Opposite Attraction
Page 22

Simone paced in Zach 's office. She hadn 't had reason to visit him at work in months and when she 'd shown up with her hair piled atop her head, her makeup won off, and in scrubs of all things, his assistant Mary Ellen told her she 'd almost called security.
Other times she 'd have sat on his desk and crossed her tan legs so that it would have been the first thing he 'd see, even though he 'd never looked at her legs in all the years she 'd known him. He was absolutely the only man who looked her in the eye.
She sat down on the leather couch and gripped her hands together to keep them from shaking. Why was she so nervous? This was Zachary.
It had taken him twenty minutes to make it back to his office after his meeting.
"I swear I just witnessed you bite your nails, " he said from the doorway.
"Tais-toi! " She stood up and wiped her palms on the legs of her pants. "I need help. "
Zach quickly shut the office door and walked to her. He reached for her arms and looked her over. "Are you okay? What happened? "
"I need you to hire someone. "
Zach narrowed his eyes on her. "You need me to hire someone? " He shook his head and let lose a laugh that had her temper fume.
"I need you. "
"I offered you a job. And you turned me down. " He let go of her arms, walked to his desk, and began to go through the papers that lay on it.
"It is not for me. Will you listen to me? "
Zach looked up from the papers he shuffled. "Okay. Who do you want me to hire? "
Simone swallowed hard. "Her name is Regina. She needs a full time job. She is comfortable in housekeeping and she needs to put her son in daycare. "
He watched her carefully before crossing his arms over his chest. "What has gotten into you? "
"I am asking for help. If you are not going to help me then I will ask someone else. You are not the only contact I have in this city. "
Zach stepped around from behind his desk. "Now calm down. "
"Are you going to help me? "
"I 've never seen this side to you. It 's endearing. "
"I need an answer, " she pleaded. How could she be so desperate for someone else 's wellbeing?
Zach took her hands in his. "I 'll alert personnel that she 'll be by to fill out an application. "
"Oh, thank you. " Simone wrapp1ed her arms around his neck. "You do not know what this means to me. "
When she took a step back, he was smiling wide. "I 'm proud of you. "
"No reason to be. I don 't think I have been a very good person in my life. "
"You 've always been a wonderful person. You 're just now finding out what it is to be humane. "
She wasn 't sure that was in any way a compliment, but she couldn 't argue with him. It had felt good to give her earrings to Regina and even better to know her son would be well looked after. Six months ago she would have looked down on the woman. Then again, she 'd never have even had the pleasure to have met her had she not made the biggest mistake of her life and left Curtis on that yacht.
Regina had called first thing in the morning and Simone shared with her the information she had from Zach. There was a joy in Regina 's voice she 'd never heard in anyone else 's voice before. She sincerely appreciated the helping hand.
The pile on her desk dwindled before lunch and when she stood up to take her lunch she was surprised to find Curtis standing in her doorway.
"I did not know you were here. " She tried to remain calm around him, but her body temperature rose just having him a few feet away.
"I never would have thought you could type that fast. "
She narrowed her eyes on him. "How long have you been there? "
"Long enough. " He stepped into her office and from behind his back he pulled out a potted plant and handed it to her. "I thought this would look nice on your desk. "
Simone felt tears sting her eyes. Why couldn 't she keep her emotions in tact? "You brought me a plant for my desk? "
"Yeah, " he said as he sat it on the corner of the desk and took a step back toward the door. "Cynthia also told me what you did for your patient. Well for the clinic 's patient. "
"Cynthia? How did she "
"Sam. "
She hadn 't realized anyone had seen her do that.
Curtis took a step back into the office. "My sister also called me this morning and told me that you 'd arranged a job for the with Zach so that she 'd have a job and daycare. "
Simone dropped her shoulders. "I wish he had not said anything. "
"He 's proud of you. "
"There should not be such compassion given to me for what I did. "
"For helping someone? Why not? "
She shook her head. "Because it was the first time in my life that I have ever helped anyone, yet you and your family do it all the time. "
He smiled wide. "You are as close to a sister as Zach has. As far as I 'm concerned that makes you part of this family. "
Simone sucked in a deep breath and sat down in the chair behind her. He 'd included her in his family, even if just by association.
She focused on the gift he 'd brought her and tried to steady her breathing so her voice would not shake. "Thank you for the plant. "
"You 're welcome. " He crossed his arms over his chest. "I 'd wanted to take you to lunch, but I have a meeting. "
She was on the verge of a breakdown. Why was he doing this to her? Gifts, conversation, compliments and now even the thought that he 'd wanted to take her out was threatening to send her running to the bathroom in joyful tears. "That was very thoughtful of you. "
He took another step toward her. "I also heard you got yourself a place. "
"Yes. "
"And a roommate, huh? "
"It was quite unexpected. "
He cleared his throat. "Seems as though the women in my life have taken to Sam the Giant Nurse. "
The nickname made her laugh and she lowered her head to hide her smile. "He is a very nice 1man. "
"Yeah, well he 'd better be. I 'm not too worried about Cynthia. She 'll kick his ass if he hurts her. "
Simone 's jaw tightened. "I don 't think he would do that. "