The Gratitude Guarantee (Boyfriend in the Bargain #4)

30. Zach

30

ZACH

“ W hat did you think?”

I can tell by the way Brenna asks the question that there’s only one right answer. “It was great. I especially liked Saul and Joe Jr.”

“Now you know the correct terminology if you ever see somebody ‘leaning,’” she says with a laugh.

“Who’s your favorite character?”

“Lucy. I love how she’s the nicest most regular heroine ever. She doesn’t want anything fancy, just a family and stamp in her passport.”

I nod as I try to decide which of the dozen questions that just popped into my mind I should ask. We’re sitting side by side on her couch, not quite touching, as we let the credits roll. The setting feels intimate enough that I decide to go for a big one. “What do you want out of life? Anything fancy?”

She smiles. “Not sure what you count as ‘fancy.’ I want to do work that challenges me and feels important. I want a family one day.” She gives a self-deprecating smile. “Mostly, I just want to be employed right now. It’s starting to freak me out that I haven’t had any responses to my applications.”

She fidgets with the edge of the blanket in her lap, her anxiety leaking out in her slight frown. “I’m scared that Springfield blackballed me. He’s not an especially likable guy, but he knows a lot of people. What if he put the word out that I’m difficult to work with or unreliable or whatever, and no one in corporate law will hire me?”

When her lower lip trembles, I act without thinking, wrapping my arm around her and pulling her close. Her head drops to my shoulder. “It’ll be fine, Bren. Nashville is a big city. He can’t know every single lawyer in town. There’s got to be at least a few that would be willing to hire you, especially once they meet you.”

She sits up and looks at me. “You really think so?”

“I know so. You’re smart and friendly and capable. Anyone with any sense will be able to see that if they spend just a few minutes talking to you.”

I could add that she’s also stunningly gorgeous, but I don’t want her to think I’m flattering her or not taking her concern seriously.

Her eyes never leave mine as a slow smile curls her lips. “Thank you, Zach. I hope you’re right.”

I’m drawn into her stare, drawn to her. The air between us feels charged, like one of the sparks I’m starting to expect in her presence could set off an explosion. I’ve never felt like this with anyone before. My gaze darts to her lips, pink and so tempting, before jumping back up to her eyes. I ease back ever so slightly to keep from losing the battle and doing the thing I most want to do but that my gut tells me we aren’t ready for—kiss her.

Something flickers in her expression when I move, then the mood shifts as she clears her throat. My arm drops as she leans away to grab the remote and click the TV off.

I get to my feet. “Well, I guess I should head home,” I say, hating the awkwardness that now permeates the room. “I need to grab some dinner and do a few things before bed.”

The things I plan to do are think about what almost just happened and try not to worry about the possibility that she’ll turn me down when I ask her out in January. The thought crosses my mind that no one is enforcing the no-dating timeline but me. Maybe I should just go for it, tell her how I feel and ask her on a date.

But something in me wants to keep the commitment I made to myself. I want to be sure before I risk either of our hearts. Although, it might be too late for that, at least for me.

She stands as well, crossing her arms over her chest. Her chin dips, and she looks up at me through lowered lashes, as if unsure of herself. “I haven’t eaten yet either. Can I make you some dinner?”

I hesitate for an instant before nodding with a smile. “That would be great if it’s not too much trouble.”

Her shoulders relax like she’s relieved to hear my answer, and she smiles back tentatively. “No trouble at all, as long as you don’t mind a simple meal.”

“I don’t mind. Can I help?”

“Sure.”

I follow her to the kitchen, and she starts pulling out ingredients. “How about mac and cheese for some cold weather comfort food and…” She reaches into the fridge and comes out with a head of broccoli. “Some broccoli to counteract it?”

“Sounds perfect.” I take the broccoli from her and pluck a paring knife from the block on her counter. “Do you have a cutting board?”

She opens a cabinet and extracts one, followed by a steamer basket. She sets both items on the counter in front of me. “Have at it.”

We work in companionable silence, her grating cheese and boiling pasta while I wash and cut the broccoli to steam.

“We’ll have to eat around the puzzle,” Brenna says when the food is ready. “I worked on it some today, but it’s not anywhere near done yet. It goes a lot slower when I’m by myself.”

“I don’t see why we can’t eat and puzzle at the same time.” I take my plate to the table and balance it on one corner. Leaning over the puzzle, I start searching for stone pieces to complete the cottage. She sits across from me and does the same, slotting in pieces of the lavender sky.

“This is delicious,” I tell her when I try the macaroni. “I need to learn to make mac and cheese from scratch.”

“I could teach you,” she offers. “Or maybe we could take a cooking class for our next hobby experiment. Oh wait, it’s your turn to choose the next one.” She puts a bite of broccoli in her mouth. “Have you thought of something else you’d like to try?”

I’ve been turning something over in my mind, but I’m not sure how to make it work. I decide to just throw it out there and see how she reacts. “I used to love traveling and I haven’t done that in a long time. It’s been three years since the last time I got a stamp in my passport.”

“You’re doing better than me,” she says with a pained expression. “I got a passport a few years ago, but I’ve never used it. I guess that’s part of why I identify with Lucy from While You Were Sleeping. ”

“You’ve never been outside the country?” This surprises me. She seems like someone who would love exploring new places.

“I meant to, which is why I got the passport. But I’ve always been too busy with work to take the time. Plus, I wasn’t sure where I wanted to go, or if I could get someone to go with me. I don’t want to go somewhere far away alone. But enough about me. What were you saying before I hijacked the conversation?”

“I’ve been thinking I want to travel again,” I tell her. “I want to hop on a plane and visit somewhere new. Eat new food, see new things, bring home a souvenir—the whole shebang. But I don’t think that’s what Amanda had in mind when she proposed this hobby thing,” I say with a laugh. I glance up at Brenna expecting to see a smile on her face as she laughs with me at the impracticality of my suggestion. Instead, she looks pensive, staring over my shoulder toward the door as she chews.

“Are you okay?” I ask after a moment of silence, wondering if I said something wrong.

“Why couldn’t we do that?” she asks.

My eyebrows shoot up. “Go on a trip?”

“Yeah. I’m no expert, but can’t you sometimes get amazing deals on last-minute airfare? Maybe we should look and see what’s available.”

I study her, attempting to detect a hint of teasing or playfulness and finding none. “You’re being serious.”

“I am.” She sets her plate down and focuses on me. “It could work, right? Have you ever done something like that?”

I have, actually, but I’m not sure if I should admit it and stoke the flames of whatever has gotten into her. Instead of answering, I ask, “Why? Supposing we looked and found something, why would you want to go on a trip—a trip with me—at the last second when you’ve never traveled before?”

“Because I can,” she says with surprising intensity, her hands moving as she speaks. “I gave my all to that job for almost three years, and all I got out of it was a metaphorical slap in the face. Now I’m sitting around worrying about getting a new job that will hopefully treat me better but still probably won’t allow enough days off to travel without giving up the time I use to go see my family. So why not now? I’m unemployed with no obligations, and I have some money saved. You just said you want to go see a new place, so let’s go.”

This has escalated very quickly. I can’t decide if I should try to defuse the situation and talk her down or cave to the anticipation of adventure that’s creeping into my soul. I stand and pace a few steps as I think, running my hand through my hair.

“I promise I’ll be a good travel companion,” Brenna says, clasping her hands in front of her. “You won’t have to babysit me.”

I look at her in surprise. “Babysit you?”

“You know, because I’ve never been anywhere except the beach in Florida. My family just doesn’t really travel a lot. But I’ll be up for anything and won’t hold you back.” She looks like a little girl waiting for her dad to give her permission to go play with her friends. That is what ultimately makes up my mind.

“You’re a grown woman, Brenna. You can travel with or without me, and I never thought I’d have to babysit you. If you’re sure you want to do this…I’m in.”

“Yes!” She squeals and launches herself up from her chair, throwing her arms around my neck. “This is going to be so fun! The best trip ever.”

I can’t resist returning her embrace, breathing in the sweet scent of her shampoo and drinking in her warmth for just an instant before I pull back and grin at her.

“Sounds like we’ve got some major planning to do.”