silent inquiry.

  “You’re always right, aren’t you, Grandma?”

  Margaret smiled. “Of course I am.”

  Lilly straightened and turned to face him while Margaret downed the pills. “I get the feeling I interrupted a private conversation.”

  Stray strands of red hair fluttered around Lilly’s face, escaping the bun behind her head and drawing attention to her high cheekbones. What would that hair look like, loose around her slim shoulders? He could plunge his hands into it and—

  Damn it, man. Stop right there.

  He took a steadying breath. “You’re fine, Ms. Price, no interruption at all. In fact, I need to head home now. It’s getting late.”

  “It was nice to meet you, Mr. Woodbridge.” Lilly stretched out her hand.

  For a second, a ridiculous urge gripped him to take the proffered hand and kiss it. He gently grasped it in a soft shake instead.

  “Please, call me Zach,” he managed to say, “and the pleasure was all mine.”

  Margaret grinned and gave him a thumbs-up. “Can I assume we’ll be seeing you soon?”

  “Very soon, Grandma,” he agreed, “maybe even next weekend.”

  Margaret’s hoot of laughter reached the hallway as Zach closed the door.

  Chapter Three

  Lilly smoothed down the front of her white summer dress as she looked over the food cart, trying to determine whether she forgot anything Margaret or Zach might want. Activity whirled around her as the kitchen staff scrambled to prepare the dinner meal.

  Though overpriced, Woodbridge Manor was the leading place to send inconvenient loved ones who required too much care to stay in their own homes. Lilly counted herself lucky to have found a position working for the woman who owned the entire establishment. While Margaret had her little quirks, it was easy to like the lady.

  It was even easier to like her grandson.

  Zach frequently visited, and Margaret seemed to encourage a connection between her grandson and Lilly. Lilly couldn’t understand why Margaret would push Zach to foster a relationship with a penniless employee, but she enjoyed the interactions with him over the last three months.

  This would be the first meal Zach ever stayed to eat with Margaret while Lilly was present. As per usual, Margaret ordered Lilly to bring the meal up to her suite. Her employer had been very mysterious about things this week. Margaret seemed overly excited about the visit, and she kept talking about parties and how Lilly’s luck was about to take a turn for the better.

  No matter how many times Lilly questioned her, the older woman simply smiled and said Zach would explain when he arrived.

  Lilly set silver domes on top of the food trays and placed wine and water glasses on the bottom rack. She wheeled the cart through the double swinging doors into the hallway. Rich blues and teals set a soothing background for the expensive artwork hung along the walls, and finely detailed statues adorned every intersection.

  Plush carpet muffled her footsteps and caught at the wheels of the cart, making her task difficult as she walked to the elevator. Her left leg was in agony before she had gone ten steps but Lilly plastered a smile on her face, nodding at the residents who passed her on their way to the dining room.

  She exited the elevator on the top floor and knocked on Mrs. Woodbridge’s door before opening it. Lilly carefully backed into the suite, dragging the food cart with her.

  “Lilly, you should have had one of the orderlies bring that up.” Zach’s voice filled the room all at once and sent a shiver down her spine.

  She had always been a sucker for a deep, seductive voice. Unfortunately, experience with Charles taught her a sexy voice and the face of an angel could hide the heart of a sadist. She didn’t get the sadist vibe from Zach, but how well could she really kno
w a person she only saw once a week? Charles fooled her for almost a year.

  Lilly turned the cart in the small space and pushed the door closed. “Don’t worry about it, Mr. Woodbridge. It’s my job, after all. I’ll have dinner set out for the two of you in a moment.”

  “You’ve known us three months now.” Margaret wagged a finger in Lilly’s direction. “I’ve told you there’s no need to be so formal. This is Zach, and you must start calling me Margaret.”

  “Of course, Margaret.”

  At night, during her most secret fantasies, Lilly always called him Zach.

  She pushed the cart past the delicate, flower-patterned furniture in the sitting area. Though the purpose of the room had only been as a sitting area, a tiny dining table took center stage beneath the window facing the lake. Margaret loved looking at the water. She rarely took meals in the dining room where the view was nonexistent. The afternoon sun glared off the lake, but in another hour or two it would be breathtaking.

  “How did your rewrites go, Mr. ...Zach? Your grandmother tells me you’re finished with them.” Lilly stole a quick glance behind her.

  Zach assisted Margaret out of her favorite rocking chair. He was a very tall man and dwarfed his grandmother. Both Woodbridges had the same ramrod-straight spine and arrogant lift to their shoulders, the demeanor of successful people who knew their worth in the world. Lilly’s father affected the same posture when he wanted to impress potential investors.

  Lilly resolutely banished thoughts of her father. She didn’t have time to brood right now. She grabbed the silver-covered dining trays off the cart. Careful not to put weight on her injured leg, she pivoted back toward the table and set the food down.

  “Everything worked out,” Zach replied as he and Margaret made their way to the table. “Always a few little snafus in the editing process. I’ll have to go back and do book signings at a few stores in early January, but I plan on staying here for an extended period until then.”

  He lowered his grandmother into a chair. Zach passed very close behind Lilly, fitting himself in the space between her and the food cart. His hand ran lightly across the small of her back, and Lilly tried to suppress the shudder of pleasure mixed with fear flowing through her.

  Zach paid attention to Lilly whenever he came to town. She knew he really visited Margaret, but he spoke with Lilly too, never treating her like an employee but more like a friend.

  It wasn’t the first time he found a way to touch her. She had mixed reactions about that. She enjoyed his flirting, even enjoyed the feelings that flooded through her when he touched her. The problem was Charles. When Zach touched her, it gave a basis to her deepest fantasy. Unfortunately, often she came right back down to earth with a memory of Charles and his dark side.

  No doubt, Zach flirted with many women, and Lilly shouldn’t read anything into his antics. Regardless of how many times she told herself that, her hormones didn’t listen to her brain.

  Zach pulled out his own chair and Lilly returned to her task, keeping her mind firmly on the food. She pulled the domes off the trays to reveal the five-star chef’s current masterpiece. The plates were a study in color. An orange sauce covered the salmon and although Lilly didn’t eat fish, it smelled delicious. The dainty salad was a work of art—dark beets lay in a bed of leafy Romaine lettuce mixed with little wedges of oranges. Rolls and a raspberry sorbet completed the meal.

  Probably more food than Margaret could finish, but Lilly was glad she’d brought two servings of fish for Zach.

  Lilly turned back to the tray, pulling a bottle of white wine out of the ice bucket. She carefully filled two crystal glasses, lifted them off the tray, and pivoted back to the table.

  “Let me help you with those.” Zach stood right next to her.

  Lilly gasped and stepped back, heart pounding. She hadn’t heard him get up. Pain lanced down her left leg as she tried to put her full weight on the faulty limb. Lilly felt it crumple beneath her, and she whimpered as her body fell backward.

  Strong hands gripped her wrists and pulled her upright, steadying her, but it was too late. Wine sloshed out of the unbalanced glasses and doused the front of her dress. Some even splashed Zach’s suit jacket. He gripped her about the waist with one large hand to steady her further.

  “I’m so sorry.” He released her and stepped back, running a hand through his mass of thick, black hair. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

  “Your jacket,” she gasped, seeing her perfect job going up in flames. Margaret would likely fire her now. The conversation about Margaret’s fears the injury would hinder her abilities flashed through Lilly’s mind. Now, the first time Margaret had a dinner guest with Lilly in attendance, Lilly caused embarrassment.

  No wonder Margaret sent her to run errands any time other family members came to visit. Her employer had probably been sure all along something like this would happen.

  Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes, but she blinked them away. If she cried, it would only make the situation worse.

  “Forget the suit.” Zach waved his hand dismissively. “I’m more worried about your dress. I’ll find you a towel.”

  Lilly looked at herself as Zach walked into the other room. Warmth flooded her cheeks and tears gathered once more. Her delicate pink bra and the pale skin of her belly were clearly visible through her white dress, turned translucent from the wine.

  Lilly looked at her employer. “I am so sorry for the inconvenience, Mrs. Woodbridge. I’ll pour more wine for you and your grandson before I leave. Again, I can’t apologize enough.”

  Margaret’s eyes widened. “Don’t be silly, child. It’s just a little spilled wine.”

  “But—”

  “But nothing. You can’t go out like that, though. Pour us all wine and sit down.”

  Lilly grabbed clean glasses from the bottom shelf of the cart and did as Margaret requested before sitting in the chair between Margaret’s and Zach’s. She contemplated the snow-white tablecloth as Margaret ate her food with evident enjoyment. Although Lilly wasn’t much of a drinker, she sipped the wine to keep herself busy.

  Zach returned, no longer wearing his jacket. He handed her a towel and Lilly stood to wrap it around her torso, relieved to cover her exposed body.

  He caught her eyes as he sat down, and shook his head. “I really was attempting to help, not scare you half to death.”

  “It’s okay.” And it was, now that she knew she wasn’t going to lose her job over it.

  The dry cleaning bill would cause a strain. However, Lilly had learned many new skills this past year. Perhaps she could clean it on her own.

  Zach paused with his knife and fork above his plate. “Are you hungry?” Concern clouded his emerald eyes. “Grandma, why didn’t you tell her to bring up a tray for herself?”

  Margaret raised an eyebrow at him. “I didn’t plan on having her watch us eat, but somebody ruined her dress. I thought she should wait here while it dries.”

  Zach’s cheeks flushed and he nodded. “Yeah, she should.” He grabbed his serving of raspberry sorbet and placed it in front of Lilly, handing her his spoon. “Do you want fish, too? I’ll be happy to share.”

  Lilly grinned and shook her head, touched by Zach’s concern. “Thanks, but I’m allergic to fish.”

  “Hmmm...good to know. I’d hate to have any disasters happen if we were at a dinner party together.”

  She took a small bite of sorbet to cover her confusion. When did he expect they would ever be at a dinner party together? It was a nice thought though. If she still belonged in Zach’s world, they could have dated. That certainly played into the other fantasies she entertained about him, and Lilly struggled to keep a stupid grin off her face.

  She continued eating Zach’s dessert while she studied him. His black hair had been smoothed slick against his head when she first entered the room, but now stuck up in places. He was forever running his hands through it, which Lilly found quite endearing. To her eyes, he was a lot more handsom
e with that imperfection. She’d had perfect before, and knew perfection couldn’t fulfill its own promise.

  Zach had a severe-looking face, with prominent cheekbones that tapered down to a thin mouth. His wonderful, deep green eyes saved him from being unattractive, framed by the longest lashes Lilly had ever seen on a man. They fascinated her. For Lilly, his eyes were literally the stuff dreams were made of.

  His solid build drew Lilly’s attention. She had never seen him without his jacket, and she spent a few happy moments enjoying images of what those muscular biceps must look like without a shirt.

  He looked up from his food and caught her staring. A wide smile flashed across his face. It transformed him from merely attractive to devastatingly handsome.

  Lilly dropped her gaze and fiddled with another bite of sorbet. What was wrong with her? She should not be looking at Zach like that, but she couldn’t seem to get him out of her head. She needed to focus.

  She looked at the clock on the wall, relieved to see it said four-thirty. Another hour and she could go home. Margaret would have the entire weekend to forget the incident with the wine before Lilly returned to work. Even though her boss claimed it wasn’t a problem, Lilly was thankful she would have some time away.

  Margaret asked her to call down and have coffee brought up once they finished eating. Ever the gentleman, Zach helped his grandmother back to her favorite chair.

  Once Zach ensconced Margaret in the rocker, he approached Lilly and offered his arm when she hung up the phone.

  She linked her arm through his, needing the extra support. With each step, a spasm of pain lanced through her leg. Lilly wished she dared use her cane at work, but Margaret was sure to veto the idea.

  Her leg had stiffened, and sitting on the hard dining chair had only heightened her discomfort. Even with Zach’s support, her limp hampered her movements more than usual. He lowered her onto the loveseat without commenting on her weakness, earning himself even higher marks in her wildly inappropriate assessment of his desirability.

  Zach took the spot next to her, and his thigh rested against hers as he sat back against the cushions. He seemed blithely unaware he touched her, but Lilly’s body was all too aware of his proximity.