tucked under one arm, and she smiled slyly at him as he approached.
“Don’t tell me you’re here to see that stuffy bloke,” scoffed one of the workers, who was grimy from a windy morning working the excavator. “Come on now. A pretty lady like you needs a bit more excitement than that.”
“And you’re the one to show it to her, are you Greg? How’s the missus feel about that?” Mack shot the guy a hard look and it got the intended result. Greg muttered something under his breath and headed back to work, the other guys trailing behind him, equally pissed off that their fun had been spoiled.
“You show ’em who’s boss,” Zoey said, an amused smirk hovering at the edge of her lips. She’d shrugged out of her leather jacket and slung it over one arm, leaving her under-layer—a black sleeveless top so tight it looked spray-painted on—to capture his attention. “I do like the big bad wolf side of you, Mack.”
“What are you doing here?” He shook his head, drawing a steadying breath. “How did you even know what site I was working on today?”
“I called the office and spoke with Nick.” She smiled sweetly. “Said I wanted to deliver you some lunch.”
“You know that’s going to get tongues wagging.”
“Is it?” She cocked her head in feigned innocence.
“What’s your game, Zoey? It feels a lot like you’re trying to force my hand at something, but I don’t know why.”
“You’ve been avoiding me.” She tucked a strand of mermaid-coloured hair behind her ear as she reached into the compartment on her bike and produced a container which appeared to contain some sandwiches, fresh fruit and mini muffins. “And I really did want to bring you lunch.”
He sighed. Zoey was sweet, but he knew there was no such thing as a free lunch. Literally or figuratively. She wanted something from him, and his greatest concern was that she wanted something he’d be very happy to give.
“Let’s walk down to the park,” he said. “One, it’s dusty here and two, I don’t want the guys gawking at us.”
“Are you embarrassed to be seen with me?” She said it in a teasing manner, but he caught the flicker of doubt in her eyes.
“No. But I’m worried that one of those vultures will come in and steal my food.”
She laughed and they headed away from the construction site, down the quiet tree-lined street. This area of Patterson’s Bluff wasn’t very built up and the “park” he’d mentioned was little more than a patch of bush leading through to the ocean. There was a railing to sit on, and endless blue water to admire. The breeze kicked up the lengths of Zoey’s hair and he tried not to think about how beautiful she was.
When they settled, she opened the box and handed him a neatly wrapped sandwich. Ham, cheese and tomato—his favourite.
“I know you’re attempting to get your way by feeding me,” he said, taking a bite.
“Don’t they say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach?” she said, stifling a laugh as she unwrapped one for herself. “I felt like we should… talk. About what happened, I mean.”
“Disagree.” He took another bite.
“Why?”
How could he tell her the truth without putting any ideas in her head? “Because it’s bad news.”
She let out a huff. “I’m sick of you looking at me like I’m a kid, Mack. I’m twenty-five. I’m not that scared little girl you used to check on anymore.”
“You don’t think I know that?” Was she really so blind? “You don’t think I’m fully aware of much you are not a kid anymore?”
She sucked in a breath. “Then why—”
“We’re not compatible.” He chanced a look over at her. She was staring out at the ocean, a crease between her brows and her silvery blue eyes fixed on something in the distance. “Trust me, it’s nothing to do with me thinking you’re a kid or anything like that. We want different things, that’s all.”
“You don’t know what I want,” she replied stubbornly.
Yes, he did. Because when he’d asked her that question, she’d shown him what she wanted. The way she’d pressed her body against his, holding him and looking up at him in a way that would haunt him for the rest of his days… that’s what she wanted.
And part of him wanted it, too. But that didn’t mean it was the right path for either one of them.
“You want a fun-time guy who’ll do crazy, spontaneous stuff with you like going