A half an hour later, they pulled up to the large, black wrought iron gates. After pressing the intercom and introducing themselves, the gate opened and Thomas pulled up.
The long winding driveway was lined with all sorts of expensive cars. Most were black and sleek and probably cost more than Danielle’s entire apartment complex. Her gaze swept over Zach’s black Lincoln and her breath caught in her throat. She swallowed, forcing all the butterflies that took up flight down into the hollows of her stomach.
She needed a distraction so she focused on Thomas who was pulling out his camera from the back of his van. Once he was ready, Danielle led him up the driveway, past the large water fountain in the middle of the grassy center, and to the front door.
The door opened as they approached and a pinched-lipped woman appeared. She waved them in and shut the door behind them.
Now alone in the giant foyer, Danielle took a deep breath and glanced over at Thomas who was studying her.
“You okay?” he asked through the loud thumping music that could be heard from outside.
Danielle forced a smile. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”
Thomas walked over to the side room, where the woman who’d answered the door had told them he could put the equipment, and unlocked his camera case. “You’ve been standoffish since we got this gig,” he said, fiddling with his camera.
Danielle leaned against the wall, hoping she came across as relaxed and not the jumble of nerves that she actually was. “I’m not standoffish. I just…got some stuff going on.”
Thomas straightened and peered down at her. It wasn’t until this moment that she realized how close they were.
“You can tell me. I want to help,” Thomas said. The intensity of his gaze made her uncomfortable.
“Am I interrupting?”
Danielle jumped at the sound of Zach’s voice. She whipped around to see him standing there with his brows creased. His eyes swept slowly over her and her whole body responded. Zach’s gaze made its way back up to hers. There was a lot he wasn’t saying that he clearly wanted to say. And that thought made her tingle from head to toe.
“Hey Zach,” Thomas said. He didn’t seem so shocked at being caught standing close to her. Instead, he turned and nodded.
Zach didn’t even acknowledge Thomas. Instead, he zeroed in on Danielle. He looked confused, shocked, and…hurt. And that made her stomach twist.
“Zach, we—”
Zach held up his hand. “No need to explain. It’s okay. I heard you loud and clear a few weeks ago. I’m just here to get my date. She said she’s on her way up.” Zach walked past her, keeping his gaze on the floor in front of him.
Danielle wanted to grab his arm. She wanted to tell him that there wasn’t anything going on between her and Thomas. But she didn’t know how to say those words. She couldn’t give Zach hope that she couldn’t follow through with. If he needed her to let him go she would. It was only fair.
Danielle tried to busy herself with watching Thomas, who’d returned to his camera case, and not on the front door that Zach had just opened, or the fact that Giselle had just stepped into the room, causing all jaws to drop.
She was wearing a black dress with a plunging neckline. It was made of satin and looked as if it were sewn onto her. And suddenly Danielle felt ridiculous in her dress. Who was she kidding? This wasn’t her life. This was Zach’s life. The sooner she accepted the fact that they would never work, the better.
So she forced down the feelings of jealousy that rose up in her stomach as she watched Zach lead her through the large sliding doors into the backyard.
Once he was gone, Danielle let out the breath she’d been holding. That was hard, but in a way, freeing. She’d been trying to anticipate what it would be like to see Zach again, and she had just seen him. And survived. She could do this.
“Are you ready?” Thomas asked as he hoisted up the camera onto his shoulder and nodded toward the doors in the back. Beyond those doors, dark suited men and gorgeously dressed women could be seen walking around.
“Yes,” she whispered as she grabbed the microphone he handed her and followed after him.
With each tap of her heels on the marble floor, she chanted in her mind,I can do this. I can do this.
She could be around Zach and survive. And after tonight, she’d never have to see him again. And even though that thought made her stomach twist, she forced herself to feel hopeful. Her life could return to normal.
An hour flew by before Thomas told her he thought that they had enough footage to finish up the exposé. He said she should get some food and that he would be right back after he put away his camera.
Bucky refused to let them go until they’d eaten something and enjoyed themselves. He was a quirky but fun loving guy and Danielle could tell that the entire team loved him.
Except for Zach.
Right now, she couldn’t read him at all.
