Forever (Time for Love Book 1) (8 page)

Oh hell, he didn't want his grandmother voting for Vicky. His gaze flickered back to the table of four. Rebecca was laughing now—at something the idiot next to her was saying. Ah, fuck. He should have accepted her invitation to dinner.

*

"I
can't believe how much I've been eating these last two days," Magda moaned after finishing her decadent dessert. "If I'm like this everyday, I'll be a whale when I leave this ship. It isn't good for me."

"You should get your nurses to help you monitor your food intake, Gran," Zach suggested, knowing it was important for Magda to maintain a healthy diet.

"I think I might have to do that," Magda agreed. "I'll meet with them tomorrow. My body won't cope well with excessive sugar and fat anymore. See? Isn't it a good idea I'd asked them to come with me, Zach?"

"Yes, Gran." Zach wasn't sure it was a good idea from his perspective, though. Seeing Rebecca again had undone all the hard work he'd put into moving on from her. Hell, he even wanted to head to her table and scoop out the eyeballs of the idiot who couldn't take his eyes off her.

"Zach?" Magda asked, her voice worried.

He put a bright smile on his face. "Yeah."

"I wish you'd switch off from your problems and responsibilities, Zachary. I do worry about you. A lot."

"Hey, no need to worry about me," he assured her.

"I hope work's not burning you out. You do have your brothers to help you out, you know."

"Work's fine, Gran. And Jeff and Greg more than pull their weight. Sometimes I feel guilty that just because I'm the oldest, I'm the one holding the title of CEO when either of those two could do the job just as well."

Magda smiled. "That's why you three are on the same remuneration level regardless of your titles. Besides, Jeff as COO and Greg as CFO seem to be working perfectly well. I don't hear the other two complaining."

"Yes, they have to defer to their big brother," Zach said with a laugh.

"What about Phillip, dear?"

"What about him?" Zach asked dryly, knowing what was coming next.

"He's still bugging me for a senior role in our company. I'm like a broken record telling him over and over it's not up to me. I only own a twenty-five percent share, while the three of you combined own seventy-five. You, in particular, don't want to give him a job and your brothers seem to agree with you."

"Just keep ignoring him, Gran. I'm sorry to say this, but he just doesn't have what it takes."

Magda sighed. "Sometimes I feel sorry for him. He tries so hard. And he's still single at forty-five. He must be a lonely man."

"He's hardly ever alone," Zach muttered. He'd heard about Phillip's habit of taking different girls home with him every week—most of them paid. In fact, he wouldn't be surprised if Phillip had been trawling the whole ship all day looking for women who'd be interested enough to go back to his room with him.

"I don't want you boys to end up like that," Magda said. "I worry that none of you seem to want to get married yet. I'm not getting any younger, you know. I'd love to see my grandsons settle down and have kids of their own."

Zach rolled his eyes but said nothing. This was Magda's soapbox. The topic was better ignored. "What do you want to do tomorrow?" he asked, keen to change the subject.

"Oh, I want to go watch that show at the theatre. Would you like to go with me?"

"Why don't we go as a group?" he suggested. It would be better if Rebecca went with them than have dinner with someone else again. He might have to keep his hands off her while he waited for Jeff's report, but that didn't mean he'd stand idly by while another man tried to woo her.

"Great idea. I'll ask everyone, including Rebecca and Sarah. I wonder what those two have been up to. I do hope they're enjoying themselves—maybe meeting some nice men."

"They're not here to meet nice men," Zach growled.

Magda scowled at the fierceness in his voice. "Whyever not? They might technically be at work, but I don't see why they shouldn't make the most of being on this cruise. Even I want to meet a nice man—and I'm eighty!"

"Don't encourage them," he muttered, casting yet another glare at the man who was still ogling Rebecca.

"Zachary, I am shocked! I don't want you treating those girls as merely hired help."

Zach laughed at the absurdity of Magda's comment. If only she knew what was going on between him and one of her favourite nurses...

He could just imagine his grandmother's glee if he and Rebecca ended up together again. By the same token, he knew just how heartbroken she'd be if Rebecca's intentions and motivations were less than honest.

"It's not funny, Zachary. We've brought you up better than to look down your nose at other people," Magda said with displeasure.

"I'm laughing because you couldn't be more wrong, Gran. What I mean is you don't know if the guys they meet here are decent."

"Well, those two are sensible enough," Magda said, softening. "Anyway, I'm ready to go back to my room. I think I'll have an early night tonight."

Zach was escorting Magda out of her chair when his grandmother exclaimed, "Hello, girls! Have you just finished dinner as well?"

Zach breathed in sharply as he realised who his grandmother was talking to. He turned and his gaze collided with Rebecca's, her eyes wide with pleasure as she smiled at him.

He felt his lips tug in an answering smile. Damn her. He was mad that she had dinner with a man who was clearly smitten with her, and here she was, making him thaw with just a look and a smile. Mentally, he shook his head at himself. Idiot.

Sarah made the introductions, and the man who liked Rebecca—Alix—was gushing at Magda, taking her hand and pressing it to his lips. "It's a delight to meet you, Mrs. Carmichael. These girls were just telling us how wonderful you are. Thank you for giving them some free time to spend with us."

"Oh, it's my pleasure. As long as I'm fit and healthy, the girls are free to do whatever they want. Did you just meet today?" Magda asked, clearly delighted that her nurses had found themselves 'dates'.

"Yes. We've already been for a swim with the girls today. Hopefully they will have time to spend with us again tomorrow," Alix said, glancing at Rebecca.

Zach narrowed his eyes. They'd already spent that much time together?

"Well, after I discuss my diet with the girls tomorrow morning, I won't need them for the rest of the day," Magda said.

"I thought you want them to go with us to the theatre tomorrow night, Gran," Zach interjected.

"Oh, I'll be more than glad to go to the theatre with you tomorrow, Magda," Rebecca said. "I've been wanting to watch that show, too."

"Can I tag along?" Alix asked with an engaging grin that Zach wanted to wipe off the man's face.

"Of course. You're more than welcome," Magda said with a pleased smile. "What about you, Sarah?"

"Yes, I'll go with you. Bec and I have been looking forward to seeing that show. Would you like to join us, Ron?" Sarah asked the other man.

"Sure. Sounds like fun."

"Great!" Magda said. "I'm looking forward to tomorrow night. Well, you young people enjoy yourselves. I'm off to bed now."

"Can I see you girls after I escort my grandmother to her room?" Zach asked, looking at Rebecca.

"What for, Zachary?" Magda asked suspiciously.

"Just to discuss your diet. I want to know too, but I'll be busy with phone calls tomorrow morning."

"It's night time. Let them have some fun," Magda said.

Hell, no,
Zach thought.
Not with Alix.

"You don't need both Sarah and me, do you, Zach?" Rebecca asked. "I'm happy to meet with you tonight. I can brief Sarah later."

"No, I only need you," he confirmed with a ghost of a smile.

"Are you sure, Rebecca?" Magda asked with concern. "Zach can talk to you tomorrow."

"It's fine, Magda."

"How long will you take?" Alix asked, looking both hopeful and disappointed.

"Long," Zach answered, barely glancing at Alix. He didn't mean to be rude, but everything about him felt antagonistic toward the man. He turned to Rebecca. "Walk with us?"

"Yes," she said with a pretty smile.

With squinted eyes, Magda glanced at him and Rebecca. Then, smiling brightly, she said goodnight to the others before taking Rebecca's arm and walking off.

Zach raked his hair as he walked with the two women. He was becoming careless around his grandmother. And he still had no idea how the hell he would keep his hands off Rebecca tonight, now that he'd managed to pry her loose from someone else's covetous grip.

But keep his hands off her, he must. It wouldn't be fair to get his grandmother's hopes up—his own hopes up—if Rebecca had ulterior motives.

He peered at her. She was smiling at Magda, who was regaling her about her day. His heart warmed at the picture—his two favourite women in the world.

His eyebrows rose at his thought. Ah hell, this was really bad. He felt he was fighting a losing battle—one he simply couldn't afford to lose.

R
ebecca only half-listened to Magda's happy prattle about her day as they walked to her suite. She had a fixed smile on her face, which no doubt Magda took as a response to her stories. In truth, it was from anticipation of when she and Zach would be alone.

Zach hadn't looked too pleased to see her and the others at the restaurant. It didn't escape her notice that he'd glowered at Alix the whole time. That made her heart sing. She'd never given Zach any reason to be jealous in the past, but she'd seen that look before—when his brother Greg had flirted with her once, and when Magda's physiotherapist had kept touching Rebecca as they'd put Magda through her exercises when Magda was recovering from her surgery. That physio got fired. Magda had said that, apparently, a better one was suggested to Zach.

Zach had never admitted to firing the guy. Rebecca remembered how intent she'd been on getting him to acknowledge that she'd been the reason for the man getting sacked. She'd been desperate for Zach to admit his feelings because she'd been so insecure in their relationship.

Surprisingly, this time she was okay with Zach not professing love for her. Probably because she had accepted the fact that whatever Zach was feeling wasn't love—yet. But even though it was all lust on his part, she was grateful she had this opportunity to show him she loved him, and hoped that someday he might be able to return that love.

And if he never did? She felt a pinch in her heart, but ignored it. Regardless of what happened in the future, she was committed to giving it her all this time around.

"Well, here we are," Magda said as they reached her door. "Rebecca, tomorrow I want to wear one of my evening gowns that is a bit hard to put on. Will you and Sarah come early to help me get ready?"

"Of course," Rebecca answered. "What time do you want us in your room?"

"I'm having an early dinner with the oldies on shore in Brisbane tomorrow night, so come around three-quarters of an hour before the show starts. That would give us enough time."

"We'll be here."

"Great. Now don't forget to make yourselves pretty for tomorrow, too!" Magda said.

"Goodnight, Gran," Zach said, kissing Magda on the cheek.

"Goodnight, dear. I'll see the two of you tomorrow." With a beaming, open-mouthed smile on her face for the two of them, Magda went in and closed the door behind her.

Rebecca turned to Zach, unsure of what to do next. A small part of her wondered if what he really wanted was to discuss his grandmother's diet. Of course, she hoped that was just an excuse!

Zach took her hand and led her to his suite a couple of doors down. Her heart danced. Zach had hardly ever held her hand in public. Even though the corridor was virtually empty, she was still thrilled.

*****

R
ebecca walked through Zach's open door, heart beating fast in anticipation. When she didn't hear the door close, she turned around. Zach was staring at her as he stood by the threshold, and he was still holding the door open.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Um, do you want a drink? We can go to one of the bars instead."

She frowned. Zach looked totally uncomfortable. She walked to him and cupped his face. His eyes softened and he swallowed visibly.

"What's wrong?" she repeated.

Zach sighed, taking her hands from his face and squeezing them tight before letting them go. "I shouldn't have led you here. I don't think we should be alone together, Bec," he said huskily.

"Why not?"

"We... there are things that..." Zach ran his hand over his face in frustration. "Last night was great. But it shouldn't have happened."

"Why not?" she asked again in a smaller voice.

"There are so many unresolved issues between us."

"Shall we start resolving them then?" she asked in a shy, hopeful voice.

Zach gaped at her, the conflict within him obvious in his face before he shut it with an impassive expression. "I think we should just be friends for now, Bec."

"I don't understand, Zach. Last night—"

"I'm sorry about last night. It shouldn't have happened."

"I'm confused." She couldn't believe what was happening. Did she read it all wrong? Had her brain played tricks on her? She could have sworn Zach really wanted her... and that he was jealous of Alix...

"I'm sorry if I confused you. It wasn't my intention."

"Okay," she said, dread growing within her as rejection loomed large. "Shall we go to the bar then? And start with being friends?"

Zach looked ahead as if contemplating something before exhaling out loud. "You know what? I'll just see you at the theatre tomorrow with Gran and the others."

Rebecca couldn't help the hurt that sprung to her eyes. She looked down and composed herself before lifting her head back up to smile at him. "Sure. So would you like me to leave?"

He nodded. "Do you need me to walk you back to your room?"

"No," she responded. What she wanted was to stay, damn it!

"Okay," Zach said, stepping aside to give her space to walk out of his suite.