It Takes Two: Deep in the Heart, Book 1 (29 page)

“Mr. Zach,” Mary said, walking back into the kitchen, “why do you look so sad?”

Swallowing a lump the size of Rhode Island in his throat, Zach replied, “I’m not really sad, Mary. Sometimes grownups only smile when their favorite little girl comes in the room.”

“Oh. I see.”

Zach could tell Mary liked the notion that she was extra special by the big grin on her face. “There’s a box on the table in the hall that’s for you. Can you carry it by yourself?”

“Sure!” Eyes alight, Mary scampered down the hall. Cody remained silent.

Carrying the package back into the kitchen, Mary sat down at the table next to Zach. “What is it?” she said, her voice a reverent whisper.

“Can’t tell you,” he whispered back. “You have to open it and see.”

“Now?”

“Now.”

The delight on Mary’s face as she lifted the lid off tore at Zach’s heart. Her little hands reached in and gently took the carousel from its bed of paper tissue. The sun streaming in the kitchen window twinkled on the gold paint. A few dainty musical notes magically pealed into the air. Completely astonished, Mary murmured, “Oh, my. Look, Uncle Cody! Look what Mr. Zach gave me. Isn’t it wonderful?”

Cody smiled at Mary. “It’s as pretty as you are.” Then he shot Zach an inquiring gaze that he couldn’t fail to understand. Special presents and an occasional visit weren’t going to be enough for Mary. Eventually, he would hurt her by his absence. Nor would it be fair to Annie, who deserved far more than she’d ever gotten.

Mary took great care in setting the carousel on the kitchen table. Then she hopped up into Zach’s lap, taking his face between her tiny hands. “Thank you so much,” she said, planting a kiss on his cheek and then wrapping his neck in a tight hug.

Zach’s eyes burned. He tried to push down the tidal wave of emotion rising in his chest, nearly choking him. Mary’s joy was wonderful—alive and infectious—and he was glad he’d made her happy. But had he done the right thing? Uneasily, he patted her on the back. “You’re welcome, Mary.”

She pulled back far enough to fasten her indigo eyes on to his. Dark lashes framed eyes so penetrating that he could tell exactly what Mary was going to say even before she said it. “I love you, Mr. Zach.”

“I love you, too, honey.” The response was natural and true, and Zach meant every word of it. Mary nodded, their communion complete. Sliding down out of Zach’s lap, she said, “I’m going to go show Grandma. Is that all right, Uncle Cody?”

“It’s fine, honey. Be very careful carrying it.”

“Oh, I will,” Mary said breathlessly.

Zach stared at the empty white box pensively. His gift had been meant to be special, but it might imply promises to a hopeful little girl. The truth was, he didn’t know what would happen between him and Annie. Didn’t even know if he was ready to pursue another relationship with the frosting still sitting on the wedding cake for this weekend. There were so many loose ends to tie up right now that he really couldn’t make any promises about the future. He simply didn’t know.

Zach pursed his lips, setting his chin. “Guess I’ll be heading out, Cody. Thanks for tea,” he said, avoiding the other man’s eyes.

“Gonna say good-bye to Mary?”

Lilting notes floated down the hall into the kitchen. Zach paused, considering. “I think I should just let Mary enjoy her present for a while.”

Cody shrugged. “Suit yourself.” Silently, they walked outside to Zach’s car. He got inside, not knowing what to say to this enigmatic man whose life he’d saved, who saw so clearly inside him.

“Here, Slick. Got a souvenir for you to take home,” Cody said, handing something through the open window of the car.

Zach took the snake teeth in some amazement. “They don’t look so frightening once they’re not connected to reptile, do they?”

“Nope. Good luck, Slick.”

Laying the fangs on the dash, Zach said, “Thanks, Cody.” With a brief nod, he pulled out and headed down the dirt road, trying to ignore the chilling sensation that he’d just run off on Mary.

Annie dialed the tax assessor’s office, her fingers trembling. It hurt her pride to have to make this phone call. Knowing it had to be done, she could only pray that the officials would listen to her with kind ears.

The secretary was someone she’d gone to school with. “Schula? It’s Annie Aguillar. I’m fine, thank you. How’s the family? Oh, we’re all fine, here. Well, the fire was a bit unplanned, but we’ll get along. Thanks for asking, though. Is Mr. Barland in? I need to talk to him about my tax situation.”

“He’s not in right now, Annie. Can I leave him a message for you?”

Annie hesitated. “I guess so. Will you tell him that I’ll be down to the office tomorrow to pay on the taxes I owe?”

Thankfully, some of her salsa money had come in. It meant she’d have to impose on Cody for a ride, but he wouldn’t mind. He was becoming used to having two families to care for, she thought unhappily.

“Um, Annie, I thought your account was paid up to date.”

She frowned. “No, Schula; I haven’t paid anything yet.”

“Well, let me check. I thought for certain that gentleman who was in here this morning was paying off your taxes. Here’s your folder. Let me see… Aguillar, Annie, balance zero.”

Shock tightened Annie’s chest. She felt cold, leaden. “There’s been a mistake somewhere, Schula. Believe me, I wish it were true. But there’s no way—”

Suddenly, a bizarre thought hit Annie. Oh, there might be a way all right. She just couldn’t envision it. Surely Zach hadn’t taken it upon himself to pay her debt? Not after the conversation they’d just had in the foreman’s cabin.
If you needed help, would you accept it from me?
she’d asked him.

Zach had thought about that for a moment.
I would want to solve the situation myself, if I could.

And she’d replied,
Pride isn’t solely a man’s emotion.
A vision of the carousel, wonderfully elaborate and more expensive than Annie could ever afford, flashed into her mind. A carousel for Mary, a clean account for her mommy.

Did a few hours of delicious lovemaking mean Zach thought he had to dip into his wallet for Annie, too? Her face burned with shame. Apprehensively, she asked, “Are you certain it’s my account that’s paid in full? The papers haven’t gotten confused with Cody’s farm?”

“No way,” Schula said cheerfully. “I was here and got the paperwork for Mr. Barland myself.”

Dismay threaded itself into Annie’s chilled heart.
Were you going to save me, Zach Rayez?
her own teasing words mocked her. “Can you tell me who paid off the taxes?”

“Well,” Schula sounded uncertain, “since it’s your account, I don’t see why not. It was a man, a real handsome man. Tall, dark and fascinating, you might say.” She gave a purely feminine giggle.

“It wasn’t Cody.” Annie’s voice was flat.

“No. Hair was shorter and he looked, I dunno, kinda citified. You know what I mean? No dirt under the nails, I guess. Ah, here it is. Zachary Rayez. Cash payment. Anything else you want to know?”

Annie closed her eyes, astonished by the pain she felt inside. “No, thank you, Schula. I appreciate your help. Say hello to your folks for me, please. Good-bye.” She hung up and slumped her head over into her hands, thinking that having her taxes paid and a big cloud lifted from over her head should make her deliriously happy. Unfortunately, it only made her sad. And furious with Zach.

And ultimately, she just felt taken.

Chapter Nineteen

Zach got out of the car and walked up the cobbled sidewalk to his house, his mind pondering everything that had happened in Desperado. He wished Cody weren’t right about how Mary played into the equation, but he was. Mary and Annie were a package deal, and what Zach did with Annie ultimately affected Mary. It could be a positive effect, of course, if he thought out the consequences of his actions. But a periodic roll in the hay with Annie would affect Mary adversely at some point. Cody was damn smart to realize Zach and the little girl had forged an important emotional bond.

Hell. They all had.

Zach was worrying so hard about this new concept of a permanent relationship with Annie that he at first didn’t realize the lamps inside the house were on, dimmed to a romantic glow. He’d left them off, since he hadn’t known how long his business in Desperado would take. There was only one person who had a key to his home, yet he didn’t want to take for granted that he knew who was—or had been—in his home. Leaving the door unlocked behind him just in case he wanted to make a quick exit, he glanced around, cataloguing changes in the room since he’d left.

The emerald earrings had vanished from where he’d tossed them onto the teak table. A sudden, subtle tease of a perfume he recognized well lingered on the air. Slowly, like a man who knows he’s being ambushed, Zach walked toward the bedroom.

LouAnn lay stretched out in the bed, wearing a black negligee that could only be described as nothing. The earrings dangled at her ears, beckoning. Zach took a deep breath, commanding himself not to pick her up and throw her from his house.

“What the hell are you doing, LouAnn?”

Seemingly unfazed by his harsh tone, LouAnn simply smiled. Running one palm down a length of white thigh, which moved her breasts enticingly under the lace, she said, “Waiting on you, Zach. I know we had harsh words earlier, but you didn’t give me a chance to tell my side of the story. Come here, lover, and tell me you were just jealous. There isn’t anything between Carter and me, you know,” she whispered huskily.

Zach stared at the red of LouAnn’s lips as she smiled at him. All he could think of was the taste of Annie’s mouth, bare and clean of cosmetics, delicious to his taste. He wasn’t sure if he’d ever tried to get past the satin-slickness of Chanel Red to discover the true LouAnn. He’d known the glamour had gone along with the girl, and he hadn’t looked past the mirage.

It had been a grievous mistake.

“I think I got your side of the story, LouAnn,” Zach stated. “You wanted more than I could give you. You wanted the whole pie. For a while, you got it. But now, the party’s over. Get the hell out of my bed.”

“Is that any way to treat your fiancée? Zach, we’re getting married this weekend. You’re suffering from cold feet. Let me warm you, all over.”

She sat up, reaching her arms out toward Zach. Rosy nipples called to him, and he could see the dark triangle at her thighs, waxed into its usual heart shape. Once that had been an appealing notion. Now, the realization that LouAnn had given to someone else what he’d thought was his alone turned Zach off. Shaking his head, he backed up a step. “I’m giving you five minutes to get dressed and be out of my house. Leave the earrings and my key on the table in the den. Five minutes and then I’m calling the police.”

“Zach, wait!” she called, leaping from the bed to rush to his side. Throwing her arms around his neck, she pressed herself against him, pleading, “We were meant to be together.”

She swayed and, automatically, his hands went to her waist to steady her. His voice rough, Zach replied, “I thought so once, too. That was before I knew there were three of us.”

Click
.
Click
.
Whirr
.

The second Zach heard the sounds, he swiveled his head, realizing he’d been set up. Before he could react, the photographer squeezed off another set of shots, then hurriedly made his escape.

He stared down at LouAnn, frozen by what had just happened.

“Actually, there were four of us. But you weren’t going to be honest about that, were you, lover?” With a sinuous motion, LouAnn detached herself from Zach. She gave her hair an idle fluff, smiling catlike at him. Enraged, Zach snatched the earrings from her ears, but LouAnn just shrugged and turned away. “I got what I came for, Zach. If you thought you were going to embarrass me by calling off a wedding that everyone who is anyone has already bought an evening gown for, you were wrong. You thought you’d just leave me holding the bag, having to send back all those wonderful wedding gifts with pathetic little explanatory notes attached. Wrong plan.”

Blinding rage tore through Zach. “Excuse me, LouAnn, but I did think fidelity was part of an engagement. I’m not marrying a woman who’s cheap.”

“Oh, honey, I’m not cheap at all. This little escapade is going to cost you plenty.” She waved a red-tipped fingernail at him. “I was plenty good for you when you had your eye on rebuilding Daddy’s business. You switched midstream when you found a better venture. I know you, Zach. You’re like a magnet, only the attraction is to money. And I didn’t stand a chance against a woman who had oil under her land, just waiting for some lucky man to discover.”

LouAnn had dressed quickly during her speech of fury. Hips swaying, she walked to the front door. “The pictures are insurance, Zach. I want you to be a good boy from now on. If you dare to even think about not showing up for the rehearsal dinner and our wedding, I’ll see that your brown-skinned slut gets these photos. In fact, I’m so pissed by the way you tried to dump me, I may do it, anyway. See you Friday night, lover.” With a thin smile, she sashayed out.

Zach listened to the sound of LouAnn’s high heels clicking down the sidewalk, his heart sinking. True to form, she was determined to have her way. Unfortunately, LouAnn having her way meant a whole lot of other people could—and probably were going to—get their feelings hurt. He thought about Annie and closed his eyes, feeling sick. She’d be terribly distressed to think he’d lied about ending his engagement. Never would she trust him again, and he couldn’t blame her. And Mary. What could she possibly think if she were to see a picture of a lace-draped, almost nude woman clinging to her Mr. Zach?