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“Oh, thank you so much.” I release a shaky breath. “I was trying to do too many things at once, and…”
I trail off as I face my rescuer. Even if I didn’t routinely stalk him on social media, I’d recognize the tall, broad-shouldered man with rich brown eyes anywhere. You never forget your nemesis. Not even when his square jaw is now sprinkled with well-groomed whiskers that your fingers are practically itching to touch.
“Zack Strovers.”
Zack’s lips curve up, and his signature dimple appears on his chin, still visible through the whiskers. “Still conquering the world and not letting anyone stand in your way, I see.”
My traitorous heart skips a beat.
Ignoring the reaction, I force a smile and bat my eyes. I gesture to the logo stitched into his button-up shirt. “Still cashing in on your dad’s name, I see.”
The smirk falls from his face. “You always did know how to make a direct hit.”
“It’s why I won Model UN our senior year.”
“We tied. I believe there’s even a plaque hanging somewhere to prove it, if you need evidence.”
“Everyone knows I won.” I scoff. “We only tied because your father was one of the judges and had the rest of them in his pocket.”
Zack’s jaw clenches. “Yeah, well, I asked him to stay out of it, but he never did care about my opinion on anything.”
Something in his voice—it’s remorse or resentment, or maybe even regret—stops my next biting remarks.
Instead, I take a moment to look at Zack, really look at him. As I already noted, he’s grown up well. There are still plenty of traces of the boy who held the best parties in high school and always charmed the lunch ladies out of an extra cookie.
But there are also signs of the man he’s become. A man who has surprisingly firm hands for someone who works in real estate investments.
And suddenly, it’s really warm in here.
I push a stray lock of hair from my forehead and fan myself with my hand. “Was there something you needed?”
“Your email said to come early to set up for the reunion.” He lifts a shoulder. “I came to help.”
“So you did get my emails?”
“Of course, I got your emails.”
“I wasn’t sure. You never responded to any of them.”
“Maybe I would’ve responded if you would have been a little more pleasant and a lot less demanding.”
Any hint of attraction or sympathy for Zack immediately evaporates. There’s a reason this man is my nemesis. I’m just glad he reminded me of that before I went soft on him.
I open my mouth—ready to really lay into him, at long last—when a loud, booming voice turns both of our attentions. “Well, aren’t you a welcome blast from the past?”
We turn in unison to face the principal of Pacific West High. He’s a little grayer at his temples. Otherwise, the man looks almost exactly the same as he did when he handed me my diploma.
“Dr. K.” I smile at him. “It’s so good to see you.”
He nods at me, his eyes knitting together slightly before he gives Zack his full attention.
“Mr. Strovers.” Dr. K cuffs his shoulder and beams at him like a proud father. “It has been way too long.”
Zack flashes that winning smile of his. “Dr. K, you’ve never looked better. I hope that means you’ve had more time out on the golf course.”
I wonder how fast that dimple of his would go away if you threw a dart at it. Not that I would.
As if he can read my thoughts, Zack arches an eyebrow at me. Is that the grown-up version of sticking out his tongue?
