Page 15 of Breaking the Ice

“How’s that?” she demands.

“You’ve jumped to conclusions, even though you obviously know very little about me.”

Our waitress drops a basket of crackers on the table for Ellie’s soup. Instead of answering my question, she pulls out a package and opens it. After eating two, she says, “It’s true I don’t know much about you, but I’d think if you were the good guy you want people to think you are, the press would have gotten wind of that.”

There’s no use fighting her. If she’s got her mind set on my being a villain, so be it. It’s probably even for the best, given the attraction I feel for her. I’m determined to leave Maple Falls as single as I was when I arrived, so I simply tell her, “I’m sure you’re right.” She seems surprised I’m not defending myself.

My cell phone rings as soon as our food arrives. “Belle, how are things at home?” I greet. “Did the plumber check the primary bathroom drain?” Without bothering to excuse myself, I push out of the booth and head to the front door so I can speak with my assistant in private.

“You’ve got bigger problems than a drain,” Belle says. “I just got wind that Yolanda knows about your brother’s charity hockey games. She’s going to be in Maple Falls covering them for KBIZ.” Without so much as a breath, she continues, “So much for your going up to Washington to reclaim your reputation.”

My stomach rolls over like I just got off Space Mountain jacked up to twice the normal speed. In a bid to sound unbothered, I say, “She won’t be the only reporter here.”

“No, but that woman will do everything she can to poison the pool against you.”

“This isn’t my first rodeo. Let her do her worst.”

“Uh-huh.” Belle isn’t buying my bravado. “I suggest you enjoy every minute before she gets there.”

“You don’t happen to know when that will be, do you?” Maybe I should just abandon ship and go back to LA.

“No idea. But I’ll let you know when I find out.”

Shaking my head I demand, “What in the world did I ever do to that woman?”

“You can’t be serious?” Belle asks. Before I can assure her I am, she clarifies, “You spurned her in front of the whole world.”

“I only said that we weren’t an exclusive couple. Which, I assure you, we never were.”

My assistant makes a low tsking sound. “You don’t know much about women, do you, Zach?”

I think about how Ellie has been treating me for the last few hours before answering, “I guess I don’t.”

“Then you’d better do some studying,” Belle says. “Because as soon as Yolanda shows up in Maple Falls, heads are going to roll. Starting with yours.”

CHAPTER EIGHT

Ellie

Even though I don’t approve of Zach’s reputation, he’s never been unkind to me. I mean, heck, he’s washing the cottage windows and he’s taking me to lunch. Having said that, I remind myself not to be sweet-talked into thinking he’s anything more than he is—a man with more money than sense.

Zach comes back to the table a few minutes after leaving. He doesn’t bother to say anything, he simply sits down and takes a bite of his cheeseburger. We eat in silence until Shirley May comes over with the check.

As she gives it to Zach, I tell him, “I’ll pay for my own.”

Pulling out a hundred-dollar bill from his billfold, he hands it to Shirley. “The bill is mine,” he tells me with a smile. Then he turns back to Shirley May. “The change is yours.”

She grabs the money and quite literally runs away with it. “That’s a pretty big tip,” I tell him.

He shrugs. “I like to leave a good tip when the service is good.”

“Yeah, but you probably left her twice what the actual bill was.” Why am I fighting him on this?

“What’s your point?”

I wipe my mouth with my napkin before declaring, “You can’t possibly do that every time you eat out.”

His green eyes narrow slightly. “Why is that?”

---