her back-to-business voice, “let’s make a list of the things we can’t resist about each other. I’d say three reasons each should suffice. I’ll go first. You’re really talented, and I love your furniture. Reason two is that you obviously care about your family a great deal. And for my third reason…”
She scrunched up her face, clearly thinking hard. He might have felt a little insulted by how long it was taking her to come up with a third reason, if she didn’t constantly make him want to laugh out loud. He’d never met anyone like her, female or male. Zara said exactly what was on her mind, no matter the consequences. Plus, he wasn’t going to deny that he was pleased by her first two reasons for fake-falling for him—his work and his family were two of the most important things in his life.
“I’ve got it!” She snapped her fingers. “Your lightning-quick comebacks during our bantering sessions prove how quickly your mind works. What woman doesn’t love a man with a brain who isn’t afraid to use it?” She looked extremely pleased with herself for filling out her list. “Your turn.”
“You stole my first reason—that you’re a hell of a designer and manufacturer.”
“Mutual respect for each other’s work sounds good to me, as long as your next two reasons stand apart from mine.”
Rory was surprised to realize it wasn’t at all difficult to come up with his second reason for fake-falling for her. “I didn’t know anything about your family until yesterday, so I can’t copy you on that one. But I have noticed how supportive you are of other artists. You’re the loudest to cheer another maker’s success, the first to volunteer to help, and the last to leave their side when there is still work to be done.”
She looked surprised by his comment. “We all know how hard it can be to get a business off the ground, especially in the arts. Of course I’m happy to help.”
“Not everyone is.”
Though his eyes were still on the road, he could feel her gaze trained on him. “Did something bad happen to you when you were starting out?”
“It’s not something I talk about much.”
“It won’t leave this car,” she promised.
Though they hadn’t exactly been friends up until now, he realized he trusted her not to break her promise. “It was a few years back. Another furniture maker, a guy I really respected, accused me of copying his work.”
“You would never do that!”
Rory appreciated Zara’s conviction more than she could know. “No, I wouldn’t. I don’t know if he felt threatened in some way, or if he was having a hard time in his personal life and thought he’d take it out on me, or if he was just burned out. Whatever the reason, when I called him on it, he backed off, but it left a bad taste in my mouth.”
“Is he still in the area?”
Rory shot her a look. “Why do you ask?”
“Because I’d be more than happy to give him a piece of my mind. I don’t care how many years it’s been since he pulled that crap, or what his reasons were for doing it. You’re far too compassionate and forgiving for your own good.”
“There’s a fourth good thing to add to your list.”
She thwacked him on the arm again. “I’m being serious. You’re the one who told me it’s okay to fight for myself by not being such a doormat. Now I’m telling you that it’s okay to do the same with your art, especially when someone tries to attack or take away what you’ve worked so hard to build.”
“You’ve just illustrated the third reason on my list.” For once, he was glad for a minor traffic jam so that he could turn away from the road to look into her eyes. “You’re fierce, Zara. Fierce in your determination to pursue your dreams and not let anyone get in your way. Especially,” he said with a smile, “some jerk who happens to work in the same building.”
“You’re not always a jerk,” she conceded, with a smile of her own.
“Yet another point for your list. Five reasons to fall for me so far.”
He expected another arm thwack and would have been disappointed had it not come.
“Okay,” she said as traffic picked up again, “we’ve got our how-we-met stories straight, our why-we-fell-in-looove lists, and I’m no longer dressed like I’m headed to the morgue. Anything else you think we need to check off our list before we’re