“Texas A&M University and the University of Texas are such rivals they’re in each other’s school song. Now if you’ll excuse me, ladies, I’ll get out of your way, but if you need more help with selections, I’ll be in the guest house.”
Then he packed his computers and monitors and skittered out of the office as if someone had lit his Ariat boots on fire, but as he did, he swore he heard feminine snickering.
*
“What happened betweenyou and Zane?” Grace said to McKenna once Zane left and they settled into the chairs at the round table in the outer office. “When I arrived, you two looked like someone needed to ring the bell for you to go to your separate corners.”
McKenna placed her folded hands on the invitation sample books in front of her. Nothing had been right since she arrived at work this morning. She glanced down, noticed her white knuckles, and moved her hands to her lap. How should she respond considering this woman was engaged to one of Zane’s best friends? “Ms. Henry, I apologize if I appeared unprofessional. Zane taking over for Ginny simply caught me by surprise, that’s all.”
Unprofessional dominated her interactions with Zane from the moment they met at the party. She prided herself on keeping her wits and controlling her emotions in a crisis, but with him, she’d given no indication she could hold her tongue much less her emotions.
“Stop with the Ms. Henry. Call me Grace, and there’s nothing to apologize for. I thought you putting him in his place was fabulous,” Grace said, a huge, bright smile on her face.
“Excuse me? I don’t understand.”
“I say good for you and keep putting him in his place. The weird thing is, I’ve never seen Zane act like this. Granted, I haven’t known him long, but he gets along with everyone. He’s always charming, and nothing gets to him.”
“Are we talking about the same man? The one who was here when you arrived because I haven’t seen the Zane you know.”
Except when he found her singing after the engagement party.
Dismissing the memory, McKenna rubbed the back of her neck. Great. If Grace was right, that meant Zane’s problem was with her. Something about her brought out this uncharacteristic behavior. How would she ever work with him for the next six weeks?
Don’t you mean workforhim?
Absolutely not. That was unthinkable. The man was too arrogant. Too undisciplined. Too delicious. But unless Ginny changed her mind, she wouldn’t have a choice.
McKenna nibbled on her lower lip. She couldn’t ask Grace why Zane acted like an ass with her, could she? That would be a complete breach of etiquette, but if she didn’t ask Grace, how would she learn why she brought out the worst in him?
“How did you meet Zane?” she asked, trying to keep her voice casual and light.
When Grace smiled and her eyes twinkled with amusement, McKenna gasped. “Don’t get the wrong impression. I’m not interested in him socially. You saw how it went between us this morning. I’m simply trying to figure out how to make working with him better.”
For him.
Why won’t that stupid little voice shut up?
“I met Zane before Cassie and Ty’s wedding. He and Cooper were my first guests as manager of the Bluebonnet Inn. He’s been friends with Ty, AJ, and Cooper since their freshman year in the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M.”
“Why do you think he’s different with me?”
“Maybe he’s not charming with you because you’ve don’t let him con you. He’s used to women falling at his feet.”
“There’s no worry of that happening with me.”
“I think there’s more to him if you can get past his Hugh Heffner façade,” Grace said. “The only reason I say that is despite his joking that I should dump AJ for him, when we were having trouble, Zane told me not to give up on AJ.”
Zane? The slick, superficial playboy, bane of her current existence, who she had to warn to keep his marriage views to himself? That Zane? “I have trouble seeing him encouraging anyone to stay in a relationship.”
“He’d do anything for Ty, AJ, or Coop, and look at what he’s doing for Ginny. Not many grandsons would juggle two jobs to help their grandmother, and if it weren’t for Zane, I don’t know if AJ and I would be getting married.”
Okay, so maybe he had a side she hadn’t seen. One of a reasonable, pleasant human being. It didn’t matter. He wasn’t needed in the office, and she certainly didn’t want him here.
Instead of gaining insight to Zane and the reason for his behavior after talking to Grace, McKenna found herself more confused. Despite that, she’d pushed her luck as far as she dared in her discovery mission. Shoving aside her urge to dig further, McKenna pulled the top sample book off the stack, opened it, and angled it toward Grace. “Speaking of weddings, we should get to planning yours.”
“After the party the other night, I have concerns about our budget. Is there any way we can keep the costs down without looking…” Grace’s voice trailed off.
“Cheap and like you’re on a tight budget?”
