The information hurt, but she knew she deserved it. “What changed your mind?”
“I told you, everything fell apart.” He dropped his chin into the palm of one hand. “Everything I said at lunch was true. I just left out a couple tiny details.”
So he really didn't want her back because he missed her. She shouldn't be hurt. It was what she was pretending she wanted to hear. “What kind of details?”
He paused for a few moments. “The thing is… We've eaten through our distribution and advertising budgets. I blew the last of it on E3.”
She couldn’t keep the skepticism off her face.
“I couldn't help it. It's our big chance to get everything back.”
“We had this conversation at lunch. There are a lot of people out there who could do the job. I'm not the only one.”
“Yeah, you are.”
“I have a hard time believing that.” She jumped from the counter.
“And we miss you.” He twisted the pop top on his can until it came off. He rolled it between his fingers, eyes never leaving the aluminum trinket. “I miss you.”
She kept quiet, trying to ignore her hammering heart. The words she was desperate to hear, even if she wouldn’t let herself admit it.
He never looked up. “It works in my favor that I love the woman who can save our company, but I wouldn't be asking you to do this if I doubted your skill.”
Love? She didn't want to hear that. Even though her heart soared and her stomach fluttered at the confession hidden in his words.
“I don't have any delusions about you jumping into my arms and returning the sentiment.” He gave a bitter laugh. “But since I asked for honesty, I figured you deserve the same.”
She hated the hope and the need and the desire that all wanted to hold onto what he was saying. “If I come back, it will be because I believe in what you're doing, not because I see a future with…” She couldn’t finish the sentence the way she wanted to. “Anyone.”
Zach frowned. “I can accept that. It'll hurt, but at least we'll get to keep Rinslet.”
“How do I know—” She ducked her head, measuring her words carefully. “How do you know any of this is a good idea? What makes you think I can fix it? What makes you think you lo—” She choked on the word. “Have feelings for me?”
He shrugged. “Neither one is certain, but you made the figures work last time, so I have faith you can do it again. As for you and me… There's a spark, right? It's not just physical. You make me think, you drag a passion out of me I try hard to hide, and I enjoy your company. You’re not like anyone I’ve ever met, including the little girl you were back in the day.”
She didn't know how to respond. Part of her understood exactly what he was saying. Deep down, she felt the same way about him, but she struggled with how much of her reaction was genuine and how much was clinging to what she wanted to hear. She gave him the only answer she could think of. “I'll take a look at your books again. I don't promise anything, and I won't take the job if I can't help, but I'll see what I can do.”
“How long will it take?” He produced a USB stick from his pocket and set it next to his lighter.
“I, um…” She hadn't meant right then, but she didn't want to tell him no. Something inside her wanted him to stick around a little longer. “It depends on how much has changed. An hour to take it all in, at least.”
“I'm in town at least until tomorrow afternoon. I know you have work, but is there any way…?”
She grabbed the USB drive off the counter, and flipped it back and forth between her fingers. “What are you doing tonight?”
Zach gave her a half smile. “Going back to my hotel. Seeing what’s on HBO.”
She couldn’t believe she was about to do this, but it felt more right than any decision she’d made in a long time. “Do you want to hang out here? I’ve got HBO.”
****
Rae's face scrunched up, and she blinked, trying to get some moisture back in her eyes. The glow from the computer screen exaggerated the shadows in the dim kitchen. It didn't matter how many times she rearranged the numbers—the money wasn't there.
She leaned back in the chair and stretched, her T-shirt creeping up her stomach. She straightened it out when she sat up again. An hour had become four. Stubbornness wouldn’t let her give up, but it wasn’t giving her the answers either.
Zach had hovered when she started, but she made him go sit down. It didn’t keep him from glancing in her direction every few minutes.