fair game for future shows. “Hurry, okay?”
She stayed close as they darted out of sight of the cameras. The hallway was dark and finally the two of them were alone. Only then did Zack let his frustration show. “Did you tweet from my phone?”
Her flirty expression became indignant. “Someone had to. You added a hundred thousand followers tonight.” She grinned. “Which, by the way, so did I.”
Zack was stuck back at her first response. “You really did that? You tweeted like you were me?” Zack wanted to shout at her. He raked his fingers through his hair. “I can’t believe this.”
“I didn’t think you’d be mad.” She lowered her chin, pressing her shoulder to the wall, defeated. Her eyes met his. “I’m sorry, okay?”
“Zoey. Never do that again.” He exhaled, struggling for control. “That’s not your place.”
“I said I was sorry.” She blinked a few times, and in the silence between them he watched tears fill her eyes. “Nothing ever goes the way I plan.”
Zack’s anger dissolved. “What do you mean?”
“You don’t think I’m pretty, do you?”
“Oh, man.” He slumped against the wall, facing her. She was easily the most beautiful girl this season. It was way after ten o’clock, and the hallway was mostly dark. Just a thin stream of light from the city flooded in from the windows at the far end of the building. Zack felt his guard slip. All this time he had looked at her with disdain, frustrated by her advances, certain of his convictions. But right now, with her crying and questioning her beauty, for the first time he could feel himself responding to her. He swallowed, praying for his world to right itself. “You’re . . . very beautiful, Zoey. You know that.”
“But not to you.” She ran her fingertips beneath her eyes. “I annoy you, right? That’s how it seems.”
“I have a girlfriend.”
“You should at least be open to new things. New people.” She sniffed and lifted her pretty face to him. “You told me we’d talk that night after group auditions. But we didn’t.” She put her hand on his shoulder. “How come?”
He could smell her perfume and a faint bit of mint from her breath. They needed to get back in the room with the others. This was crazy, being out here in the dark hallway with her so close, so emotional. With him suddenly racked by uncertainty. He swallowed discreetly, searching for control. “I . . . I still want to talk.”
“It doesn’t seem like it.”
His heart went out to her. She had been at his side for nearly two weeks and here, against all reason, Zack could admit the reality of the situation only now. He liked her spunk and her energy. He really did. Maybe his frustration with her was only his way of protecting himself from feeling something more.
Zack drew a deep breath and tried to make sense of it all.
She seemed to melt, her tears coming harder than before. She closed the gap between them and slowly her arms came up around his neck. She seemed weary, exhausted as she pressed her face against his chest. “Hold me, Zack. Please. Just hold me.”
He had no choice. He wanted to be there for her. That was the right thing to do. But what started as his way of showing concern, of being the big brother she needed, gradually became something Zack struggled to deny. With her body pressed against his, he found himself running his hand along her back. “It’s okay. Zoey, I’m here. It’s okay.”
“I need you.”
“Zack.” She pulled back just enough so she could see his eyes. “Do you think I’m pretty?”
“Yes.” His mouth was dry. What was he doing? “Everyone knows you’re pretty. I have eyes, Zoey.”
“What if . . . what if we were meant to be? And we met too late?”
This wasn’t happening. Zack needed air, needed to breathe somewhere far away from Zoey Davis. “What if we were meant to be friends?”
She ran her fingers lightly down his arms and pressed in close again. “You want to kiss me,” she whispered. “I know you do.”
Zack shook his head. He didn’t want that. He wanted to get away from her and call Reese before he lost himself in this dark hallway, somewhere in a rented party space in the heart of New York City. He shook his head. “I want—” That was as far as he got.
Her lips were on his and like that her kiss hijacked his senses. His arms were around her and the connection he’d been avoiding since they met was actually happening. But after a few seconds, control found him. He pushed away from her and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “No! I can’t.”
“You did.” For the first time since he’d known her, she looked angry. “Don’t lie to yourself, Zack. You felt something just now.” She took a step back and adjusted her tank top. In the shadows he could see goose bumps on her tan arms. “Remember this . . . when you lie to yourself about your girl back home.”
With that she turned and left him standing alone in the hall. Zack’s heart pounded in his chest. Slowly, he sank to the floor, his back against the wall in every possible way. What had he done?
He pressed his fists to his eyes, furious with himself. She was pretty, yes. But he was in love with Reese. How could he have let that happen? And how could he call Reese now and tell her about his night?
Fear—pure, unfiltered fear—ran through his veins. They still had more than two months before the winner would be crowned. If this could happen in two weeks, who would he be when the season ended? For ten minutes Zack stayed there, his head pressed against his fists, trying to find the courage to quit.
But gradually an answer took shape in his heart.
He’d messed up, yes. But everyone messed up at one time or another. He couldn’t be so hard on himself. He’d kissed Zoey, but only for a few seconds. It wouldn’t happen again. He would apologize to her the next time they were alone and then he’d do what he should’ve done from the beginning. He would have that talk he’d promised her. The one about Jesus.
And when he talked to Reese in person next, he’d tell her what happened. She deserved to know. He would apologize and explain how the moment had gotten away from him, how he hadn’t kept boundaries in place and how he’d learned from the situation. Yes, that’s what he would do. That way he could stay on the show. He would just be more careful with his heart and emotions. His promise to Reese and Grandpa Dan would remain intact.
Everything would be okay.
CHANDRA OLSON PRIDED herself on watching, studying people. Even trapped by fame, she remained a student of life and love. She saw things other people missed. So when Zack and Zoey slipped into the hallway a few minutes after the season premiere ended, Chandra noticed.
She saw them leave and she saw something else—something neither Zoey nor Zack could have noticed. The cameraman who followed them through a distant door at the back of the room.
When Zoey came back alone and angry, Chandra had an idea of what might’ve gone down. She waited until the cameraman slipped back into the room before she made her exit. By then everyone was in full party mode.
Spirits were sky-high. Music blared and rays of neon light added to what had become a dance floor in front of the big-screen TV. The room was dark and more than a few of the contestants seemed to be coupling up. Not that any of them mattered to Chandra the way Zoey and Zack mattered.
The producers had already told the judges. They had made their decision. They loved the Romeo and Juliet story, and if they had it their way, Zoey and Zack would be the last two contestants standing. By then they intended
