Page 20 of Just Married

The phone rang, and with his eyes still on the plans, he reached for the receiver.

“Zane Ackerman,” he said briskly into the mouthpiece.

The person on the other end of the line hesitated. Just when Zane was about to replace the receiver, she spoke. “Zane.”

His eyes slammed shut and he gritted his teeth in frustration. He didn’t want to talk to Lesley, especially when his defenses were already weakened. The woman wasn’t stupid; she knew the power she held over him.

“Did the plans arrive?” she asked hesitantly.

“Yes.” He relaxed. So this was the reason for her call. He would assure her everything was fine and be done with it. “I looked them over first thing and couldn’t be more pleased.”

“I didn’t mean to trouble you, but I thought I should check since I’m going out of town for a few days.” She sounded as weary and formal as he did himself. “I’m pleased that everything met with your satisfaction.”

She was leaving town. Zane nearly choked on the questions that popped into his mind. Ones that were none of his business. Ones that would readily reveal the extent to which she dominated his thoughts.

“Business or pleasure?” he asked before he could stop himself.

“Business. I’m flying to Washington, D.C., this afternoon to meet with a budget committee.”

He relaxed, unreasonably relieved to know she wouldn’t be lazing on some Caribbean island with a lover. “Have a good trip.”

She laughed shakily. “Thanks. I’ll try, but I’m not that fond of flying. I know it’s ridiculous to worry, seeing that it’s the safest means of transportation, but I hate it.”

“Will you be flying alone?” There. He’d done it again. Asked a question to which he had no business knowing the answer.

“Not this time. Philip Wong, another architect, is accompanying me.”

He hadn’t so much as met the other man and already Zane hated him.

“I’m sure Jordan will be in touch with a bid for you soon,” Lesley concluded.

The anger inside Zane intensified because he couldn’t allow this woman’s softness into his life. Because that was what he desperately wanted. Now more than ever.

“Is that everything, then?” He knew he sounded brusque and unfriendly but he needed to get off the phone before she weakened him further.

“Yes.” Her soft voice sounded unbelievably hurt.

“Goodbye, Lesley.”

“Goodbye.” He waited for her to hang up, but neither of them seemed willing to sever the connection.

“Zane.”

He strained to hear his name. “What?” he demanded. This was what he got for playing silly mind games with himself.

“Thank you.”

She was thanking him? It made no sense when he’d rudely sent her out of his life. “For what?”

“For proving to me that I’m alive. For showing me that I can’t ignore my heart. I thought I was happy—I really did. I believed that my job and my interests were all I’d ever need. A friend told me what my real problem is and—” She stopped abruptly, as though she’d said more than she’d intended.

“A friend,” he repeated.

“It’s nothing.”

Zane smiled. He could hear the embarrassment in her voice and it intrigued him. “You’ve come this far—you can’t stop now. Tell me what it was your friend said.”

“She said…” Again Lesley hesitated.

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