Always A Bridesmaid (Left At the Altar) (21 page)

Will put his arm around her. "You didn't coerce anybody, sweetheart."

"Will's right," Zach said. "This was my fault, not yours. I'm sorry for ruining your dinner party. I should go."

He got up from his chair and walked to the front hall closet to get his coat. He felt like he'd just hit a brick wall, a five-foot-two-inch brick wall with soulful brown eyes.

As he drove home he wondered what he could possibly do to make things right.

* * * *

Dani pushed herself to the edge of her endurance, her mind racing as she ran the indoor track at her gym. Over and over she replayed the events of the previous evening. Had she overreacted? Had she used the stupid fight with Zach over plastic surgery as an excuse to push him away? Probably, but maybe it was best to know now how he felt than to be humiliated and rejected later on.

But it hurt so much to get close to him only to have her happiness ripped away once more.

He'd called several times since last night, leaving messages in which he apologized for the fight and asked what it had been about. She hadn't returned any of his calls. He deserved to know the truth, but it would have to wait until after her surgery.

Though sweat rolled down her back and she was at her breaking point, she made herself do another lap. She couldn't cancel the surgery, not even for Zach. She had to do this. For her.

She sensed someone approaching her on the outside lane. Instead of passing her as she'd expected, the runner slowed and fell into pace beside her.

"Hey, baby. I've been watching you. The way those tits of yours bounce, I get hot every time I see you."

Oh, God. Another one.
Dani kept her face neutral, trying not let her fear and revulsion show. She'd found that guys like him were only encouraged by a vehement response, taking a refusal as a show of interest.

"Get lost before I call security."

"Looking for a threesome, are you?" He chuckled. "I could get into that."

"I said get lost."

"I see you here a lot," he said in a low voice. "And I think about what I want to do to you and those big tits of yours."

Fear crawled up her spine, turning her sweat to ice. She glanced around frantically, looking for help. The indoor track was on the second floor of the gym, parts of it overlooking the swimming pool on the main floor. It circled around exercise equipment and stretching areas that were presently busy with people working out. Only one part of the track was out of the sight of the main gym, a corner with a couple of washrooms and a small stretching area, currently unoccupied. As soon as they rounded this corner, she'd run off the track and alert one of the trainers.

As they ran past the corner, he touched her.

"Just one little feel, baby."

He squeezed her left breast. Dani saw red.

"Get your hands off me, you bastard."

She brought her foot down hard on his instep, and when he bent over in pain, she pushed the heel of her hand hard into his nose, just the way she'd been taught in her self-defense class. Blood poured from his nostrils.

The jerk stared at her, holding his nose. "You broke my nose!"

"Serves you right. Don't you ever touch me again."

"Dani! "

She turned her head to see Zach bounding up to her, his face pale. "I saw him grab you. Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. What are you doing here?"

"I just got a membership. Did he hurt you?"

"No, of course not. I handled it."

The jerk lifted his head, blood pouring from his nose. "She's crazy, man! Look what she did to me!"

He stepped up to him, his voice low and menacing. "Just be very glad she got to you before I did." He spoke without turning toward her. "Dani, go get security so they can toss this piece of garbage out on his ass."

She ran off, her heart racing. Why had Zach suddenly taken a membership at her gym? Was it because he wanted to see her?

She shook her head. It was no good. Seeing him at the gym would only torment her, knowing they could never be together. She'd have to look for a new gym.

Dani gave her statement to security, her face burning with embarrassment as she told them what the jerk had said to her and what he'd done, especially since Zach insisted on accompanying her. Though he said nothing, she could feel his barely restrained fury.

Security escorted the jerk from the gym, relieving him of his pass as he left so he couldn't return. For the sake of all the other women at the gym she was glad management was taking the matter seriously.

After she'd given her statement, she went to the women's locker room and had a long, hot shower to wash away the feel of the jerk's hand on her. When she emerged from the locker room, feeling better, she was surprised to find Zach waiting for her.

"Why are you still here?"

"I wanted to make sure you're okay."

"I'm fine, so you can go home now."

"Do you have time for a cup of coffee?"

She shook her head. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Please Dani. Just a few minutes of your time. That's all I ask."

She read the vulnerability in his eyes, as if her answer meant a lot to him. It had never occurred to her before that she could affect his happiness as much as he affected hers. She could never deliberately hurt him.

"Okay. One cup of coffee."

They grabbed a table in the gym's cafeteria and Zach brought them each a coffee. She was touched when she saw he'd brought low-fat milk along with the coffee. He'd actually remembered how she liked her coffee.

He took his seat and stirred his coffee. "Has this happened to you before? Men accosting you, propositioning you?" His gaze didn't meet hers.

"I've had men make lewd remarks to me several times. Lots of them enjoy staring at my chest. When a woman has boobs as big as mine, they seem to think we're fair game, that we enjoy that sort of thing."

He lifted his head, his gaze meeting hers. "Has anyone ever touched you before, hurt you?"

"No one's ever hurt me." He didn't need to know about other boob obsessed idiots who had copped a feel.

He closed his eyes and let out his breath. "Thank God."

She waved away his concern. "I'm just glad they tossed the guy out and took away his membership. Speaking of which, when did you become a member here?"

"A few days ago. I remembered that you said you came here to run in the winter. I came hoping to find you here, to talk to you."

"Well, you have great timing, I'll give you that," she said, in an effort to lighten the situation.

He didn't return her smile. "When I think what he could have done to you--"

"I handled it, Zach, like I've been handling men like him since I was fourteen. I can look after myself."

"But you shouldn't have to."

"No, I shouldn't have to." Which was why she was determined to do something about it.

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault some men are bastards."

He shook his head. "I'm sorry you had to go through this at all."

She waved away his concern. The last thing she wanted was his pity. "It's fine. But I've got to say, those self-defense classes were well worth the money. I totally kicked ass."

She'd hoped he'd smile at her attempt at humor, but his expression remained serious.

"I'm sorry about the fight we had last night. I don't even know why we were fighting over something as stupid as plastic surgery."

Dani's back stiffened. He'd never understand what this surgery meant to her. "I don't want to fight either. Let's just forget the whole thing." She finished the last of her coffee and got to her feet. "I should be going."

Zach rose as well. "I'll walk you to your car."

"That's really not necessary."

Anger flashed in his eyes. "That guy could be waiting out there for you. There's no way I'm going to let you go out there on your own."

She shivered at the thought of meeting her tormentor in a dimly lit parking garage. "Okay. We'll walk out together. But just this one time. I don't want you to think we're going to make a habit of this."

"Fine." He picked up his gym bag. "Let's go."

They walked to her car in almost total silence, only talking when it was necessary to give directions. When they reached her car, she dug her keys from her purse and unlocked the door. "Thanks for the escort, Zach. I appreciate it."

"My pleasure. Dani..."

"Yes?"

"I love you."

He stepped close and cupped her face, his touch gentle. Then he lowered his head to kiss her, his lips warm and soft against hers. Though the kiss was brief, she could feel the strength of the emotions pouring out of him. She shivered with need, longing to pull him into her arms and take him home with her. She wanted so much to make love with him again. But sex would solve nothing. They'd still be at an impasse.

Reluctantly, she pulled away and opened her car door. "I'd better go."

Without a word, he stepped aside to let her enter the car. A moment later she put the car into gear and backed out of her parking spot. As she drove away she saw him in her rear-view mirror, his head bowed. Tears rushed into her eyes, obscuring her sight and making her want to stop the car and run back into his arms.

But she couldn't. As much as she wanted to be with Zach, she had to accept they were simply not meant to be.

She was a wreck, a freaking train wreck.

The surgery was only three days away and she was getting more anxious by the minute. She still hadn't asked anyone to be her responsible adult to drive her home and check up on her, and it was weighing on her. Her family was going to be angry and disappointed in her, especially her mother. Every night she had strange dreams about her breasts. Sometimes one nipple was much higher than the other; sometimes they both drooped down to her waist like empty sacks. It was getting so she didn't want to go to sleep at night.

On top of everything, there was Zach.

He'd called her several times since the incident at the gym, but she didn't pick up. What could she say to him: "You know those vain women obsessed with their looks that you hate so much? I'm one of them." He'd made his feelings quite clear. The last thing she needed was someone to make her feel even worse about herself and what she felt she had to do.

Still, the tender way he'd kissed her in the parking garage at the gym haunted her. Maybe she could make him understand. Maybe if she explained her feelings, he'd come to see that it wasn't vanity that drove her to the surgery, but the need to feel normal.

Even if he understood her feelings, there was no guarantee he'd stick around. A terrible thought struck her. What if the only reason he was interested in her at all was because of the size of her breasts? If she suddenly had regular sized breasts would he lose interest, walk away?

She shook her head. No, Zach wasn't like that. But that didn't mean she could hold his interest for the long haul.

Dani held her head in her hands. As lousy as she felt, she still had to ask someone to be her responsible adult. She'd already signed papers saying she would, and the clinic wouldn't do the surgery without someone standing by to pick her up.

Sarah was her oldest friend in the world. She would just have to suck it up and ask for her help. She dialed her number before she could chicken out. Her call was picked up on the first ring.

"Dani! Where have you been? I've been calling you for days!"

"I know, I'm sorry. I haven't been picking up. I haven't wanted to talk to anyone for the last few days."

"Is this because of what happened at my dinner party?"

"Kind of."

"Oh, I knew it was my fault!" she said. "I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault. You didn't do anything wrong. It's just that I found out some things about Zach at your party that I didn't know before."

"Are you talking about the fight you had about plastic surgery? What was that all about?"

"That's why I'm calling you. Can you be my responsible adult when I have my breast reduction surgery?"

There was silence on the line for several seconds. "Wait a minute," Sarah said finally. "Did you say you're having surgery, that you're getting a breast reduction?"

"Yes, I am."

She told Sarah the whole story and what would be required of her. "Do you think you can help me?"

"Of course I can. I can pick you up after the surgery and drive you home. I'm just teaching half days in the mornings until the baby comes, so I can stay with you in the afternoon. But I can't stay overnight. There's no way I'd be able to sleep comfortably at your house. I have enough trouble sleeping in my own bed these days."

"I'm sorry to impose on you."

"It's no imposition. I'm sure Olivia can stay with you overnight for a day or two. Or maybe you can stay at Tony and Liv's house for a few days after the surgery. I'm sure they'd love to have you."

"No! I don't want Tony to know. He'll try to talk me out of this."

"You mean you haven't told your family?"

"I plan to tell them," Dani said. "As soon as it's all over."

"Oh honey, are you sure about this?"

"Yes, I'm sure. That's the way it has to be."

"Okay then. How about if you come to my house? We've got a spare bedroom where you can convalesce for a few days. And Will's home during the day, if you have any problems."

"Are you sure Will won't mind?"

"Of course he won't, but I'll run it past him. Are you sure you don't want to talk to your mother about this? I think she'd like to know."

"I promise I'll tell her once the surgery is over. You know what they say, better to beg forgiveness than ask permission."

"What about Zach? Have you talked to him?"

"I really don't need to. It's not like he and I are together."

"If you say so." Sarah didn't sound convinced. "Give me the times and dates of the surgery again? I'd better write this down."

Dani gave her all the pertinent details, and Sarah rang off, promising to call the day before the surgery. She heaved a sigh of relief.

So now she had her responsible adult to look after her. She was determined to go ahead with the breast reduction come hell or high water.