“I’m not saying this well, then. The other men in your life—please tell me the other men aren’t important.”

She lifted her eyes to him. “The other men are important to me, and if you’ll have dinner with me tomorrow I’ll show you why.”

“Tell me now.” He moved in closer to her. His eyes had grown dark, but not in anger this time, she knew. They spoke silently of his sincerity and concern.

“No. I have to show you.”

“Okay.” He scooted off the boulder and stood in the creek with his hand out to help her down. “Can I at least say it’s a date?”

Regan swallowed the bitter taste of panic and took his hand. “It’s a date,” she said. But the vile feeling of regret filled her core and spoiled the moment. She’d let herself care for Zach Benson, knowing he could grow to hate her and control her, and if she managed to stay alive, she’d hate herself too.

Chapter six

Regan wanted nothing more than to fall into bed after she returned from the Bensons’ house. She’d run the gamut of every emotion she’d ever had, and it had drained her. Lunch had turned into dinner and another walk through the roses. She wondered if Audrey would notice the one missing bloom Zach had cut for her and tucked behind her ear as he kissed her in the moonlit rose garden.

Carlos had waited up for her. He smiled when he saw her walk through the door with a smile on her lips and the rose tucked behind her ear.

“He caught you.”

“Yes he did.” She managed to beam through the tangle of fear that still penetrated her.

“You’ll be okay.” He kissed her cheek.

“It’ll be different,” she said as a warning and a promise to herself.

The next evening Zach arrived at exactly at six as she’d asked him to. She sat waiting on the steps as he pulled to the curb.

He climbed from the car and walked up the front steps. “I would have come all the way to the door.” He slid his arms around her waist.

“I know, but I wanted to watch for you.” She loosened the tie around his neck and pulled it off. “You might be a little overdressed.”

“I see that.” His eyes scanned over her.

She’d dressed casually in a sundress and sandals, and she wondered what he’d thought she meant by dinner out when he’d dressed as he did every day for the office.

She wrapped her arms around his neck. It felt so right when she tilted her head to kiss him. “Tomorrow is going to be very strange.”

“No. I said this wouldn’t get in our way. I’m taking another woman to lunch tomorrow. Hot dogs, on my blanket, under the tree.” Her entire body tensed, and he held her closer. “No one but you, Regan. I promise.”

There wasn’t much more she could say. She only nodded, wanting the fear of rejection that riddled her to disappear, knowing it wouldn’t.

“And…” He lifted her chin with his finger. “If I find your letter of resignation on my desk tomorrow, I’ll know you’ve fallen head over heels in love with me.”

She stepped back and picked up her purse and a canvas bag from the step. “We’d better get going.”

Zach took the canvas bag from her. “Where are we going?”

“My surprise. Let’s see how you do.” She grabbed his hand and walked toward his car.

They drove only twenty minutes out of Nashville, and Zach shook his head as they drove slowly down the street as kids played ball and rode bikes. “Why do I have a strange feeling you’re not taking me to a restaurant?”

“You’re just observant. Okay, it’s the second one on the right. The one with the flag hanging on the side.”

He pulled to the curb and put the car in park. Regan already had the door open, and a dark-haired girl ran toward her.

“Aunt Regan!” She wrapped her arms around her.

“Clara, you saw me three days ago. Why are you so happy now?”

“I love to see you. Mommy says you are one of the nicest people she knows.” Clara smiled as she passed along the compliment.

“You know what? I really like your mommy too. When you go home, you tell her I say hello.” Clara smiled with a nod as Regan turned to wait for Zach.

He walked slowly to the sidewalk. “You’ve brought me home to meet your family.”

There was a grin on his face that said he was reading too much into the evening already. Her family was very gracious when it came to guests, but Regan feared she might be throwing him in the lion’s den.

Regan tucked her lips between her teeth to keep in her smile. “Would you have come if I’d told you?”

“You’d be surprised.”

“Here.” She pulled a bottle of wine from her canvas bag and handed it to him. “You’ll score points with this. It’s my mother’s favorite.”

“I would have brought one of my own if I’d known I was coming.”

She took his hand in hers and wrapped her other arm around her niece’s shoulders as they started toward the house.

Emily Keller opened the door as they walked up the steps. Reading glasses adorned her cap of white hair, and her wide body was covered by a cherry print apron.

The chaos in the house moved from the door as her mother scattered everyone away. When she’d called and mentioned she was bringing a friend, her mother hadn’t asked whom, but Regan knew she’d be waiting to meet a man.

“Hello, Mama.” Regan kissed her mother as Clara slid through the door.

“My baby.” She cupped her face and smiled at her as though it had been months since she’d seen her instead of only a week. Her mother looked past her, her hands still on her face. “Who is your friend?”

“Mama, this is Zachary Benson. Zach, my mother, Emily Keller.”

“Mrs. Keller, it is an honor to meet you.” He handed her the bottle of wine that she’d given him. “This is for you. I’ve been told it’s your favorite.”

“Oh, it is. Thank you. This will go wonderfully with dinner. Please, come in.” She stepped back and they walked through the door.

The house smelled of fried chicken, and sounds of a baseball game on television roared from the other room.

“Come.” Emily took his arm. “Alan, get up,” she whispered loudly, and Regan’s father stood from his recliner. “This is Regan’s friend Zach.”