Chapter Three


Zach watched Stacey turn and walk away. He was barely conscious of Jason's sister hanging on his arm. He couldn't believe he'd run into his wife. Pain pierced as he remembered their last words. He'd been such a young, arrogant fool. His world had been on a roller coaster for months — from the day he met Stacey. How was he to have known how things would turn out?


"Wow," Julia said. "I didn't know you knew the wedding consultant." She looked after Stacy with speculation. "And very well, I'd say."


"We've known each other since high school," he replied, not willing to share private matters. "Let's go get the toast over with."


"Jason was thrilled you were able to stop off in San Francisco to come to the wedding," Julia said as they walked toward the head table. "He convinced Marcie to plan the wedding when there were no races scheduled, but he knows your training is on-going."


"I wouldn't have missed it," he said politely. He glanced over his shoulder, Stacey had disappeared. But he now knew she ran Rainbow Weddings. He'd asked Jason the first instant he'd spotted her. He could find her with no trouble.


Her being here surprised him, as did the fact she ran a very successful business. How long had she been in San Francisco? He hadn't heard she'd left Carson Valley. Not that he kept close ties with anyone in that town. Once he left, he hadn't looked back. His parents hadn't forgiven him for his actions. It looked as if Stacey hadn't either.

It was past time to mend fences. If they could be mended.

The reception of his friend's wedding wasn't the place to do it, however. He'd find her later, take her to dinner. They'd discuss things like rational adults.

When the bride and groom departed amidst much fanfare a couple of hours later, Zach looked around for Stacey. He couldn't find her in the dwindling crowd. His jaw tightened. She'd run out on him. Was that any way for a wife to act?


A thought struck. She was still his wife, wasn't she? Or had she gotten a divorce sometime during the last seven years? Could she do that without his consent? He hadn't heard anything from her. No response from her to his letters. Not a card at Christmas or his birthday. No demand for more support money. He faithfully deposited funds in their account each month. She'd never said if it were enough or not. Once he began to win races, the money poured in. He'd made sure he'd shared it with Stacey. She must have used it to set up her business.


He wasn't into romancy stuff. Normally he avoided weddings like the plague. Why had Stacey gone into this business? They hadn't had a fancy wedding. Regret stirred. Their wedding could best be termed brief and business-like. The city hall conference room had held the remnants of a business meeting, with papers scattered around the long table. They'd stood by the window, and he remembered gazing out at the parking lot. Only their closest friends Tim and Margo had stood up with them. They had not had their family or other friends. No fancy cake. No reception. Hell of a wedding, now that he thought about it.


But he'd done what he thought was right.


Now he wanted to speak to his wife. If she thought ducking out early would slow him down, she didn't know him very well. But she would.

Chapter Four


Stacey knew hearing from Zach again was inevitable. Seeing him at the wedding had not prepared her for that kiss. Why had he kissed her? The thought had been churning at the forefront of her mind since his lips touched hers. How dare he act as if they were friends. How dare he awaken memories best left deeply buried. His kiss had burned into her psyche and she fervently wished it hadn't. She wanted nothing more to do with Zachary Taylor!


Since the moment she'd spotted him at the wedding, however, she'd known he'd want to speak to her. When the phone call came Monday morning around ten, she was resigned to it.

"I'll take you to lunch," he said without preamble.

"I'm busy."

"You're not, you're avoiding me."

"Oh, like you've avoided me for the last seven years?" she asked sweetly. Her hands were clammy with nerves. She wanted to rail against him for what he'd done. But some small part of her yearned to hear what he had to say, learn what he'd been doing with his life. For a few brief, wonderful days, she'd thought she'd share that life with him.


Never again would she let herself be carried away by some man's blandishments. She had her feet firmly on the ground and would never open herself up again to heartache that could not be mended.

"We need to talk."

"The time for talking was years ago. Why are you really calling me? Do you want something?" she asked, refusing to dwell on that brief brush of lips another second.

"To see you." His voice was low and seductive. Stacey remembered how she'd been so enchanted with it when she had been a teenager. Wasn't she wiser now?

"There's no reason."

"You're my wife, that's reason enough."

She drew a deep breath, wishing her heart would stop pounding. "Lunch, then. But not a long one. I have a heavy workload. August is a busy month for weddings, and we have seven more to manage before month end."

"As a guest, I have to say Jason and Marcie's wedding seemed perfect."

"As long as the bride and groom feel the same, I'm pleased." She couldn't help the tiny burst of pride she felt with his compliment. If he stayed around long enough, he'd see his teenage bride had matured into a competent, successful businesswoman. One who had no need of him.

Would the knowledge make any difference? Not to the outcome of their marriage, that had been determined long ago.

"I'll pick you up at noon," he said, and hung up.

She leaned back in her chair, toying with her pencil. Two hours until lunch. Could she fortify her defenses in that length of time? She'd be cool and calm. She could do this. And then he'd say goodbye and leave for another seven years. Or longer.


This time she knew what to expect. He was not a man to stand by his vows, to make a commitment and stick with it. Zach Taylor lived for himself alone. And no one knew that better than she.

A split second of fantasy gave rise to his asking her to come with him on the race circuit. She laughed over the ache in her heart. That would never happen. Why did he really want to see her today? To talk over old times? Or end their farce of a marriage?

Chapter Five


Stacey was standing on the sidewalk when Zach showed up. By the gleam in his eyes, she wondered if she'd made a mistake waiting outside. Her purpose had been to keep her present life as separate from her former one as she could. She hadn't wanted him in her office.

Surely he didn't think she was anxious to see him. If so, she'd disabuse him of that notion fast.

"Stace," he said, leaning over to kiss her.

The first one had been a total shock. This time she was prepared. Sidestepping the intended kiss, she watched him warily.

"Zach," she warned.

He smiled, that heart-stopping lopsided grin that had set her toes tingling when she was younger. Darn it all, it still did.

She looked at the cab, still parked at the curb. "Are we going in that?"

"Depends where you'd like to eat."

"The Wharf is fine." She loved seafood. Might as well get something out of lunch.

"Then the Wharf it is."

Once settled in the back of the taxi, she scooted nearer the opposite door, keeping as much space between them as she could.

"You're looking good," Zach said, his eyes skimming over the pale blue suit she wore, lingering on the expanse of legs showing beneath the short hem.

She couldn't return the compliment. She dare not let herself look at him for long.
He reached out to brush the back of his fingers across her cheek. She looked at him, drawing back.

"Leave me alone, Zach. I'm not one of your racetrack bimbos, fascinated by the hot-shot drivers."

"No. But you are my wife."

"Did Jason and Marcie's wedding jog your memory to that fact?" she asked.

"I've known it all along. When did you move to San Francisco?"

"Years ago."

He looked at her, his dark eyes narrowed. "You never wrote."

"And you did?" she said sarcastically.

He nodded. "Many times actually."

Stacey stared at him. He'd written to her?

"I never got any letters."

"Stace, I wouldn't have left and not written, despite the command you issued. I wrote you every week when I first started the circuit. Then when you didn't answer, I tapered off. You told me to go away and never come back. I began to realize at last you meant it. Lately, I've only written at Christmas and your birthday. It didn't take me too long to figure out you didn't want to hear from me."

Stunned, Stacey couldn't take in the concept.

"I never heard from you, not once. Not even when you first left me. Do you know what it was like? I lost the baby and you walked out — all in the same week. I was devastated. I had no where to turn, no one to cling to. Nothing. At one point I wondered if I would ever be able to face life again. Zach, I never heard a single word from you!"

The muscles in his cheeks tightened as if he were clenching his jaw. "I wrote, Stacey, what happened to the letters?"

"I have no idea." She turned to look out the window as they drew near the Wharf. "It doesn't matter, does it? What could you have said that would have changed a thing? You left, I was alone — alone with unending grief. You got the life you wanted. Why have you come back?"

Chapter Six


Why had he come? Zach could give Stacey a solid reason, but would she accept it? Right now she thought running into him at Jason's wedding had been coincident. Which it had. But his next stop had been scheduled — Carson Valley.

He needn't go there now until things were settled between them.

He was startled by her revelation — she'd been left with grief. He had thought she'd share the relief he'd felt when she'd lost the baby. Hadn't the doctor said a miscarriage was nature's way. Nothing either of them could have done would have saved their baby. They had been too young to marry, too young to be parents. She'd been nineteen. He hadn't even been twenty-one.

The cab swooped to the curb and stopped.

He paid the driver and held the door while Stacey slid across the seat, her skirt riding up even higher. Zach swallowed hard, the silken skin enticing him to touch. Clinching his hands into fists, he looked around the bustling tourist area. He remembered every day he'd spent with Stacey. They'd been crazy about each other and he'd been unable to keep his hands off her. Her skin had been so soft, so silky. Her hair had drifted through his fingers like gossamer. She'd liked his touching as much as he had.

A lifetime ago.

Today, they were older. Had grown apart. Was there anything left between them?
The sea air was fresh with the tang of salt on the breeze. In the background he could hear the famous sea lions with their hoarse barking. The sunshine sparkled on the deep blue of the San Francisco Bay. He took a deep breath, wondering why he'd even bothered to try.

She looked at him. "The restaurant I like isn't too touristy. The food is the best, I think."

"Lead on."

In only moments, they were seated by huge floor to ceiling windows, with a spectacular view of the Bay. Their order taken, Zach looked at Stacey.

"We were too young," he said.

She looked at him.

"We were young, but too young? How do you figure?"

"Stace, you were right out of high school."

"And all you wanted to do was race cars."

He nodded. "What did you want?" Funny, he'd never asked her that. He'd just assumed she'd want what he wanted.

"I wanted you." She laughed softly. "You're right, we were too young. How could I think all I wanted from life was you?" The scorn in her voice hurt.

"You knew all along I wanted to race. I had a chance at the big time."

"Which you turned down when we got married," she said.

"I did right by you."

By the way her eyes widened, Zach knew instantly he'd made a tactical mistake.

"Thanks for confirming what I always suspected." she said.

She looked out the window at the view. Zach suspected she wasn't seeing the Bay, but back down the years to Carson Valley.

"When there was no baby, I knew I needed to leave. It was a once-in-a-lifetime chance. I had to take that opportunity. Did you want me to stay home and be a pharmacist like my dad?"

"At least I'd know you were safe and alive," she snapped turning back to face him.

He looked at her, a ray of hope breaking through. "You were worried about me?"

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