Page 45 of Fireworks at Pennycress Inn
His skin felt warm against hers, her fingers tingling with electricity. She looked down at their hands, his gently encompassing hers. Did he really feel it too? Did he feel the electricity between them?
‘Do you?’
She blinked, pulling her gaze away from their hands to look him in the eyes. She thought she knew what he was referring to, what he was asking her, but so much had changed between the two of them in such a short space of time, she couldn’t be sure. ‘Do I what?’
‘Do you still feel it? The connection we had at the party? How close we were before?’ He kept his eyes upon hers, his gaze steady.
‘I…’ Breaking the moment, Polly looked away. What was happening? This was what she wanted. She’d felt the same connection he said he did since the moment she’d laid eyes upon him two years ago and their friendship had begun. She’d dreamt about there being more between them, but after the way he’d pushed her away? She wasn’t sure. Did he expect her to just shrug her shoulders and say no worries and jump into his arms? She pulled her hands away and walked back to the sofa, sitting heavily upon it. ‘I can’t. I’m sorry, but after the way you’ve been around me, after the way you’ve treated me with such indifference, as if you hardly even knew me? How can you just suddenly turn up and say you feel a connection now? It doesn’t work like that. You can’t just switch to hating me and then liking me again.’
Looking at the floor, Zac reached his hand behind his neck, dragging it across his skin before walking towards the sofa. ‘May I?’
She nodded. She wasn’t about to tell him he couldn’t sit down now, was she?
‘Thanks.’ Sitting, he leaned forward, lacing his fingers together. ‘You’d be right, feelings don’t change overnight like that, but that’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. The only person I was lying to when I was pushing you away was myself. I’ve always had feelings for you, you must know that. You remember how close we used to be?’
She nodded. ‘I remember, but I also remember that literally the day after we’d kissed, you went weird on me, and you treated me as though we were strangers.’
‘I know I did and I’m sorry.’ He kept his eyes fixed on the floor in front of him. ‘The only reason I did that was because I felt guilty about keeping the fact we’d both been promised a chance at the promotion from you.’
Polly pulled a cushion onto her lap, hugging it to her middle. She had so many questions. ‘So, did you and Mr Bob work together to keep me in the dark? Did you ask him not to tell me?’
Zac turned to glance at her. ‘No, I didn’t. Mr Bob just forgot to tell you. You know what he’s like. He’d forget his head if it wasn’t screwed on. But, I admit, when I realised he hadn’t told you, I didn’t and I should have.’
‘You didn’t even tell me you were getting a job at Meadowfield.’ It wasn’t just the fact he had chosen not to mention the issue with the promotion, but the job, too. That he was coming to Meadowfield with her. Why hadn’t he told her?
Zac shrugged. ‘I didn’t tell many people. I had a lot going on at home. Not that that is any excuse. I should have found the time to tell you, the right moment, but I knew if I did, then I’d end up telling you about the promotion, too.’
Polly leaned her head back against the top of the sofa and closed her eyes. ‘But why couldn’t you? What’s this big secret? There’s something you’re not telling me. And before you say it’s nothing, I’m not daft, you know. Despite what you think.’
‘I don’t think that. Far from it, actually.’
Opening her eyes, she looked at the back of his head. He was still gazing at the floor, his neck bent. ‘The phone calls, leaving yesterday just to come back at midnight, being out of the office constantly. There’s something going on and if it isn’t a secret partner…’
‘It’s definitely not a partner. I don’t have a girlfriend, I haven’t for years.’ A hollow sound escaped the back of his throat as he let out a lone chuckle.
‘Then what? What it is?’
With his elbows on his knees, Zac lowered his head, pulling his fingers through his hair. ‘My family are broke. My dad lost the company last year.’
Polly gasped. Broke? His family had always been wealthy, but if it was true, if what he was telling her was true, then it did make some sort of sense, even if it was the last thing she’d expected him to say. Leaning forward, she spoke quietly. ‘Right about when they stopped sponsoring the trust?’
‘Yep, and right about the time my dad told me he wished I’d never moved my career away from the corporate world.’ Zac still had his fingers in his hair, his shoulders slumped.
‘Oh, Zac. I had no idea.’ Reaching over, she laid her arm gently around his shoulders.
‘You wouldn’t have. It’s not exactly something to shout about.’ Turning his head, he looked at her. ‘I couldn’t exactly write it in a company email that my family had no money, and my dad was disappointed in his only son.’
‘No, I don’t suppose you could.’ Polly frowned. ‘But if this happened a year ago, we were still friends then, still talking. You could have told me.’
Zac nodded. ‘I know and I should have done. I see that now, but at the time I just felt I had to keep it to myself. My family used to sponsor the trust, my parents still attend the fundraising events, they still dress up to the nines to keep up appearances. If the truth had got out, they’d have never forgiven me.’
‘I wouldn’t have said anything.’
‘I know, but…’ Straightening his back, he ran his palm across his face. ‘I guess it’s been engrained into me that I need to put on this front, and when my dad lost his company, the responsibility fell to me. It was – it is – my job to provide for my family.’
‘You were embarrassed?’ Why? Why would he be? But that was how he was acting.
‘I felt as though it was my fault. I mean, if I hadn’t quit my corporate job and started working at the trust, then I would have been able to save my dad’s company and we wouldn’t be in the mess we’re in.’
