Chapter 11

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Zach

After tonight's adventure with my brother's kids, I deduce parents must be bionic. How they manage those rug rats on top of all the responsibilities they have keeping a family afloat is beyond me.

By the time I get back to my little cottage in the woods, it's all I can do not to flop into bed still wearing my clothes. Somehow, I find the energy to brush my teeth, change into pajama pants, and crawl between the sheets before I lose consciousness. Yet by the time I'm nestled in, my brain gets a second wind and starts churning like I'm destined to take the blue ribbon at a butter-making contest at the state fair.

My biggest concern is Yolanda coming to Maple Falls. She can only have one agenda and that's to make my life unbearable. What did I ever do to that woman other than correct her assumption about our relationship? She's clearly dated enough men to know that what we had was nowhere near committed, nor was it a relationship, for that matter.

The truth is that famous people dating each other is often nothing more than a PR arrangement made to give both parties the kind of press they're looking for. In my case, that was done in hopes that Yolanda would assure the public I was a decent guy, not the opposite. In fact, that had been our agreement to the letter.

Yolanda's boon was being seen in public with me. And while that may sound egotistical, being aligned with the CEO of a Fortune 500 company has a way of opening doors that otherwise remain closed. Yolanda was using my clout to blast through any obstacle that stood in her way.

Even though our first date was arranged by Fame, Inc.—the company that handles both of our PR needs—she decided to deviate from the script. While technically I could just return her call and find out what her terms are, I can't for the life of me imagine I would give in to her terrorist demands and let her win this unjust attack. In fact, quite the opposite. She's declared war on my character, and I'm not going to settle for anything short of total redemption.

Picking up my phone, I set my alarm for my standard five a.m. While I'd love to sleep in, I'm going to get up and finish the window washing so that when Ellie shows up to get the curtains, everything is sparkling. I don't bother facing the truth of my motivation, which is to see my landlady smile. Instead, I tell myself it's because I hate when people think I'm one of the idle rich. Just because I've made a fortune doesn't mean I'm incapable of performing basic tasks.

Closing my eyes, I envision Ellie at the skating rink. She's got a squirming Tommy under her arm and she's effortlessly skating away with him. God clearly knew what he was doing when he created such a glorious woman. Ellie is feisty, fiery, and full of righteousness. Being around her is like standing in the middle of a storm with no idea how hard the wind is going to blow or where the next lightning strike is going to land. Plainly put, she's a force to be reckoned with and I find her irresistible.

Nearly an hour passes before my brain finally turns off and allows me to rest. I don't require eight hours of sleep, or even seven, but six is always appreciated .

When my alarm rings, my eyes pop open and for a split second, I can't remember where I am. After turning off the Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries"—or Elmer Fudd's "Kill the Wabbit" music, as I first learned of it—my phone rings. I answer before looking at caller ID. "Hello?"

"Get up." It's Belle.

"What's with the wake-up call?" I ask. This is not the norm in our relationship.

"Yolanda's on a plane. She arrives in Maple Falls at seven o'clock this morning."

"Why? Practices don't start for two more days."

"The station claims she wants to be there and get set up before the players arrive, but we know the truth. She wants to get there and catch you unaware."

"If the station told you she's coming today, she has to know that I know what she's up to."

Belle feigns a heavy Southern accent. "Sugar, I don't know what you're talking about. No one told little Annabelle Barnes anything about you. They told Belle McCallister, assistant to the event coordinator of Ice Breakers, where their turkey is flying."

Laughter erupts out of me. "Belle, you are seriously the best assistant I've ever had."

"And the best you ever will have, so don't get any ideas about replacing me anytime soon."

"Never," I assure her. "But it probably won't be too long before KBIZ figures out there's no Belle McCallister associated with the event and your insider info will dry up."

"True," she says. "But until then, I suggest you prepare yourself to come face-to-face with the antichrist."

"Is she staying at the lodge?"

"She has a room booked for the full six weeks."

"Why so long? It's just a bunch of charity hockey games, for Pete's sake. In the land of television news, that can't be more than three or four ninety-second reports, which certainly does not warrant such an expense. "

"I don't know, Zach, but if I were you, I'd put on my big boy pants and prepare to find out."

I exhale the air from my lungs, hoping to push out the feeling of impending doom that's building inside of me. "Thanks for the heads up," I tell Belle. "Call me if you learn anything else."

"I'm guessing at this point you'll find out before I do. Keep me apprised so I can create a battle plan."

Throwing the covers off my legs, I ask, "Has Pinky been in touch yet?" Pinky Albright is my publicist who has been surprisingly unresponsive since Yolanda went rogue.

"Nothing yet, but I'll put in another call this morning."

"If she won't talk to you," I say, "tell her secretary I'm dissolving our contract due to negligence."

"Done. In the meantime, Zach, stay out of trouble and don't let Yolanda bait you."

"I'll do my best," I tell her before ending the call. I get up, brush my teeth, and put on a t-shirt before turning on the coffee. While I wait for it to brew, I fill the bucket with hot soapy water and take it outside. I proceed to channel my frustrations by scrubbing down the remaining three windows.

Once that task is accomplished, I go inside and drink two cups of coffee, then I spend the next two hours making sure the interior windows in Ellie's cottage sparkle like they're brand new. I'm finishing the final one when I spot my landlady strolling down the path.

Hurrying to change shirts, I leave my pajama pants on in a bid to look like I haven't been up for hours cleaning. I open the door as soon as I hear her knock. "Good morning," I tell a refreshed-looking Ellie. She is seriously one gorgeous woman. And tall. I like being able to look a woman in the eye.

Her eyes shift around me like she's valiantly trying not to make eye contact. "Good morning."

Tipping my head to the side so she can't look away without making it obvious, I ask, "Would you like a cup of coffee? I'm about to put on a new pot. "

"No, thank you." Her eyes dart toward the curtains she still needs to take down. "I'm just here to get the drapes." That's when she notices the windows. "You washed them?" She sounds so surprised you'd think I'd built an entire house with my own two hands.

"I did."

"Why?"

"Because I didn't want you crying foul on our bet."

A small smile crosses those luscious lips of hers. "Too cheap to pay an extra month's rent, huh?"

Shaking my head, I confess, "Too proud to have you think I wasn't capable of basic chores."

That seems to take her off guard. "Why do you care what I think?"

Taking a step closer, I ask, "Why wouldn't I?"

She ducks around me and heads toward the windows. "Don't play games with me, Zach. I'm not in the mood."

"I'm not playing games." I seriously have no idea why this woman hates me so much. Unless she's so gullible that she believes everything she hears on television.

Ellie gathers the curtains and strides purposefully toward the door. "I'll bring these back later today." And then, like a jackrabbit pursued by a hungry fox, she hightails it back up the path.

I don't have time to try to figure out why she has a bee in her bonnet. Instead, I fix myself a quick breakfast and get dressed for the day. If Yolanda is arriving this morning, I need to get to the rink and stake my territory.

The first thing I need to do is make sure I have a key to the office, so I have sanctuary whenever I need it. The second item on my agenda is to think of a way to keep Yolanda in check, so she doesn't make my public life any more miserable than she already has. Given the damage she's already done, I do wonder at my chances.