“It’s just a business call,” she told herself, trying to sound both firm and in control. “I have information to share with a client. It is, in fact, my obligation to keep my client updated on what is going on.”
Which was nearly the truth, but not completely. The missing factor was, of course, that she and Zach had made love last week. They’d gotten naked, done the wild thing, then she’d crept out in the middle of the night without even leaving a note.
That could have been recoverable if they’d spoken since. But they hadn’t. She should have called, but she’d been scared and embarrassed and definitely out of her comfort zone. She’d wanted him to make the first move and when he hadn’t, she’d felt…icky.
Now she felt awkward and confused about calling him at work. Normally she never sweated getting in touch with a client, but Zach was the first one she’d ever slept with, so the rules of engagement weren’t all that clear.
She dropped her hands to her desk and leaned back in her chair. She was going to have to get over this and start acting like a sensible person. Baring that, she was simply going to have to suck it up and call Zach because she had to move forward with the fund-raiser.
And she would like to take this moment to remind herself that she had only herself to blame. She could have said no. She could have walked away while still fully dressed and then not have had to worry about postcoital etiquette. This uncomfortable, slightly embarrassed, definitely weird sensation in her midsection was something to remember the next time a tempting client walked into her life and tried to get past first base.
Determined to be brave and professional, she picked up the phone and dialed Zach’s office number. Dora picked up on the first ring and immediately put Katie through.
“Stryker,” Zach said in a deep, masculine voice that made her go weak at the knees-never mind that she was sitting down.
“Hi, Zach, it’s Katie. I’m calling with some good news about the fund-raiser.”
“Okay.”
She hesitated. His response didn’t have the enthusiasm level she’d been hoping for. Nor did he seem to be in a rush to gush enthusiastically about their night together. Had he forgotten already? Or was he so used to one-night stands that this one didn’t matter?
The silence stretching between them was its own response, so she ignored the feeling of being a complete fool and retreated to the safety of business.
“As you know, the, ah, invitations went out two weeks ago. Already we’ve had positive responses from more than fifty percent of those invited.” She consulted her notes. “Of the five hundred we invited to the party-within-a-party, three hundred have said yes. Not only will the rooms be delightfully teeming with guests, but if all goes according to plan, we’re on target to beat last year’s charitable proceeds by at least twenty-five percent.”
She paused and waited for the applause. Or at least a “well done.” Instead she heard silence.
“Zach?”
“That’s really great, Katie. You’re doing a fine job.”
A fine job? The man had seen her naked, made her scream with pleasure, and “a fine job” was the best he could do?
“I’m sorry,” she said. “Did I call at a bad time?”
“I’m afraid so. I’m in the middle of prepping for court.”
She stiffened as if he’d slapped her. The implication of his words being that his work was far more important than hers.
Bitter regret burned on her tongue. His rejection couldn’t have been more plain. She swore silently as she realized that once again she’d risked believing the best about Zach only to have the worst proved to her.
She’d thought he was a real person. She’d thought they were establishing a connection. She thought their night together had mattered. Damn if she hadn’t been wrong on every count.
“I won’t keep you, then,” she said, forcing her voice into a bright, cheerful “you don’t matter because I’m doing fine” tone. “I’m very excited by the positive response to the party and wanted to let you know.”
“I appreciate it.” He cleared his throat. “Don’t feel you have to give me regular updates. Until I hear otherwise, I’m going to assume everything is going great.”
In other words-Don’t call me, I’ll call you.
Her eyes burned, her chest hurt, and she wanted to curl up in a ball and sob. Instead she clutched the phone more tightly.
“Not a problem. Good-bye, Zach.”
She hung up without waiting for him to respond.
It took several minutes for her ragged breathing to return to normal. A few tears escaped, but she congratulated herself on only needing two tissues. He wasn’t worth more than that.
When Katie had gathered at least a facade of control, she placed her hands on her desk and told herself she’d been lucky.
Zach wasn’t for her. He never had been, but she kept forgetting that. Jumping into bed with a man she wasn’t emotionally involved with had never been her style. For reasons she didn’t understand, she’d slept with Zach, and now she was paying the price.
It hurt. It hurt bad. But in time the pain would ease and she would be grateful not to be taken in by a good-looking guy in a six-hundred-dollar suit. Yes, he was funny and smart and fun to be with. And a good father. Oh, and a great kisser and dynamite in bed. But he didn’t care about her. She was a means to an end. One in a long line of women he’d conquered. He used women, then tossed them aside.
If she felt confused and out of sorts, well, so what? She would get over it. People healed from broken hearts all the time. Not that her heart was broken. The fact that he was more than a pretty face and that she hadn’t responded like that to a man since…okay, since never…was interesting but not significant. She would get over him in a flash because she had nothing to get over. Nothing had happened. She’d learned a cheap lesson, and now she was going to move on.
Zach drove slowly through the UCLA campus and circled up toward the dorms. It had been three days and he still hadn’t heard from David.
He’d called dozens of times, left at least ten messages, and not had one of them returned. Zach was done waiting. He would find his son and make him understand that he had never been anything but the best part of Zach’s life.
Careless words, he thought as he parked and climbed out of his car. How many relationships were destroyed by careless words?
He entered the dorm building and spotted several kids hunched over a video game. A couple looked familiar. Zach walked toward them. One of the boys looked up, frowned slightly, then smiled.
“Mr. Stryker?”
“That’s right.” Who was this kid? Jackson? Jason? Oh, yeah. “Justin, I’m looking for David.”
“He’s playing pool. Just back there.”
Zach nodded. “I know the way. Thanks.”
He walked down the back hallway to the rec room. Three pool tables sat in the center of the huge room. There were vending machines along one wall and ratty sofas along the other. All three tables were in use. One had a group of girls, another had guys in sports jerseys playing, while the third had only a young couple at one end.
The girl laughed and turned. As she moved, the overhead light glinted off her long red hair. Zach stopped just inside the room. There was no mistaking Julie, nor his son. David smiled, then slipped his arm around the girl and pulled her close. She welcomed him with an easy familiarity that made Zach’s gut tighten. They kissed, slowly and deeply, losing themselves in the passion.
Victory, he thought. The engagement would end and life would go back to normal.
He waited to feel relieved. Happy. But there was nothing except for a hollow emptiness and disappointment in his son’s behavior. He didn’t care how many girls David slept with, but he hadn’t been raised to cheat.