photographer lifted his camera, snapped a couple of shots without the flash.
“I won’t need luck,” Zack said. “Not with the work we just put in on the car.”
Yes! Somehow, they’d ended on a high. As Gaby escorted Kaye and the photographer to the door she felt a surge of thekind of relief heart patients must feel when brought back to life by a defibrillator.
“Interesting man,” Kaye said as she stepped outside.
“He sure is.” Gaby wondered if she meant interesting cool, or interesting psycho.
“Pity he’s not in the bachelor contest,” the reporter said. “I could do a major article on him then.”
Gaby turned cold, despite the sunshine. “Your editor told me this would be a five-page profile.” That was why she’d busted her butt, gone through all this stress.
Kaye grimaced. “We don’t have the space. The advertisers are supporting the bachelor contest, and that’s where our coverage is going.”
“So, how big will this article be?” Gaby tried to hide her dismay.
The reporter shrugged. “A page, tops. We’ll give him a decent photograph.”
All that effort in exchange for a measly page, doubtless tucked in the back of the magazine behind the bachelors. Sandra and Getaway were expecting a major feature. Because Gaby had told them to. And after that, there would be…nothing. She knew without talking to Zack that he hadn’t enjoyed the interview. So he wasn’t about to announce his candidacy in the bachelor contest.
“That’s disappointing,” Gaby said. She heard the weakness in her voice and despised it. What had Sandra said? I need someone who’ll fight for my business.
Gaby was letting Now Woman renege on its commitment, when the editor and the journalist surely knew they’d never have been given so much of Zack’s time on such short notice, at this stage in the season, unless it was for a major return. She had also let Zack renege on his commitment, because she had wanted him to get that car right, and because his fatigue had tugged at her heartstrings.
Dammit, right now she didn’t deserve that promotion.
Fight, she told herself. Not just for Sandra’s business, but for yourself, for your future, for your peace of mind. Determination trickled into her veins. Not enough. If you don’t fight this battle, no one else will. Resolve built, becoming a flood that swept her forward.
“That’s not acceptable.” Gaby amended her earlier comment to the journalist, her tone clipped.
“There’s nothing I can do,” Kaye said, her smile friendly but firm.
“There’s always something.” Gaby tugged the front door closed behind her. “What if Zack signs on for the bachelor contest?”
Kaye’s eyes lit up. “He didn’t seem overly interested.”
“If I can persuade him,” Gaby persisted, “will you give us the cover?”
The request went beyond what they’d agreed with the magazine, but as far as she knew, Zack had never had the cover of a women’s magazine. Unlike Trent.
Kaye pursed her lips. “I’d need to talk to my editor. But Zack would sure spice up the contest—he’s a bit of a dark horse.”
You can say that again. “He won’t enter unless we get the cover,” Gaby said firmly.
Kaye hesitated. “I think we can do that—I’ll call you when I’m back at the office.”
Gaby shook the reporter’s hand with a determination that her marshmallow-me didn’t recognize. Hold that thought. And go back inside to Zack, ready to fight with everything you’ve got.
CHAPTER SIX
A MAZING HOW THE DECISION to fight for her life crystallized Gaby’s thoughts. By the time she reached the great room, she had a full battle strategy. She wasn’t entirely proud of it, but she was confident it would work.
She found Zack flopped on the couch, his head thrown back, eyes closed. Lines of tiredness ran from his nose to the corners of his mouth, and for a moment Gaby thought he’d fallen asleep. He held up a hand as she approached. “I know, I know. I screwed
“I won’t need luck,” Zack said. “Not with the work we just put in on the car.”
Yes! Somehow, they’d ended on a high. As Gaby escorted Kaye and the photographer to the door she felt a surge of thekind of relief heart patients must feel when brought back to life by a defibrillator.
“Interesting man,” Kaye said as she stepped outside.
“He sure is.” Gaby wondered if she meant interesting cool, or interesting psycho.
“Pity he’s not in the bachelor contest,” the reporter said. “I could do a major article on him then.”
Gaby turned cold, despite the sunshine. “Your editor told me this would be a five-page profile.” That was why she’d busted her butt, gone through all this stress.
Kaye grimaced. “We don’t have the space. The advertisers are supporting the bachelor contest, and that’s where our coverage is going.”
“So, how big will this article be?” Gaby tried to hide her dismay.
The reporter shrugged. “A page, tops. We’ll give him a decent photograph.”
All that effort in exchange for a measly page, doubtless tucked in the back of the magazine behind the bachelors. Sandra and Getaway were expecting a major feature. Because Gaby had told them to. And after that, there would be…nothing. She knew without talking to Zack that he hadn’t enjoyed the interview. So he wasn’t about to announce his candidacy in the bachelor contest.
“That’s disappointing,” Gaby said. She heard the weakness in her voice and despised it. What had Sandra said? I need someone who’ll fight for my business.
Gaby was letting Now Woman renege on its commitment, when the editor and the journalist surely knew they’d never have been given so much of Zack’s time on such short notice, at this stage in the season, unless it was for a major return. She had also let Zack renege on his commitment, because she had wanted him to get that car right, and because his fatigue had tugged at her heartstrings.
Dammit, right now she didn’t deserve that promotion.
Fight, she told herself. Not just for Sandra’s business, but for yourself, for your future, for your peace of mind. Determination trickled into her veins. Not enough. If you don’t fight this battle, no one else will. Resolve built, becoming a flood that swept her forward.
“That’s not acceptable.” Gaby amended her earlier comment to the journalist, her tone clipped.
“There’s nothing I can do,” Kaye said, her smile friendly but firm.
“There’s always something.” Gaby tugged the front door closed behind her. “What if Zack signs on for the bachelor contest?”
Kaye’s eyes lit up. “He didn’t seem overly interested.”
“If I can persuade him,” Gaby persisted, “will you give us the cover?”
The request went beyond what they’d agreed with the magazine, but as far as she knew, Zack had never had the cover of a women’s magazine. Unlike Trent.
Kaye pursed her lips. “I’d need to talk to my editor. But Zack would sure spice up the contest—he’s a bit of a dark horse.”
You can say that again. “He won’t enter unless we get the cover,” Gaby said firmly.
Kaye hesitated. “I think we can do that—I’ll call you when I’m back at the office.”
Gaby shook the reporter’s hand with a determination that her marshmallow-me didn’t recognize. Hold that thought. And go back inside to Zack, ready to fight with everything you’ve got.
CHAPTER SIX
A MAZING HOW THE DECISION to fight for her life crystallized Gaby’s thoughts. By the time she reached the great room, she had a full battle strategy. She wasn’t entirely proud of it, but she was confident it would work.
She found Zack flopped on the couch, his head thrown back, eyes closed. Lines of tiredness ran from his nose to the corners of his mouth, and for a moment Gaby thought he’d fallen asleep. He held up a hand as she approached. “I know, I know. I screwed
Similar Books
