Page 58 of Bride Games

Zach’s face broke into a wide grin. He gave Paige a low whistle. “You look fantastic. I’ve missed you too.” He rubbed his belly. “I’m starving. I hope the pizza will be here soon. I should have picked one u—.” Before he completed his sentence a driver pulled up behind his car. “Excellent,” Zach said, as he reached for his wallet.

“This is on me,” Paige said.

“I haven’t seen you in ages. Let me buy a pizza.”

“No, really. I invited you. I want to buy this.” Paige was ready to do anything to delay the difficult conversation about Trent. She assumed the news would go over better if Zach weren’t famished. As she handed the driver cash, she turned toward Zach and winked. “You can buy an expensive dinner.”

Zach closed his car door. “You’re on.”

Once they were inside, Paige gave Zach a quick kiss as she balanced the pizza in one hand. She nodded with her head. “Why don’t you grab some wineglasses. I have white chilling, or if you’d prefer red, it’s over there.”

“Which would you prefer?” Zach reached for the glasses and set them on the counter.

“I like both. Your choice.”

He poured red wine in both of their wineglasses and held his in the air to seemingly make a toast. Paige busied herself by getting plates and napkins. “Hey, I’m feeling lonely over here. That can wait. Let’s make a toast since we haven’t seen each other in days—or is it weeks? I lose track of time on the road.”

Paige reached for a wineglass. She knew she was ignoring the inevitable conversation and went back and forth in her mind on whether to tell Zach everything, nothing, or maybe falling somewhere in between. She held her glass in the air. “To you.”

“To me?” Zach’s eyebrows shot up. “How about to us?”

Chewing on her bottom lip, Paige nodded and took too big of a sip. She got so choked she had to spit the wine out in the sink while simultaneously reaching for a water glass.

Zach rushed to her side. “Are you okay? Do I need to do the Heimlich or something?”

Paige’s voice sounded strangled as she sputtered, “I’m fine.”

Studying her, Zach added, “You’re acting a little weird. Everything okay?”

Paige took another sip of water and nodded as she opened the pizza box. “I’m, uh, fine. Let’s eat before this gets cold.” As they devoured several slices, Zach asked her basic questions about the station and how she liked being the big boss. Paige told him about her constant, seemingly endless, boring meetings and how much she wanted to get back on the field and on the air. She mentioned the previous night’s game. However, she didnot mention that she tried to attend by going incognito, nor that her flight was canceled, and she especially let the fact that she happened to see Trent slide. Reaching for the wine bottle, she poured more for each of them.

“Whoa. That’s a healthy pour.” Zach grinned. “Tomorrow’s a work day, you know, but hey, what the heck.” He got another slice of pizza. “Anything new going on besides the boring administrative meetings?”

Paige practically choked again. “New?”

Giving a half shrug, Zach said, “You know. While I’ve been galivanting to football games. I really miss you on the sidelines, by the way.”

“The players and fans don’t.” Paige stared at her cold pizza, unable to eat another bite.

“You’ll—we’ll—figure out a way to win the fans back. Those trolls are awful online. Man. Really nasty.” Zach shook his head. “But I’ve been thinking about it. Marie suggested?—”

“Marie doesn’t need to be part of this conversation, Zach. Okay? I’m not interested in what she has to say about my failed career, nor about her replacing me.”

Holding both hands in the air as if he were being robbed, Zach said, “Whoa. No problem.” He lowered his voice, adding, “Marie truly seemed concerned and wanted to help.”

Paige rolled her eyes. She couldn’t keep from it. “Zach, come on. She doesnotwant to help. You don’t understand women. She’s more than thrilled to take my position at the station and to be on the road with you.”

“I don’t think so”—Zach shrugged—“but what do I know?”

Paige almost mentioned that Marie—and Zach—for that matter didn’t seem the least bit concerned when they were interviewing players, laughing, and standing shoulder to shoulder on the field at the game. But she didn’t. She knew she didn’t haveanyroom to talk.

Zach wolfed down another slice of pizza and asked, “Did you watch the end of the Vikings/Cowboys game last night? The fourth quarter was a barnburner. You would have loved it.”

Paige couldn’t tell Zach she turned the television off before the game ended, or did Trent turn it off? Draining the rest of her wine, Paige desperately wanted another glass. But she was a lightweight and three drinks sometimes gave her a hangover.What the hell.She poured another half glass as she pondered what—and how much—to say.

Zach pointed to her glass. “Someone’s in the mood to party.” Grinning, he added, “Lucky me.”

Paige knew he wouldn’t feel that way if she came clean. And she had to come clean. She liked and respected Zach too much. She took another swig before meeting his gaze. “We need to talk.”

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