She remained silent for the remainder of the trip and so did he. When Zach parked at the site, Regan grabbed her briefcase and took out her notebook. She checked to make sure she had her digital camera in her bag for visual notes.

Zach walked around the car and touched her. She jerked back, but he grabbed her arm. “Listen, this is all new to me. I chose you. My mother didn’t. I want to see where this goes with or without her blessing. We just happen to have it right now.” She was still looking away. “Damn it, Regan, I’m not him. Whoever the bastard is that made you so afraid of commitment, love, and family, I’m not him. I’m not going to break your heart and plan out your life. If you’re going to be part of my life, you’re going to choose that.”

She knew she was being petty, but the pain was still there. Furthermore, she hadn’t been completely up front with him. There was so much more to the story. He’d promised not to lie to her, but she couldn’t be up front with him. She bit her lip and looked up at him.

“I’m sorry I picked a fight. Really, what you said wasn’t so bad. I… I guess I’m just gun-shy.”

“I would be too.” He moved closer to her as she swung her bag onto her shoulder. “I love you. Really, that’s all that matters.” His hands were on her arms, and he dipped down and kissed her lightly on her lips. As his mouth lingered on hers, someone called his name from behind him.

Roger Byers was headed toward them. Zach lifted his head, composed himself, and extended his hand to him.

“Damn hot day.” Roger’s shirt was sweat stained, and even as he spoke, a bead of sweat ran down his temple.

“That’s why we drove with the top down.” Zach smiled. “Roger, I want you to meet Regan Keller.”

“Oh, so you’re the pretty voice on the phone,” he mused, and she felt her stomach churn.

“Thank you.”

“Well c’mon back. We got sweet tea in the fridge and a ton of paperwork for you to look at.” He started toward the offices and they followed.

Regan sat uncomfortably in the office as the two men went over paperwork and plans. She couldn’t help but feel physically threatened by the way Roger would look her way when Zach turned his head. There was a hate in his eyes. She’d seen it in Alexander Hamiliton’s eyes the day he struck her and meant to kill.

They went through the items in the office that needed attention. Zach asked questions. Roger answered them with “um” and “well.” Regan took explicit notes. She was very familiar with the fact that they were close to completion, and the job was going to go over on both time and budget.

Zach’s impatience with Roger was becoming obvious to her by the way he paced the floor and raked his fingers through his hair. She was sure it was showing to Roger as well. Roger Byers met Zach's well-mannered questions and concerns with half answers and stories, things she was finding Zach didn’t like.

When Zach excused himself to the bathroom, Roger sat in his chair, kicked up his feet, and scanned his eyes over her. “Some cushy job you have.”

“I beg your pardon.”

“I’ll bet you do your share of begging. I’ll bet you do your share of a lot of things.” He dropped his feet just as Zach walked back into the office.

Regan looked down at her notes and breathed through the hurt his words had caused.

Zach picked up his notebook and handed it to Regan. “Roger, I’m not happy about all this. You should have this building completed in less than two months, and we over budgeted, so to have gone over that is unacceptable. Your labor costs are higher than any other project.”

“C’mon, Zach. We both know how this is business is. Turnover rate, materials, weather, it’s all unpredictable. When have you ever known a building not to go over on time and budget?”

“When it was built by Benson, Benson and Hart. I’ll be back in a week for the walkthrough. I’m too angry to go in now,” he said. He gave Regan a nod. She stood and headed for the door.

Regan walked toward the car as Zach turned back again. “If I don’t see improvements, I’ll find someone else to finish the build.” He let the door shut behind him, and they could hear the curses that Roger Byers flung at him as he walked away.

Regan couldn’t help but keep looking back at the trailer to see if the man was going to come after them.

Zach opened her door and waited for her to climb into the car. When she had, he slowly walked to the other side, got in, and started the engine. He gripped the steering wheel and sat.

“Are you okay?” She wanted to touch him, but she wasn’t sure his reaction would be one she’d welcome.

“I’m just cooling down.” His teeth were clenched as he talked, and he wrung the steering wheel with his hands. “One thing about Benson, Benson and Hart, we get what we want.” He sucked in a deep breath. “That building will be done in my time frame, or he’ll be out on his ass and John Forrester will finish it before he goes to L.A. John has the Nashville project, which is still in its infancy, so we have time. I have to send him to Kansas City to do some damage control and now here. It’s all just an awful lot to chew on.”

Finally, he put the car in reverse and they left the lot.

Not one foul word had slipped through Zach’s lips as he drove away from the building site. Even though his sunglasses shielded his eyes, she knew he was deep in thought. A man who could breathe through his anger, and not use abusive words or fists to change the direction of things, was a special man. “Why don’t you send someone else out here?”

“I have lots of foremen on lots of jobs. Unfortunately, some of them are like our friend Roger Byers. But when you need it done right, you send John. Even if he’s only there a few weeks and then turns it over, you’ll be amazed at what gets done.” He gave a thoughtful nod and his shoulders relaxed. “I trust John.”

“I believe that.” Finally, she reached for his hand, and he interlaced his fingers with hers. Whatever anger he’d had over Roger Byers had melted away, and as his thumb grazed over her skin, she knew he’d never take that anger out on her. A giddy burst of joy filled her. “This has been a crazy afternoon.

What do you say we finish up at the office and go back to my place? Let me cook you dinner. I have a claw foot tub that fits two and a king-sized bed that’s lonely when I’m in it by myself.”