Always & Forever Read online

  Since his wife, of course. Lilly felt sorry for Sarah and her obvious discomfort. It must be confusing to know how to act around Lilly when she fell far below the standards the family expected.

  “And this is my mother, Patricia,” Zach said quickly.

  Patricia’s features were rounded and softer, but it was apparent where her children inherited their eye color. She crossed the room, each step graceful and regal. Her gown was a gauzy confection of fluttery pastel layers; her blonde hair a stylish up-do. A crown was all she needed to complete the fairy queen image conjured in Lilly’s mind.

  Patricia shook Lilly’s hand. “We’re so glad you could make it, Lilly. I’m afraid it put my party arrangements in disarray but I figured it out.”

  Sarah made a little sound of disapproval in the back of her throat. “Mother...”

  It surprised Lilly that Patricia mentioned that. It couldn’t have been terribly hard to fit Lilly on the boat. Unless this was Patricia’s way of voicing her displeasure that Zach brought his own date.

  “I’m sorry for any inconvenience.”

  Patricia sighed and waved her hand in the air, dismissing Lilly’s apology. “It isn’t your fault, dear. Margaret Woodbridge is a force to be reckoned with. We mere mortals take cover whenever the great Maggie speaks.”

  “Come on, Mother.” Zach laughed. “Grandma really isn’t that bad. You two just don’t see eye to eye about things.”

  “About anything,” Sarah chimed in.

  Patricia ignored her children’s comments. “It’ll be time to leave soon.” She looked at Zach and shook her head, frowning. “Zach, fix your hair. I swear, you always do that. Maybe you can get him to stop, Lilly. Victoria sure kept him looking tidy when she was around.”

  A strangled gasp issued into the silence that followed that statement, and Sarah’s mouth worked silently for a moment before she was able to form words. “Mother, we are not talking about her tonight.”

  Patricia gave Sarah a sharp look, opening her mouth apparently to argue further.

  Zach cut her off, shaking his head. “I’m not fixing my hair, Mother.” He put his arm around Lilly’s waist. “I have it on good authority this is a great look for me.”

  Patricia’s eyes shifted between Zach and Lilly. She frowned. “If your date doesn’t mind you looking frumpy, I can hardly complain.”

  It might be a strategic time to appease Patricia. There was no sense battling Zach’s mother. Perhaps if she weren’t a decoy date, Lilly would press the issue. As things stood, it made more sense to get along with Zach’s family if she could.

  Besides, it was obvious how much they all cared for Victoria. A party like this must make them wish she were still alive. They probably compared any woman Zach dated to his late wife. Unfortunately, Lilly knew she couldn’t compete.

  She bumped Zach gently with her hip to get his attention. “I think you should listen to your mother.”

  “Oh no.” He squeezed her waist gently. “Ain’t gonna happen.”

  Sarah’s eyes twinkled with suppressed laughter, but Patricia’s frown deepened. Lilly wished she could run back to the car and avoid the whole thing.

  Reprieve came as an older man entered the room and approached them. “Shake a leg, people. Boat leaves in ten minutes.” He kissed Patricia’s cheek. “Honey, I know you’re stressed and I’m sorry about the caterer, but our guests are waiting.”

  “Dad, this is Lilly,” Zach said.

  Zach’s father turned toward her. It was like looking into a mirror of the future. Zach was the very image of his father with one exception—Margaret’s blue eyes gleamed from beneath his father’s thick lashes.

  He took Lilly’s hand and kissed the top of it. “It’s so nice to meet you finally. I’m James.” He released her hand and gave a broad smile. “Mother constantly raves about you, and I’ve been anxious for an introduction.”

  Lilly smiled back at him to cover her confusion. She hadn’t expected such a warm welcome. Patricia’s reaction was the only one she understood. “I thought you didn’t want to meet the help,” she blurted. “Margaret always sends me away when you visit.”

  James laughed and shook his silver-streaked head. “Mother fancies herself as a matchmaker. When she heard my wife’s plans about helping Zach find a new relationship, she searched out her own candidate.” He patted Lilly’s shoulder. “Mother refused to let us meet you. She wants us to think of you as Zach’s date, and not her employee, so we had to wait.”

  Lilly knew the chances of that happening were slim to none, but at least Margaret had tried.

  James glanced at his watch. “All right everyone. Let’s get moving before the boat leaves the hosts.”

  Savannah ran up to the group to give everyone hugs and kisses. Lilly was shocked when the girl included her, but dutifully bent down to kiss Savannah’s cheek and give her a quick hug.

  “Maybe next time you can play dollies with me,” Savannah said.

  “Um, we’ll have to see,” Lilly replied.

  Savannah seemed satisfied with that and dashed up the stairway where her babysitter waited. James herded the group down the hall to a doorway that let out onto a path behind the house.

  Small ground lamps lit the pathway to a yacht. It surprised Lilly the Woodbridges brought a craft so large here. The lake was several miles across but much more appropriate for a speedboat. She figured this must be solely a party boat.

  The sparkling white monstrosity had three levels. Chinese lamps swayed in the breeze on the outer deck on bottom. Light shone from the windows on the lower level and people stood inside. Above the waterline in the waning light, Lilly could barely make out where it said “Woodbridge, Inc.”

  She leaned heavily onto Zach’s arm as they made their way up the dock. It felt nice to have a man by her side. She really had to stop thinking of this as a date, but it certainly felt like one. It was easy to slip into the fantasy when she was all dressed up and Zach behaved like such a gentleman.

  “Do you like it?” Zach looked down at her. “My father designed it. My younger brother, Tommy, is mostly in charge of the company now, but Dad likes to put his hand in once in a while.”

  “It’s beautiful,” Lilly breathed.

  “They opened the bottom level to the guests. The band is set up on that deck in back for dancing.” He pointed to the rear of the boat.

  “Bedrooms and the whole nine yards on the top levels?”

  “Yep.” He grinned. “Maybe we can borrow it sometime and spend a weekend on the water.”

  What did he mean by that? He kept talking as though they were actually dating. Lilly wished she could read his mind and know the appropriate response.

  Patricia stopped and turned to them, saving Lilly from having to come up with a reply. “Zach, I know this is going to make you unhappy, but I had to invite another man this morning when you told me you were bringing Lilly.”

  “Yes, of course,” Zach said with a shrug. “Can’t let one of your women go without a dancing partner, especially since they’re not getting me.”

  Patricia’s eyes tightened and she looked at Lilly, shaking her head. “No, not since you insisted on bringing a date when I had perfectly respectable ladies already picked out.”

  If Patricia smacked her across the face, Lilly wouldn’t have been more stunned. She’d forgotten how things worked in the so-called polite world.

  “Mother,” Zach protested. “There’s no call to be rude to Lilly. She’s done nothing wrong.”

  Patricia sighed. “Forgive me. That’s not what’s important here.”

  Lilly shook her head and reminded herself she wouldn’t start a war with Zach’s mother.

  Zach tilted his head to the side. “Well?”

  “I could only find one person who could come on such short notice.”

  Zach’s eyes narrowed and his arm tensed under Lilly’s hand.

  “It’s only one party,” Patricia said. “Surely you can get along with him for three hours.”

>   Zach marched up the boarding ramp to the boat. He towed Lilly in his wake and brushed past Patricia. “I promise not to throw him overboard, Mother.”

  Chapter Seven

  Lilly allowed Zach to drag her along as he stormed into the cabin of the yacht. He passed guests without even glancing at them. Lilly saw a blur of blue couches and teal wallpaper, reminiscent of Woodbridge Manor.

  Zach made a beeline for the darkened stairway on the other side of the cabin and yanked Lilly along behind him. He had a death grip on her arm, and she struggled to keep up.

  He marched up a set of stairs. Lilly made it three steps before her leg gave out. As she tumbled down, her arm yanked from Zach’s grasp. Her hip struck the last step and the impact knocked the wind out of her. At least in the darkness of the stairwell, the other guests couldn’t see her.

  Of course, there was only one person on the boat she’d like to impress, and his anger and impatience caused her fall in the first place. She hated that he had once again seen her weakness.

  Hard-soled shoes clomped down a few steps and vibrated against Lilly’s ear. She felt Zach’s warm hand move against her face and hair.

  “Damn it. I wasn’t thinking.” His hand moved across her head, as though checking for injuries. “Can you stand? Did I hurt you?”

  “I’m fine.”

  “You’re sure?” His hand moved down to caress her shoulder. “I’m so sorry.”

  “I’m really okay.” She struggled to get up, and he pulled her to her feet. “Are you?”

  “I can’t believe I allowed my anger to make me so careless toward you.” He shook his head. “I’m not such a terrific date so far.” Zach ascended the stairs slowly and gave Lilly plenty of time to make her way up them.

  A small hiss escaped her with every step, which she hoped Zach couldn’t hear.

  When they reached the top, he didn’t turn on a light, but led her across the room and pulled her gently onto a couch. One of his arms slipped behind her head and rested on the cushion. The soft light coming in from outside provided an intimate element to the room. Lilly longed to put her head on his shoulder and stay here the entire night. She imagined the way his strong arm would feel around her shoulders, holding her tightly.

  This was not the time to slip into one of her fantasies.

  “Lilly, I didn’t think about your leg.” Zach closed his eyes and shook his head. “I wanted to get away from everyone for a minute, but I should have been more careful of you. Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “Stop worrying.” She reached up to touch his chin before letting her hand drop. “I know you didn’t mean to hurt me.”

  Zach chewed on his bottom lip. “But I did hurt you, didn’t I?”

  “There’s hurting people, and there’s hurting people. This was an accident. It’s okay.”

  Zach caressed her cheek and looked deep into her eyes. She trembled at his feather-light touch, loving the feel of him against her skin, fearing it at the same time. The lonely look in his eyes haunted her.

  “Who hurt you, Lil?”

  She shook her head. No way would she tell him about that. “Tell me about yourself. Your problem is the one here with us tonight.”

  Zach ran his thumb across her lip and his fingers brushed against her cheek. Never had he touched her this directly before. A wild desire blossomed in Lilly, edging out the less important tremors of fear. The little, incidental caresses Zach had engineered before wouldn’t be enough to sustain her after tonight.

  The need she felt for Zach alarmed her with its intensity. She had never been so ready for a man to kiss her. Never had she wanted anyone the way she wanted Zach.

  He pulled back from her a little. “Are you with me tonight because you want to be?”

  She wrinkled her brow, confused by the change in subject. It was difficult to concentrate on his voice, and not his hand. “Of course I am. How could you ask such a question?”

  “I mean, I know you aren’t after my money. You proved you aren’t at all interested in that.” He moved his hand away from her face to caress her hair, crushing some curls gently under his fingers. “Are you here because you felt forced into it? Maybe you’re worried what Grandma will do if you refuse to date me.”

  Lilly searched his face. Gone was the confident man who propositioned her the day before. Gone was the arrogant heir who expected the world to fall at his feet. Zach looked lost and insecure, a look she never expected to see on his face.

  “I wouldn’t go out with you for that reason either.” Lilly leaned into him and put her arm around his waist, burying her head against his shoulder. She couldn’t bear to look at the hurt that shined through his eyes. “I walked out of Margaret’s when I thought you were propositioning me. I really thought I might not have a job anymore. I chose to be with you tonight.”

  Perhaps she had been a little afraid of losing her job, but Lilly had to be honest, at least with herself. She’d fantasized about dating Zach—dreamed of being his girlfriend. It had all been a harmless daydream until yesterday afternoon. When Zach offered to pay her, it had broken her heart. Having him show up on her doorstep with flowers, begging her to reconsider—there was no way to deny him a second time. She wanted to be with him, whatever way she could.

  Zach’s arm drifted down off the couch and he rubbed her back. The sensation was exactly what she’d imagined. She breathed in the smell of him, musky cologne and a spicy scent unique to him, and her heartbeat accelerated.

  Lilly recognized the irony of their situation. The man who offered to hire her so he wouldn’t have to deal with a relationship now instigated a conversation about what was happening between them. She didn’t laugh or question why he asked these things. His stark need to hear that she wanted to be here, wanted to be with him, brought forth her own desire to be wanted by him.

  She wished she knew what it was Zach expected to happen. Did he want a relationship with her? His actions suggested this was no longer a fake date, but she didn’t dare trust that. His arm squeezed tighter around her, and Lilly found it impossible to care about his motives any longer.

  The sensuous feeling of his arm holding her was what mattered. She felt cherished and needed for this moment. She could worry about whether or not she acted the fool if he didn’t call tomorrow.

  The noise of the engines started, and the boat slowly left the dock. Lilly knew Zach had things to take care of for the party, but he made no effort to move. He sat with his arm wrapped around her for several long moments, and gradually the tension eased out of him.

  “You smell wonderful,” he murmured.

  She nuzzled closer to his chest.

  Heels clicked on the stairwell. “There you are, Zach!”

  Lilly jumped and sat up as Sarah appeared at the top of the stairs.

  “I want to introduce Lilly to Steven. Oh—” Sarah stopped walking. Guilt at being caught in Zach’s arms plagued Lilly, though she wasn’t sure why. “Am I interrupting something?”

  “No, sis. I needed a minute,” Zach answered with no apology in his voice. He kept his arm around Lilly’s waist.

  “Mom told you she invited him then.” Sarah nodded. “I told her to call and tell you. She thought you wouldn’t show up if you knew.”

  “Yeah, she sprung it on me right as we boarded.” Zach shrugged. “In her defense, she doesn’t know what happened. It’s my fault. I’m the one who told the family I quit being his friend over a business deal. She doesn’t know what he really is. Besides, he’s Tommy’s best friend.”

  Sarah shook her head. “Mother should have figured out something different. She may not know what happened, but she also isn’t blind or stupid, though Lord knows she sometimes pretends to be.”

  Zach chuckled but Sarah turned a delicate shade of pink and clapped a hand over her mouth. “Lilly, forgive me. I shouldn’t say stuff like that in front of you.” She walked back toward the stairway. “When you’re ready, come meet my husband. He’s dying for an introduction to the woman who’s
finally captured Zach’s attention.”

  Zach pulled Lilly to her feet and they followed in Sarah’s wake. He walked in front of her down the stairs, turning slightly to keep a firm hold on her forearm and help her navigate the narrow staircase. When they reached the bottom, Zach captured Lilly’s hand in his and twined their fingers together. Somehow, this felt much more intimate than the almost full-body contact they’d shared when he assisted her onto the boat.

  They strolled back to the party. He reduced his pace and allowed her to set their speed. She feared she would embarrass him when his friends realized she limped, but Zach didn’t appear to care.

  Lilly tried to keep an eye on everyone at once as they followed Sarah. Many of the women seemed hostile, but Lilly figured they were jealous because she was there with Zach and they weren’t. Still, she wondered how long her date would last before someone walked up and accused her of being a murderer, ruining Zach’s party and her new life.

  “This is my husband, Steven,” Sarah said with evident pride as they reached a handsome, brown-haired man who stood by a bowl of punch.

  Steven chatted with Patricia but smiled as they approached. Zach’s mother frowned, looking at Zach and Lilly’s entwined hands. She walked away without saying a word.

  “So you’re the famous Lilly everyone’s been talking about.” Steven shook Lilly’s free hand in a firm grasp and looked over his shoulder where Lilly watched Patricia walk away. “Don’t worry about her.” He lowered his voice and leaned close to Lilly. “She hated me for a year. But as far as in-laws go, I’ve never hired someone to kill her, and my kneecaps have remained intact.”

  Lilly’s heart pounded, and she stared at Steven for several long moments. Words stuck in her throat as the silence stretched out. Was this his macabre way of telling her he recognized her?

  “Really, Steven, don’t scare Lilly off.” Sarah swatted her husband’s arm. “You know Mom’s always stressed out before a party. The caterer canceled and she had to find someone at the last minute. It’s been a nightmare.”