“Just order in. It’s not like we don’t eat at our desks, anyway.” Alex tapped on her computer screen, pulling up the video she’d been working on before lunch. “How’s Nancy’s new promo coming along?”
“So far, so good. What’s new with you?” Macie opened her browser and ordered a sandwich from a deli down the street. It was too expensive, but she was moving toward hangry and their delivery was known for speed.
Alex shrugged. “Trying this not being the asshole of the office thing. It’s not easy.”
Macie laughed, drawing a glare from Alex. “Sorry.”
“Yeah, well, you try changing your reputation overnight. It’s not exactly a walk in the park.” Alex reached over and grabbed Macie’s mouse. He added a turkey on wheat to her order. “So, that guy the other night. That the boyfriend?”
“It’s more complicated than that.” Macie turned in her chair and faced him. “And I do know what it’s like. To change people’s perception of you.”
“Guess we’ve got more in common than we thought.” Alex stood and tossed twenty-five dollars on her desk. “Let me know when the food gets here, and I’m buying. It’s the least I could do after the shit I gave you.”
Macie smiled. “Thanks.”
Alex nodded and left her alone. The video sat frozen on a clip of a hurricane. Wildly appropriate for her life at the moment. Alex’s words rang in her ears. She wasn’t changing who she was for Zac as much as changing his perception of her. Years of hatred didn’t wash away overnight. Or even over a few weeks.
Macie needed more than just her grand gesture. She needed to make Zac understand.
She needed to write him.
FOUR DAYS. ZAC THREW himself into work during the day and worked on detailing the business plan at night. It kept him occupied, but not nearly enough. He couldn’t stop thinking about Macie. After she revealed herself, he had deleted every digital aspect of her from his life. The first being his Blind Friends account. A tiny part of him, the part that loved the girl he’d met online, regretted that. He also deleted her from his social media, which quite frankly she’d only been a part of because of Lauren and Ford, and from his contact list. He’d done everything he could to erase Macie Regan from his life.
But he couldn’t get the memory of her from his mind.
Ford stopped asking. So did Lauren. They knew something was wrong, but they both had enough sense to stop bringing her up.
It helped that work had been overwhelming. Zac brought in more clients, much to the new partners joy. He went in at six and left well after five in the evening. What else did he have to do? Nothing but brood.
He unlocked the door to his empty apartment and stepped inside. The silence deafened him. She’d never been here, but he felt her presence nonetheless. Actually, if he was honest, he felt her absence. Macie had let him into her world with what he had thought were open arms. He had a hard time believing it wasn’t an elaborate ruse to get back at him for years of torment.
The table had become his work space. Papers spread across the top in chaotic piles. He set his laptop bag on the chair and headed toward the fridge. It lacked food, but not beer. He opened a local microbrew and sat at the table, preparing for another round of planning. At this point, there wasn’t much left to do. His plan was solid. There was no way he couldn’t be successful at it. Sparks Consulting could be off the ground by the end of the year, turning a steady profit in less than five years. He just needed to pitch the idea to his father.
His phone vibrated in his pocket. He fished it out just as the call went to voice mail. Lauren. He waited to see if she left a message. When it vibrated again, he put her on speaker to listen.
“Hey, Zac. It’s Lauren. I just...” She sighed heavily. “Look, I don’t know what’s going on with you and Macie. She’s not talking. You’re not talking. We just ask that you put your differences aside for this weekend. After Saturday, you can hate each other all you want, okay? Just ... just fake it for one day.”
The message ended and Zac wanted to laugh. Fake it. Macie had been doing a great job at that. He hadn’t. That cut him more than anything. Not only had he fallen for this invisible image of her, he had started to fall for the person she’d pretended to be. The night of the party, he felt a primal need to claim her. When she danced with that pretty boy, he didn’t think. He acted. When they’d gotten back to her apartment, he didn’t think. He acted again. The complete lack of use of his brain sent him into this downward spiral. Just like Macie’s painting.
He debated on whether to respond to Lauren or let it go. Then his stomach rumbled. When was the last time he had a decent meal? That he couldn’t remember. He hadn’t eaten much over the last few days. Mostly junk food or pizza. He needed something with substance. That left two options. Order delivery or go out. He opted for delivery. Sitting at a restaurant by himself didn’t sound like a good time, or even an okay time. It sounded miserable. Zac was tired of being miserable. The quickest option was Chinese. He pulled up the app and ordered beef lo mein, pork fried rice with no onion, and General Tsao’s chicken. That should last him a few days until he could get to the store. After he pressed send, he questioned his choice of the pork
