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“Zach. Hi,” she said slowly.
I could hear the hesitation in her voice and the slight confusion that I had called. She shouldn’t have been. It was the day after I had come to her house to sign the documents and we had made love.
It had been awkward after but not as much as before. We both knew this wasn’t something that was going to go away easily. We had started something, and we needed to see where it went. The only reason I didn’t stay in her apartment after was because I had another appointment. I had hoped to talk to her, to get her to see me again. If I had any idea we would have ended the way we did, I never would have made the other appointment.
She seemed fine with me leaving, even relieved. I took it as there was a lot for her to take in and process regarding us. It was why I hadn’t pushed her then and there about when we were going to see each other again. But I needed to know; I wanted her to understand that I wasn’t going to go away. We were going to be something, I wasn’t sure what that was, but we weren’t going to find it out if we didn’t talk. Hence, why I was calling her.
“The docs were sent to the lender, and they should record in a day or two. As soon as they do, I will let you know, and you can pick up the keys. Or I can bring them to you,” I offered.
“It’s fine. I can get them.”
I could feel her pulling away from me again, and I didn’t want that. “Victoria,” I said forcefully.
“It’s probably best if you aren’t seen hanging around me. It wouldn’t look good.”
“Not going to happen. I don’t care what our parents are doing or how it might look for them. I want to be with you. I want to see you. And as your realtor, I should be able to come over to your place and give you your keys. And as your stepbrother, I should be able to support you in this difficult time if I want to.”
“Is that what you were doing yesterday? Supporting me?”
“In some ways.” I immediately remembered having my arms wrapped around her, supporting her as she bounced over me.
“Zach. I agree there is something between us. But that doesn’t mean that we have to shout it from the rooftops. Discretion is necessary if we’re going to continue seeing each other.”
“Oh, we will be seeing each other. I just need to convince you to go on a date with me.”
Victoria laughed. “You know that isn’t going to happen. I agreed to sleep with you again, but I did not agree to go on a date with you.”
“So, you do want to sleep with me again. I’ll take that as progress.”
“Zach. You know I do. It was incredible. There’s something great between us, and I was wrong to try and deny that or think it would go away. I don’t know what that means, but all I can give you right now is that. Can you understand that? Can you respect that?”
“No.”
She laughed. “Why the hell not?”
“Because, and I say this with as much respect as I have for you, which is a lot, that’s total bullshit.”
“It isn’t. I would think you, of all people, would know and understand how the paparazzi can be. They’re just looking for an excuse to ruin my mother’s name and, in turn, mine. I might not care about my mother, but I do care about my name, and I can’t have it associated with her or any scandal. Not right now.”
“There wouldn’t be a scandal. I actually think us being seen together would help to alleviate a scandal.”
“Really? How do you see that?”
“What is one of the biggest issues people have with divorce, besides the divorce and the infighting? It’s how the family is divided. Think how it would look if you and I were seen together. We would show that just because our parents can’t get along, it doesn’t mean that we can’t.”
“Being seen as a united front is one thing. Being seen on a date is quite another.”
“Well, we wouldn’t call it a date. Or it would be a date, but no one would know it was but us.”
“Zach, you and I can’t date. We can sleep together, but we really shouldn’t be dating.”
“Victoria, you have said there’s something between us. How can we find out what it is unless we explore it? Unless we see what it might be? We could have incredible chemistry in bed and then not have anything to talk about. Wouldn’t it be better to know that now instead of down the road?”
I didn’t think that was possible. Anytime Victoria and I had been together, we had never been at a loss for conversation. But I was willing to say anything, do anything, to convince her to go on a date with me. Even if it meant making her think it wasn’t one.
“Do you think that would happen?”
“There’s only one way to find out. Please, have dinner with me. I would like to see you, with your clothes on. I like seeing you without them too, but you know what I mean. Let’s have a meal together. Talk over a glass of wine. Give us a chance to see who we are without me being your realtor or anything to do with our parents. Let’s do something that’s completely and totally for us. When was the last time you did that?”
