“Wait,” Emily interrupted, “when did you have such a long conversation with him? When you left my suite last week? Or in Ryan’s office? Because before that, you hadn’t exchanged more than a few civil words with him in the past six weeks. But, wait, you didn’t duck into Ryan’s office for long enough to have discussed Meredith. Which means…”
Michelle groaned. “I saw him after I left your room that night.”
Kate’s eyes bugged out. “After you left us?”
“Yes. He was waiting at my door.”
Emily grinned from ear to ear. “Did he like your hair?” She clapped her hands. “You were wearing that skirt and that tight tank, and you had on makeup. Perfect.”
“Not perfect. I wish it hadn’t happened now.”
“Because of Meredith?” Kate asked.
“Among other things, but yes.”
Kate shook her head. “I don’t know what you saw this afternoon, but I can assure you Zeke is not into that bitch. He never even mentioned her again after they divorced. He might be leery about dating again, but he can’t possibly have feelings for Meredith.”
Michelle shrugged. “I don’t know what to tell you. I nearly threw myself at him that night. I’ve seen him a few other times too. I’m so embarrassed I want to fall through a crack in the floor. I can’t believe I was so stupid. I even teased him about my inability to pull more than a few smiles out of him. So, yes, it pisses me off that he could laugh that hard with his damn ex. She can have him.”
Emily shook her head. “I agree with Kate. Something’s off. He was livid when Meredith left earlier. Ryan thought he was going to punch a hole in the wall. He even told the front desk to never let her back on the property again.”
Michelle frowned, confused. “Well, whatever, it was a bad idea anyway. The man isn’t ready for a real relationship.”
“Did he say that?” Emily asked.
“Several times. His self-esteem was trampled on by Meredith. Or so he implies. Even when we’re alone together, he keeps an emotional distance between us. I’ve tried to break down his barriers, but he shoots me down every time, rambling about it not being fair to me for him to take things further between us. I should have read the signs. The man’s obviously not that into me.”
Emily’s gaze was incredulous as if she didn’t believe what Michelle was telling her.
“So you didn’t sleep with him yet?” Kate asked.
Michelle shook her head. “No, but shit. I feel so stupid. I would have. He apparently has more willpower than me.”
“He turned you down?” Emily took another drink of wine and then grabbed the bottle from the coffee table.
“Yep.”
“Ouch.” Kate took the bottle from Emily.
“Clearly, he’s still hung up on his ex-wife. I should have realized. No wonder he doesn’t want to have sex with me.”
Kate was shaking her head. “I don’t believe that for a second. Something else is going on with him.”
“Whatever. It doesn’t matter now. Ugh.” Michelle rubbed her temples.
Emily leaned back. “We might need more wine.”
Michelle forced a smile. “I need sleep. It’s been a long day. I’m exhausted. I’m over it. Tomorrow, I’ll return to working with him and not mention a thing. I can be professional.”
“Sure.” Kate nodded.
“For the record,” Emily added, “Ryan and I went through a similar phase when we hooked up. We were super-worried about what would happen if we broke up, and we took things slow at first. But I’ve never been this happy, and I wouldn’t trade what we have for the world. It’s so nice having someone to climb into bed with at the end of the day when working under such stressful conditions for months at a time.”
“I’m so happy for you two, but Zeke has made it clear he isn’t going to take that risk because he doesn’t think he’s cut out for relationships. I don’t know why I haven’t gotten that through my thick head sooner. I feel like an idiot for how many times I’ve put myself out there. I’m done. Lesson learned.”
Kate blew out a breath and looked away.
Michelle caught her wiping a tear from her cheek. “Kate?” She realized they were both being insensitive. Emily had a permanent man, and Michelle at least had a few evenings of excitement. How long had it been since Kate had a relationship? Michelle had never asked.
Emily grabbed Kate’s hand and squeezed it. “Kate’s story is complicated. I’m sorry, hon. I wasn’t thinking.”
Kate shook her head and pursed her lips, wiping more tears from her cheeks. “Don’t be sorry. I’m being silly. I’m happy for you.”
Michelle didn’t want to pry, so she said nothing. But the emotions on Kate’s face made her heart squeeze.
After a few moments of silence, Kate took a deep breath and faced Michelle. “I’m in love with a man who’s still preserved.” She let out a sharp chuckle. “Huh. I’ve never said that out loud.”
Emily smiled and squeezed her hand again. “But I knew. I could tell ten years ago.”
“I figured you knew.”
Michelle smiled too. “What’s his name?”
“Graham Wentz.”
“I’ve seen his name on the records.”
“Well, keep it to yourself. He doesn’t know I exist.”
Michelle laughed. “He must know you exist. You worked together for years before you were preserved.”
She rolled her eyes. “He might know my name. That’s about it.”
Emily perked up. “Well, you’ll just have to change that when he wakes up.”
“Sure,” Kate responded sarcastically. “I’m pretty sure I could slide onto his lap naked, and he wouldn’t notice.”
Michelle laughed again. “Can’t be that bad. Although, maybe you have a point. These scientists are pretty nerdy. I came close to stripping for Zeke in an effort to get him horny enough to want to sleep with me, and I failed miserably.” She shuddered. “Thank God for small favors.”
Emily set her empty glass on the coffee table. “We should go and let you sleep, but don’t give up on Zeke so fast. He’s been through a lot. He’ll come around. Give him time.”
Michelle didn’t respond. She had made up her mind. Everything that happened today helped her see reason. Getting involved with a man who didn’t trust women had been a horrible idea, and it was even worse that she still had to work with him. Whatever. Time to move on.
Chapter 9
One week later…
* * *
Zeke hugged his jacket around his body against the wind. It was May, but the days in Falling Rock were still chilly. He looked at Ryan, who had his arm wrapped around Emily. “Did you speak to Dade?” He still felt a little nervous about Emily knowing about Dade, but keeping it from her had put pressure on Ryan.
Ryan nodded. “Yes. He and Blair are in Montana looking for clues about what might have tipped someone off about my parents.”
“Right. That’s where your parents were hiding when someone found them and hunted them down.”
“Yes. On a ranch. Should have been secure.”
“But it wasn’t.” Zeke sighed. “So we know someone isn’t super-pleased with our reawakening, but we have no idea who.”
Ryan nodded. “Exactly. I’d bet anything it’s an inside job, but there’s no telling where it’s coming from. That’s why I don’t want anyone to have a clue that Dade lived. It not only makes him a target, but it also thwarts his efforts to work behind the scenes. Having someone outside the bunker digging around is a godsend.”
“You don’t believe someone inside the bunker would be sabotaging our efforts, do you?”
Ryan shook his head. “Not really. But someone somewhere is. The question is, why? Obviously Temple has to report to people higher up the food chain. Who knows who among them might tell other people about our progress and the reanimation of your team. It’s classified, but we all know how useful that label is at times.”
“It’s the damn government, though.
Why the hell would they be trying to injure, kill, or kidnap their own people? People who gave up their lives to work hard to cure diseases and paid for their efforts with a decade in preservation?”
“I seriously don’t get it. Neither does Dade. He has only encountered dead ends so far.”
“How’s he feeling?”
“Amazing. He sounds fantastic.”
Emily smiled. “That might have something to do with Blair. They’re attached at the hip. Neither of them cares a bit that they gave up their entire lives and everyone they know to snoop and hide together.”
Zeke felt a tug on his heart thinking about anyone enjoying that sort of relationship. Ryan and Emily obviously did also. In fact, Ryan kissed her forehead as she spoke. Nope. It definitely wouldn’t have been reasonable for Ryan to leave his own significant other in the dark.
Zeke didn’t imagine he would ever enjoy whatever bond other people seemed to find together. He had failed miserably the first time, and he hadn’t exactly done a bang-up job with the only other women he’d ever had feelings for.
Emily glanced at Ryan and then looked at Zeke again. “What happened between you and Michelle?”
Zeke flinched. “What do you mean? Nothing happened.”
She rolled her eyes. “Come on. I know the two of you got together that night after Kate and I highlighted her hair. I also know you met up a few other times after that. I just don’t understand why you’re both being so stubborn about it.”
Ryan looked about as uncomfortable as Zeke felt. Women sometimes had this uncanny need to poke people to death about their private lives. But Zeke was a little shocked to find out Michelle had mentioned their time together to anyone. “She told you about us?”
“Not really. Kate and I more or less yanked it out of her.”
“Kate knows too?” His voice rose and then he groaned. “Jesus.”
Ryan cringed.
Emily continued. “Good grief. We’re girls. We talk. We knew she was into you. That’s why she wanted us to do her hair.”
Zeke swiped a hand down his face. This was getting worse by the second.
“She said she was into me?”
She frowned. “Well, of course.”
Then why the hell is she no longer talking to me? He realized he had played a key role in the fact that they had drifted apart. He hadn’t done a thing to encourage her. And she’d made it easy when she seemed to withdraw from him, giving him an excuse to go back into his shell. His insecurities had slammed right back into place when she stopped meeting his gaze or finding excuses to run into him.
His encounter with Meredith had drained him, forcing him to remember what a bad choice he’d made fourteen years ago. He didn’t need that kind of headache again.
Michelle’s obvious disinterest helped confirm what he already knew—that he wasn’t relationship material. Thank God she’d figured it out before they’d taken things further because his heart would be stomped on now if they’d slept together.
“I think the two of you had a misunderstanding, and you’re both too stubborn to admit it and talk about it.”
“I’m pretty sure we both agree that it’s a bad idea to start a relationship with someone you work with.” He winced. “No offense. I’m glad it worked out for the two of you, but not everyone is that lucky.”
“I think you’re making excuses because you’re scared.”
He took a step back, frustrated.
She pressed on. “Did you ever speak to her after your ex-wife visited?”
“Of course. I speak to her every day. We work together.”
“Yeah, but I mean about your laughing.”
“My what?” Damn, this woman was twisting him in knots.
“She walked by the conference room while you were with Meredith and caught you laughing. It kind of threw her for a loop because we all thought…well, that you hated Meredith.”
Zeke was too stunned to respond. His mouth hung open while he tried to recall what Michelle would have witnessed. And then it hit him, and he slapped his forehead. “Shit.”
“Brings tears to your eyes, doesn’t it?”
Michelle turned her head to the side to find Temple standing next to her, her eyes watering.
“Yes.” She had just left General Custodio’s room when she encountered Temple in the hallway.
Temple, who was rarely emotional, put a hand over her heart and sighed. “I’ve never been married myself, so I can’t imagine that kind of love.”
“Me neither.” It was amazing seeing Elena reunited with her husband after fifteen years. He’d only been awake two days, but his wife had never left his side. She had stars in her eyes and held his hand as if they were in high school.
“How are things in the lab?” Temple asked, wiping her eyes.
“A full week without an incident. It’s a blessing. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. I think we’re all on pins and needles.”
Temple nodded. “Hopefully everything that has happened has been a series of bizarre accidents, and it’s over now. I’m sure that’s wishful thinking, though, so we’re still looking for the source of the leaks.”
“Any new incidents out front? Has your undercover cop heard any rumblings?”
“Nothing too troublesome. Nicole checks in with me a few times a day to report anything suspicious, but so far nothing serious has caught her attention. The usual picketers and media.”
“That’s good, I guess.”
Emily rushed past the two of them in the hallway. She smiled awkwardly and gave a quick wave. “Hey.” And then she was gone.
Michelle watched her back, her blood pressure rising. Emily’s face had been flushed from the outdoors. Not unusual lately. In the past week, Michelle had hardly spent any time with her friends. She kept telling herself everyone was busy. Emily had a life. She had Ryan.
But something was off, and it niggled under Michelle’s skin often. Maybe Emily felt awkward about the fact that Michelle had decided not to pursue Zeke, though Michelle didn’t understand why the woman would care. It wasn’t as if Zeke had attempted any contact with Michelle either. By mutual agreement, they seemed to have stuffed their awkward relationship in a drawer and pretended it never happened.
The question was, why did that have anything to do with Emily?
“You okay?” Temple asked. “You spaced on me.”
“Yep. Just thinking. Gotta get back. I’ll see you later.” She turned around and headed for the lab. It seemed like she practically lived in that damn lab. When she entered, she noticed Ryan taking off his jacket and then arranging it over the back of a chair. Zeke was doing the same thing.
It was as if the three of them had a private little club going that took place fifty yards from the entrance to the bunker most days. If it were 1960 and they were smokers, she wouldn’t flinch. But it was not, and they weren’t. Instead, Michelle felt a pang as if she were being left out.
It was her own fault. Emily and Zeke had been friends for years. Zeke and Ryan had hit it off and become close also. Michelle was simply the new girl who had a few awkward encounters with a man she later ignored while he did the same. She had known Ryan for a long time, but until Emily came along, they hadn’t been close friends.
While she was subconsciously staring at Zeke, he turned around and met her gaze, holding it. He looked chagrined as if he felt bad about something.
She jerked her attention away from him and headed to her workspace to focus on anything that wasn’t Zeke. A self-conscious chill climbed up her spine at the irrational feeling that Zeke was not only still staring at her back, but that whatever he’d been outside discussing with Emily and Ryan had to do with her.
She gritted her teeth and fought for composure. Did they somehow have something against her? It made sense considering how distant Emily had been. Maybe they were mad about something she’d done in the office, but if they were gossiping about it, she would really be pissed.
Unable to keep from confronting one
of them, she stood and looked around for Ryan. He’d left the room, so she headed for his office. Finding him at his desk, she shut the door as he looked up. “Hey. What’s up?”
She sat across from him in the tight space that felt more like a closet and dove right in. “Did I do something to annoy anyone?” What if Zeke was mad at her for blowing him off, and told Ryan?
Ryan’s eyes widened in shock. “No, why?”
“You’re sure? I get the feeling I’m the topic of a secret side conversation happening behind my back lately.”
His face turned red as he lied to her. “Nope.”
She took a breath. “Ryan, come on. I’ve known you for years. I realize we aren’t so close that we hang out after hours or anything, but whatever is going on, I wish you would just tell me. I can’t fix it if I don’t know what I’ve done.”
He groaned and slumped in his seat. “Some days I wish I were a hermit.”
“Well, you’re not. So spill.”
“You should really talk to Zeke instead of me.”
She jerked in the chair. “Ah, so this has to do with Zeke. Please tell me it isn’t personal. I will kill him.”
Ryan winced.
She nearly jumped out of her chair. “Zeke has been talking to the two of you behind my back about our personal business?” Her voice rose with every word.
Ryan shook his head. “No. Never. It’s just that Emily got on him to talk to you. And now I’m on you to talk to him. Whatever misunderstanding you two had, please fix it before I lose my mind trying to keep up with the he-said-she-said.”
“No one should have said anything,” she shouted. “There’s nothing to say. We had a thing. That’s it. No story. It was a horrible idea. I’m sorry I ever spoke to him.”
The door opened behind her, and she spun around to find Zeke standing in the doorway. He looked miserable. “I could hear you from the hallway.”
Reviving Zeke Page 11
