Page 14 of Puzzle for Two

“Because your mind’s already made up,” Ben said bitterly.

Zach began to regret not having that drink. “If you think that, why are you here?”

Ben jumped to his feet as if he couldn’t contain himself a moment longer. “Because I don’t understand!I gave in to you. I was willing to go along with everything you wanted, even though everything you wanted wasn’t the plan. Wasn’t what we planned for our lifetogether.”

Zach rose too, dislodging Mr. Bigglesworth, who scrambled away to crouch in the corner of the chair, watching them warily. There had been a time they never raised their voices with each other. But that time had passed.

“Thisis the problem, right here. You haven’t been listening. From the time we were in college, I said I wanted to go into business with my dad.”

“Your dad didn’twantyou to go into business with him!”

“It’smylife. I get some say in it!” Zach shouted.

The volume, and the emotion fueling it, startled them both into silence.

It wasn’t even true, what Ben had said. Zach’s father hadn’t wanted him to throw away better job opportunities, sure, but he’d been delighted when Zach had come onboard to manage Davies Detective Agency’s finances. Had he wanted his son working as an investigator? No. He’d firmly believed Zach was meant for bigger and better things. Like a CFA or a CMA.

Ben recovered first. “Which is why I’ve agreed. To everything.”

“Grudgingly.”

“Yes. Grudgingly. Because you’re making a mistake.Ithink you’re making a mistake. This was not the plan. This was notourplan. What am I supposed to do? Keep quiet when I think you’re wrong?”

“Maybe? I don’t know. What I do know is I don’t want—I don’t want to feel like I’m in the wrong all the time, which is how you make me feel. I don’t want to feel like you’re waiting—hoping—I’m going to fail. And I don’t want to keep having to hearI told you soevery time something goes wrong.”

Ben’s green eyes were bright with anger. “That’s on you, Zach. I’m already bending over backward to accommodate you. You can’t also expect stoic silence when you’re trampling over everything we were working toward.”

This was how all his attempts to talk to Ben went. No matter how determined they both were to keep their conversations low key and reasonable, they went from zero to sixty within the first five comments. There was just so much pent-up resentment on both sides. So much frustration with each other. And, on Ben’s side, so much anger.

Zach sighed wearily. “I don’t want my parents’ marriage.”

“That’s a shitty thing to say! Your mom is a saint. The things she had to put up with!”

Ben did not have a great relationship with his own parents. In fact, he pretty much had no relationship. Understandably, he had grown attached to Zach’s family, and that was great. That was fine with Zach. Especially since his mom said she was choosing Ben in the custody battle. He was pretty sure she wasn’t kidding either.

Zach said patiently, “What I mean is, my parents weren’t happy together. They stayed together for me and Brooke. Because they believed that was the right thing to do. They felt they didn’t have a choice. Wehavea choice. And I’m choosing happiness.”

“We were perfectly happy together until your dad died and you got this idi—idea that you would run the agency on your own. So if that’s what you’re trying to tell yourself now, it’s just an excuse for bailing onus.”

This was why it was pointless, if not an actual mistake, to keep trying to talk this out with Ben. There was no talking outI don’t love you anymore. I don’t want to be with you anymore. There was no good way to tell someone that. And with each conversation, the animosity and hard feelings grew, solidified.

But Zach kept trying, saying earnestly, “People change. That’s all I’m saying. I think webothdeserve to be happy. And I think we—”

Ben broke in, “Is there someone else? Is that what this is about? You keep saying no, but I have to wonder.”

“No, of course not.” As the words left his mouth, Zach remembered he was about to spend the next few days, if not weeks, pretending to be Alton Beacher’s boyfriend.

If he and Ben had still been together, he would have had to explain what was going on. It went through his mind that, even though they weren’t together, it might be a good idea to warn Ben. Except he wasn’t sure he could trust Ben to keep that information to himself. Ben was so angry and emotional these days. But if he didn’t warn Ben, and Ben somehow caught wind of Zach’s supposed relationship…

His expression must have revealed some of his uncertainty because Ben’s eyes narrowed. He demanded, “Wait.Areyou seeing someone?”

“No.Ben. Come on.”

Ben’s expression only grew harder and more suspicious. “But you’reinterestedin someone? That’s it. Who? Is it Flint Carey?”

“Flint?” Zach goggled with genuine amazement. “Flint Carey? That-that wannabe Magnum PI? Are you serious?”

“I notice you’re not answering.”

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