Kaitlin’s smile was bright as she blinked away the telltale sheen in her eyes. “You have?”
“That nice girl, Lindsay?”
Kaitlin nodded, and Zach smiled in relief.
“I think she should sleep with Dylan.”
“What?”
Ginny placed a hand on Kaitlin’s arm. “Hear me out.” Then she turned and gave Zach a censorious look. “Excuse us please, Zachary. The women would like to talk.”
Zach held his palms up in surrender and backed away.
He circulated through the party a little, and then Dylan caught up with him outside David’s study and herded him inside to where they were alone.
Dylan seemed agitated. He crossed to the small bar and poured himself a scotch. “You okay to take Lindsay down with you tonight?”
“No problem.”
Dylan waggled a second, empty glass, raising his brow to Zach in question.
“Sure,” Zach answered, walking farther into the room, the noise of the party fading behind him through the open door.
“I haven’t told her yet,” Dylan confessed, handing Zach a crystal tumbler of single malt then taking a sip from his own.
“You need my help?”
Dylan shook his head, moving to the bay window. “She’ll be disappointed. At least, I hope she’ll be disappointed. But she’s a trouper. She really is, Zach. She’s quite the little trouper.” He took another sip.
Zach moved closer. “Are you okay?”
“Sure. Fine. Why?”
Zach had never seen Dylan act this way, not over a woman, not over anything. “Something going on between you and Lindsay? I mean, other than the obvious?”
“What’s the obvious?”
Treading on unfamiliar ground, Zach chose his words carefully. “A physical…connection?”
“Oh, yeah. That.”
“But there’s more,” Zach guessed.
Dylan shot him a look that questioned his sanity, but Zach had no idea how to interpret it. Was there something serious going on between Dylan and Lindsay? Had he made her angry again?
“I should warn you,” said Zach, stepping into the silence. “Aunt Ginny is out there advising Lindsay to sleep with you.” Dylan stilled. “What?”
“I assume it’s to trap you into marriage. You might want to watch your back.”
“I don’t think it’s my back that needs watching,” Dylan muttered.
“You don’t seem too worried.”
Dylan shrugged.
Zach watched his friend’s expression carefully. “Seriously, Dylan. Is there something going on between you two?”
Dylan frowned. “I’m not saying there is.”
“Are you saying there’s not?”
Dylan compressed his lips. “What about you and Kaitlin?” he asked, turning the tables.
“Nothing,” Zach lied, perching on the arm of an overstuffed leather chair. He wasn’t ready to talk to anybody about his relationship with Kaitlin. He didn’t even have it straight in his own mind yet.
“You’re sleeping with her,” said Dylan.
Zach shot him a pointed look. “That’s just…” In fact, Zach wasn’t sure exactly what it was. Somehow his physical attraction to Kaitlin, their renovation battle and their mock marriage had all meshed together in a way that was well past confusing.
“Sex?” Dylan asked bluntly.
“It’s not relevant,” said Zach.
“What about the renovation? Is that relevant? You haven’t forgotten why she’s here, have you?”
“No, I haven’t forgotten why she’s here.”
Dylan took another drink. “So, the plan’s working?”
“It’s going great,” Zach admitted, trying to inject some enthusiasm for how well things were working out for him on that front. “She asked for the Hugo Rosche plans. She’s been using them for the past few days. And, well, I think she’s getting that Grandma Sadie wasn’t progressive and flamboyant. And she’s figuring it out for herself, which is exactly what we wanted.”
“So, your devious little scheme is coming together in spades,” Dylan summed up.
“It was your devious little scheme.”
“You approved it,” Dylan noted. “You implemented it. And it looks like you’ll save yourself a bundle.”
“I did,” Zach agreed. Too bad saving a bundle didn’t seem so important anymore. Too bad he’d started to wish he could give Kaitlin her dream project, unlimited funds, unfettered imagination.
“I think we’ve heard just about enough,” Lindsay’s lawyer voice cut in.
Zach whirled, nearly spilling his drink.
In the study’s open doorway stood Kaitlin, her face completely pale.