Page 9 of No Time for Promises

Chapter 4

Zander

Cards, flowers, and chicken soup in hand, Zander paused at the door to apartment 309. He took a deep breath, reassuring himself this wasn’t a terrible idea.

He’d helped Rachel to her apartment on Saturday when they had finally been released from the hospital. He insisted on riding with her in the cab to help her maneuver things and get her settled in. She’d been insistent he didn’t need to, but he told her he was going to see the whole thing through, which meant making sure she was safely at home on the couch with everything she needed—including a decent cup of coffee he’d promised her. He’d helped her get situated with drinks and magazines. He’d even ordered her takeout, waiting until the deliveryman got to the door so she wouldn’t have to get up again. She’d assured him over and over she was fine and didn’t need him to call anyone, so he’d finally left, hesitantly, extremely late. He’d gotten home really late that night, much later than he’d expected. His cat, Jon Snow, had been overjoyed at their reunion, mostly because his food bowl had been empty. Exhausted, he’d fallen into bed thinking about the black-haired beauty who had stolen his entire Saturday—and maybe even more.

He fell asleep thinking about Rachel’s smile, her exuberance, and how dangerous it would be to see her again, especially if he wanted to protect his heart.

Spending a day in a hospital was never Zander’s idea of fun, but somehow, Rachel had made it worth it. Helping her out, holding her hand when they came to do more tests, and just getting to know the beaming woman who had blown into his life unexpectedly that morning hadn’t been the worst way to spend a Saturday.

Standing at her door, though, he debated if he’d made the right choice. It had been two days since the balcony throw down, and maybe he shouldn’t be standing here right now. Would Rachel think he was a bizarre stalker? Or worse, what was he expecting to get out of this whole encounter? It’s not like he was looking for a relationship. Sheila’s scars were still visible, and even though Rachel had certainly shaken something in him, making him feel like his heart was ready for a maybe, it still wasn’t ready for a yes to love. That was for sure. Nothing good could come of this.

He was here already, though, after the short cab ride from his apartment to hers. Plus, the kids at school had spent so much time making cards for Rachel. Katie had insisted her card was on top, and Rocky had written a heartfelt note about how he was glad his 9-1-1 call had saved her life. Zander had smiled at the sweet sentiment. If nothing else, he had to deliver the cards as promised.

It will be fine,he reassured himself. It’s not even really a big deal.

He’d just drop off the cards, the chicken soup, and the flowers, thank her again for being so nice on Saturday, and leave. He would forget all about Rachel Winters and her wonderful laugh and her gorgeous body and….

Not helpful,Zander told himself. Not helpful at all.

He knocked on the door, taking a deep breath. He heard the familiar clinking of the crutches, a few mumbles of what sounded like expletives, and then the door opened.

“Zander?” Rachel asked, clearly not expecting him.

He didn’t have to tell himself to paint on a smile, though, because as soon as he saw her, he felt his face light up whether he wanted it to or not. Today, she wore sweatpants and a T-shirt that said “More Merlot, Please” with a giraffe sipping wine on the front. Her hair was in loose waves around her face. And even though she clearly hadn’t been expecting company, Zander thought she looked even more gorgeous than the first time he’d seen her.

And this time, the way his body screamed with electricity just from seeing her, just from standing next to her, it was undeniable.

She did something to him. More than a little something, too.

He was in trouble. Real trouble.

“Sorry for intruding. How are you?” he asked as she stood back and motioned him in, her hands aimlessly running through her hair as she seemed to take inventory of her own appearance.

“I’m okay. These stupid crutches are so annoying, though, and I’m going a bit stir crazy. I can’t believe the doctor thinks I should stay off this ankle for a couple of weeks. Who does he think he is, anyway? Has he ever tried staying off a foot for two weeks? Doesn’t he understand I have a life?”

He grinned as he recognized the defiance simmering over in her.

“Well, we thought you might be feeling a little down, so the kids made you cards, and I brought you some chicken soup. Oh, and if you tell me where your vases are, I’ll put these in water.” He could feel himself talking a mile a minute, nerves creeping in. He didn’t know why. He’d spent enough time with Rachel to know she was easy to talk to, but there was some sort of tension rising up, tension he hadn’t expected.

Rachel smiled. “That’s sweet, thank you,” she replied as she crept over to the counter where he had placed the stack of cards. She picked up Katie’s from the top of the pile and smiled as she read it.

“Oh, and the vase,” she said, looking up. “I don’t think I have one. But there might be a big mug or something in that cupboard.” She shrugged.

Zander opened the cupboard and found a huge mug that said “Messy Hair, Don’t Care” and put the roses in them as best as he could. It wasn’t a perfect fit, and it wasn’t going to be Instagram-worthy, but it would do.

“So how did Michael take everything?” he asked, wondering if he should broach such a sensitive subject but not really sure what else to talk about.

She sighed, taking a seat at a stool at the tiny kitchen island as he stood nearby. “He was understanding. But it’s killing me not being there, you know. I hate just sitting around, at the mercy of my stupid ankle. I can’t stand how annoying it is to do simple, mundane things like shower or do laundry or just about everything. Even sleeping is a chore these days.”

“It’ll heal. Just keep taking care of it. Do you need anything while I’m here?”

She looked up at him. “No, I’m okay. Really. It was so nice of you to swing by, though. How did the kids like the show?”

“They loved it. That’s all they’ve been talking about. Katie keeps singing the songs over and over.” Zander took a seat by Rachel, settling in. He could tell she was glad to have someone to talk to, so he eased into the situation a bit.

“That’s so sweet. It’s so nice you are all fostering a love for the arts in them. I think that’s beautiful. Tell them when I’m all better, I’ll make it up to them for ruining their workshop. I’ll do an actual one, no balconies this time.”

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