An uncomfortably long moment passed before Michael stepped back. “Come in.”
Half a dozen thoughts tumbled around in Zoe’s mind as she stepped into the hallway. Chief among them was that she was going to kill her mother for setting her up like this. Parent or not, she was so fired. Zoe’s eyes quickly took in the modern décor. The chrome fixtures, silver and gray color scheme, and sleek lines were classic Michael. The mess was not. She took her time staring anywhere but into her ex-boyfriend’s eyes. She needed to remember that he didn’t remember her. To him, she was a stranger. When he turned around, she held out her hand. “I’m Zoe Watson.”
With only a moment’s hesitation, he took her hand in his. “Hello, Zoe.”
She swallowed hard and looked away. His warm brown eyes had lost none of their appeal. How it was possible she didn’t know, but he was even more handsome than she remembered. And he’d been plenty handsome to start with. “If you’ll just excuse me for a second, I’ve got to run out to my car. I’ve forgotten something.” Not waiting for a response, she turned and virtually fled out the front door. Once she reached the safety of her front seat, she grabbed her cell phone and punched in her mother’s number. After four rings her mother finally picked up.
“Hello, darling.”
“Mother,” Zoe practically hissed, “I think you know why I’m calling.”
“To thank me? There’s no need. It’s all in a day’s work.”
Zoe closed her eyes and forced herself to take a deep breath. “I’m glad you’re enjoying this so much but I don’t appreciate being set-up.” She opened her eyes and glanced back up at Michael’s front door. “Do you have nothing better to do with your time than play games with my life?”
Her mother laughed. “Zoe, darling, do you know how many widowers there are in the state of Florida? Trust me, I have plenty to do. FYI, I am not playing games, I simply booked a client.”
“Who happens to be my ex-boyfriend.”
“Ah, the one you let get away.”
Zoe was getting nowhere. Why had she even bothered to call? The professional thing to do would be to get back to the house but she was feeling anything but professional. She hadn’t seen Michael in a year. Plenty had changed. He’d moved to a new house, she’d started Maid for Love. He’d forgotten her, and she’d not forgotten a single moment they’d spent together. Suddenly, and for the first time ever, she wished she had the power to erase her memories of him.
Her mother’s voice broke through her thoughts. “Zoe, are you still there?”
“Unfortunately, yes.”
“Sweetheart, I swear I didn’t initiate contact with your Michael. He called in to inquire about our services without a clue that you owned Maid for Love. He just needs his house cleaned.”
And Zoe just needed her heart to be safe and protected, not broken all over again. “I don’t think I can do it.”
“Zoe, love, he doesn’t know who you are anymore. You erased all of his memories of you and your time together.” Her mother’s voice was full of sympathy. “That’s how powerful your gift is.”
"Gift? It feels more like a curse."
“Think of it this was way, you're now free to be around Michael without worrying about all the things you used to worry about. Remember? You felt as if your life was spinning out of control when you were dating? I tried to tell you that what you were feeling was a normal part of being in love.”
“Mother, please. I don’t want to go there.”
“Good, because you’ve erased any chance of that ever happening.”
As much as it pained her to hear it, she knew her mother was right. It’s what she’d wanted and it’s what she’d got. It was time to deal with it. Like it or not.
“Where are you now?” her mother asked.
“I’m sitting in my car. Outside of Michael’s house.”
“Oh, honestly, Zoe. Do you realize how crazy you must seem to him? Get back in there and act like the professional you are.”
Zoe glanced back up at the house. Her mother was right. Michael Archer was no longer a man who was in love with her. He was a man who needed his house cleaned. “I will.” She got out of the car and made her way back up the pathway to the front door. “I’m sorry I accused you of setting this up.”
“It’s okay, darling. You know, in all truth, if I thought it would have worked, I would have tried to get you two back together. You were so good together. I think Michael was the one.”
Was. As in past tense. As in never going to happen again. Zoe said goodbye to her mother, tucked her cell phone into her pocket, and knocked on Michael's front door. She could do this. She would just march right back in there and act like the stranger to him that she was.
When the door swung open again, Zoe had her game face on. “I apologize, Mr. Archer. I had an emergency back at the office I had to handle.”
He didn’t answer right away, he simply watched her for a long moment. Zoe forced herself not to look away. She could play it cool. Even if it killed her. “May I come in?”
“Of course,” he stood back and ushered her in. “Is everything alright?”
“Yes, thank you, I just had to handle something.” Relief washed over her as she stepped into the entryway. She was going to make this the world’s shortest initial visit ever. “Why don’t we start in the living room?”
Without waiting for an answer, she headed into what she assumed was the living room. There she was greeted by a staggering amount of clutter and the curious stares of two teenagers. “Hello.”
“Hey,” the boy said.
“Hey,” the girl echoed.
“C’mon guys, you can do better than that.” Michael’s voice came from behind Zoe. Not that he needed to have said anything for her to know how close he was. Every nerve in her body was on high alert.
“It’s okay, I recognize teenage speak,” she said without turning around. “Years ago, I used to be fluent.” This earned her a giggle from the girl and a good natured smirk from the boy. Zoe couldn’t have been more grateful for their presence. They made the perfect buffer. “I’m Zoe.”
“This is my niece, Kathryn, and that’s my nephew, Josh.”
Kathryn waved her hand in greeting. “You’re the new housekeeper?”
“Not exactly,” Zoe said. Anxious for an excuse to move away from Michael, she walked over to the sofa where the two teens sat. “I’m the owner and I conduct the initial consultation. After I see how much has to be done, I schedule a crew to come out.” She left out the part about the return visit she always made to determine which painful memory to eliminate. There was no need for that part of the service on this job. It was more than obvious that Michael Archer had no recollection of her. At all.
“Actually, that’s going to be a problem.”
“Why is that, Mr. Archer?” She ran a finger lightly over a bookshelf, not because it looked particularly dusty, but because she needed an excuse to avoid looking at him.
“Call me Michael.”
His voice was deep and warm, she remembered the way it had made her feel safe and secure when she was with him. She waited for him to speak but when he said nothing, Zoe had no choice but to turn around. “Why will that be a problem?”
“I’m not entirely comfortable with having someone in my home when the kids are here and I’m not. Someone that I don’t know, I mean.”
Zoe’s breath caught in her throat. She forced herself to meet his eyes. “You don’t know me.”
To Zoe, it felt like a lifetime passed in the minute he took to answer.
“I have a sense about people,” he finally said. “And I want you. I mean, I want you to be the one here in our home.”
To her absolute shock, Zoe found herself nodding. “I think I can make that work.”
He smiled.
She panicked. What in the name of heaven had she just agreed to? She had to get out of the room. She turned to his niece. “Kathryn, do you think you could show me around?”
During
the tour of the house, Zoe figured out two things in short order. One, she could think far more clearly when Michael wasn’t in the same room with her. Two, she could easily take on this job. The house, underneath the clutter and mess that only two teens could make, was actually very clean. So she’d be able to get in and out in record time and collect the generous fee that her mother had charged Michael. All she had to do was schedule a time to come and tidy up when he was at work.
She found Michael sitting in the living room with his nephew. She paused in the doorway, her eyes greedily drinking in his profile. She’d missed him. No question about that. But she hadn’t realized just how much.
He turned and looked directly at her.
Zoe felt her face flush.
“So what do you think?”
What could she say? I think I’m an idiot for letting you go. But wait, maybe I’m a genius for saving myself from a lifetime of feeling out of control, head over heels in love with you. Instead she sighed.
“That bad, huh?”
She shook her head. “No. I can do this.”
He smiled. “Good.”
“I’ll start tomorrow,” she said. “What time do you leave for work?”
“Eight.”
Great. She’d show up after nine when he would be safely gone. “That works.” She waved goodbye to Kathryn and Josh. “It was nice to meet you both.”
Michael stood. “I’ll show you out.”
Zoe followed him to the door, willing herself to keep it together until she could make it to the car. “Goodbye, Mr. Archer,” she called over her shoulder as she made her way down the flagstone path.
“Wait, Zoe, don’t you remember?”
She froze. Reluctantly she forced herself to turn around. “Remember what?”
“Call me Michael.”
***
Michael had what could best be described as a fitful sleep and his mood the next morning reflected his lack of shut eye. “Has anyone made coffee yet?” he asked as he stumbled into the kitchen.
His niece and nephew exchanged amused glances.
“What’s so funny?” he demanded.
“What’s the matter, Uncle M? Were you up late last night thinking about Zoe?”
He frowned. “No, Kathryn, I wasn’t.” Not technically. He’d been awake all night thinking about what an idiot he’d been to ever let her go. Although, he rationalized as he turned on the coffee maker, Zoe had been the one who had wanted to end their relationship. She’d sat him down and tried to convince him that he could forget her. As if it were that easy to forget someone you were in love with.
Except that it appeared to have been that easy for Zoe. Not only had she not been in contact once in the last year, yesterday she’d acted like she’d never met him before. She’d called him Mr. Archer, like he was the high school shop teacher or something. He rubbed his temples. It hadn’t made any sense yesterday and it made even less sense now that he’d been awake all night thinking about it.
His nephew’s voice broke through his thoughts. “So what’s the story with you and Zoe?”
Michael busied himself pouring a cup of coffee. “There’s no story.”
“Yeah, right.”
“C’mon, Uncle M, we saw the way you looked at her,” Kathryn said. “You thought she was hot.”
He carried his mug to the table. “If by that you mean she is attractive, I certainly did notice. That does not mean there is a story.” He sat at the table and reached for a donut. “I see we’re having the breakfast of champions.”
Josh gave one of his signature shrugs. “Easier clean up than bacon and eggs.”
Michael surveyed the kitchen. While it wasn’t up to his usual standards, it was obvious that the kids had put in a real effort to straighten up. “Looks decent in here. Thank you.”
“Are you going to hang around while Zoe’s here?” Kathryn asked.
He shook his head. How pathetic would that be? It was bad enough that his heart was still broken, he didn’t need his ego bruised on top of that. “I’m heading into the office. Will you guys be okay here without me?”
Without missing a beat, they assured him that they’d be fine. Of course they would. They had their cell phones, tablets, gaming system, and the number for pizza delivery on speed dial. So there was no reason he needed to hang around, certainly not for the privilege of watching Zoe act like she’d never seen him before.
He spent the entire drive to work wondering why Zoe was playing it this way. He’d not had a clue that Maid for Love had anything to do with her when he called to make an appointment. He’d asked around the office for cleaning company referrals and Maid for Love had come up more than several times. He’d been just as surprised to see her as she’d been to see him. But whereas his instinct had been to take her in his arms, hers had been to act like he was a stranger. Okay. Fine. He could play it that way.
And he did. Right up until eleven o’clock when he found himself back in his car and headed home. He cranked the radio up high, hoping that the music would drown out the voice of reason that was trying to get his attention. 'Have you no pride?' his inner voice chided. Derided was more like it. The sight of Zoe’s car still parked in front of his house was a relief, if only because it meant that this whole thing could be hashed out once and for all.
He found Zoe in the kitchen with Kathryn and Josh. All three looked up as he came in.
“Hey, Uncle M.”
Michael ignored Kathryn’s knowing grin. He didn’t even bother to look at Josh because he knew he’d see the same barely concealed amusement in his nephew’s expression. Zoe looked mildly surprised but still composed.
“I forgot something,” he blurted out. His gaze settled on his ex. “How are you, Zoe?”
She hesitated only a moment. “Good morning, Mr. Archer.”
He frowned.
“Michael.”
“Zoe, can I talk to you for a minute?”
Her eyes widened slightly. “Of course.”
He directed a pointed glance toward his niece and nephew, which they in turn ignored. “Kids, do you mind?” He motioned to the door with his head but still neither of them moved.
“Mind what?” Josh asked.
“He wants us out,” Kathryn said. “C’mon Josh.”
Michael waited until they were out of sight, and hopefully out of earshot, before he spoke. “Zoe, what’s going on here?”
She looked around the kitchen. “I’m cleaning.”
“That’s not-” but he got no further before she cut him off.
“The kids did a great job of cleaning up after I left yesterday.” She gathered up a bottle of spray cleaner in one hand and a roll of paper towels in the other. “I’m just going to dust the living room and then I’ll be off.”
She moved to go around him but Michael held his ground. If she was going to carry on with this ridiculous charade that she didn’t know him from a stranger at the grocery store, he wasn’t about to let her get away with it. He stood his ground in the middle of the doorway. “I think we should talk about what’s going on here.”
He could have sworn that he saw a glimmer of understanding in Zoe's eyes. Beautiful blue eyes that had haunted him since she’d left. He would wait all day if it meant she was ready to confess.
But his niece had other plans. Kathryn came up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder. “Can I talk to you, Uncle M?”
“Later, Kathryn,” he answered without taking his eyes from Zoe’s.
“Uh, I think now’s better,” Kathryn persisted. She tugged on his arm. “Please.”
“You’d better go, Michael.” Zoe made her move and squeezed past him. “I’ll just see to the living room.”
Exasperated, Michael sank into one of the kitchen chairs. “What is so all fire important, Kathryn, that it couldn’t wait until I was done with Zoe?”
Kathryn sat across from him. “You’re going to be done with Zoe all right if you keep acting like that. Are you crazy?”
He sure felt like it, but that wasn’t something he was about to admit to his fourteen-year-old niece. Or his sixteen-year-old nephew either, he decided as Josh joined them. “You were listening to our conversation?”
Kathryn nodded. “Lucky for you, yes. What were you trying to do?”
Hoping for some male solidarity, he turned to Josh. “What do you think?”
“I think I understand why you’re still single.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning that wasn’t cool. Chicks don’t dig that kind of tough act.”
Chicks? Tough act? Michael's ego hit an all-time low. Had the kids thought he was putting the muscle on Zoe? “No guys, you don’t understand. Zoe and I know each other.”
“Right, you met her yesterday.” Kathryn’s voice was low and soothing, as if she were talking him off a ledge. “We were here with you.”
“No, I mean we dated for over a year.” He looked between them. “We were in love.”
“You’d never guess that by the way she’s acting,” Josh said.
“Exactly.” Michael felt slightly vindicated. “I don’t know what’s going on. Yesterday she acted like she’d never seen me before.”
“You’re sure it’s the same Zoe, right?” Josh asked.
Michael was saved from having to answer that by the withering glance Kathryn shot in her brother’s direction. “She’s certainly acting like she doesn’t know you, but who broke up the relationship? You or Zoe?”
“Zoe.”
“Ouch.” Josh shook his head ruefully. “That bites.”
“Yes, it did. It does.” He turned to Kathryn, whose uncharacteristic frown marred her normally genial expression. “What are you thinking?”
“Why did Zoe run out to her car yesterday? You know, right after she got here?”
“She said she had to make an emergency call to the office.”
Kathryn’s lips curled into a slightly smug smile. “I think not.”
Josh looked between them. “What am I missing?”
Kathryn leaned in and lowered her voice. “I think Zoe remembers knowing Uncle M.”
Remembered him? She’d loved him. That much Michael was sure about, even if everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours made no sense at all.
Maid for Love (A Romantic Comedy) Page 2
