“How much was the fare?” Janine asked, automatically opening her purse.

“I took care of it,” Zach said, reaching for his garment bag and the heavier of Janine’s two suitcases. He said it as though he expected an argument from her, but if that was the case, Janine didn’t plan to give him one.

“Is Gramps home?” Janine curved her arm affectionately around the housekeeper’s waist as she spoke.

“He went out early this morning, but he should be back soon.”

“Good,” Zach mumbled, following them into the house.

“I imagine you’re both starved,” Mrs. McCormick said, heading toward the kitchen. “Let me whip up something for you that’ll make you both glad you’re home.”

Left alone with Zach, Janine wasn’t sure what to say to him. They’d spent almost twenty-four hours in each other’s company. They’d argued. They’d talked. They’d laughed. They’d kissed.

“Janine—”

“Zach—”

They spoke simultaneously, then exchanged nervous smiles.

“You first,” Zach said, gesturing toward her.

“I…I just wanted to say thanks for everything. I’ll be in touch,” she said. “By phone,” she assured him. “So you don’t need to worry about me dropping the office unannounced.”

He grinned sheepishly. “Remember, communication is the key.”

“I agree one hundred percent.”

They stood facing each other in the foyer. “You wanted to say something?” she prompted after a moment.

“Yes.” Zach exhaled sharply, then drew a hand along the side of his jaw. “What that cabbie said is true—even for us. I don’t want us to part with any bad feelings. I shouldn’t have said what I did back there, about nagging. You don’t nag, and I had no right to say you did.”

“I overreacted.” The last thing she’d expected from Zach was an apology. His eyes, dark and tender, held hers, and without even realizing what she was doing, Janine took a step forward. Zach met her and she was about to slip into his arms when the sound of the front door opening drove them apart.

“Janine,” Anton cried, delighted. “Zach. My, my, this is a pleasant surprise.” He chuckled softly as he removed his coat. “Tell me, was your tryst on the moors as romantic as I hoped?”

CHAPTER SIX

“Our best bet is to present a united front,” Janine said to Zach four days later. They’d met at her house early in the afternoon to outline their strategy. Gramps was gone for the day, but by the time he returned, Zach and Janine planned to be ready to talk him out of this marriage idea. The sooner Anton understood that his ploy wasn’t working, the better. Then they could both get on with their lives and forget this unfortunate episode.

“It’s important that we stand up to him together,” Janine said when Zach didn’t comment. From the moment he’d arrived, he’d given her the impression that he’d rather not be doing this. Well, she wasn’t overjoyed about plotting against her grandfather, either, but in this instance it was necessary. “If we don’t, I’m afraid Gramps will continue to play us against each other.”