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barely put one foot in front of the other as she walked into High Rollers. She knew Zach was one of the six men who owned the chain, but she’d never expected to actually set foot in one. To meet Zach himself, no less. Supressing a groan when she spotted Zach’s old friend from high school, Jaxon Davis, Rennie wondered if it was too late to slowly back out the door without him seeing her. The slow grin spreading across his handsome face when he looked up from his conversation with a man at the bar told her she was too late. He excused himself from his companion and made his way toward her.
    Breathe, she told herself. Just breathe. He’s not going to ask you any embarrassing questions about the past, like why you were a no-show at your own wedding. Who was she kidding? Jaxon thrived on controversy. That was likely to be the first question out of his mouth.
    “I don’t believe it.” He grasped her hands as he leaned in to kiss her cheek. “Rennie Baldwin.”
    “Actually, it’s Alexander now.” She forced a smile that made her feel as if her lips were frozen in place.
    “You got married?” he asked, quirking an eyebrow as he stepped back to give her a quick once-over. “I can’t say I’m surprised. So who’s the lucky guy?”
    It was a reasonable question, but she couldn’t continue to evade the truth about Nathan’s death every time someone asked about her husband. “He… uh…”
    “There she is,” came a deep voice from behind her.
    When his warm hand fell on her back, sending thrill bumps chasing each other down her arms, she felt like stomping her spiked heel on his foot. Zach had no right to make her feel that way after so many years. Their physical chemistry should have died with her love for him, yet it was obviously alive and well. She wanted to blame her lack of sexual activity since Nathan’s death for her reaction, but that was a cop-out. She’d met lots of attractive men since her husband’s death, and none had elicited that kind of response.
    “I thought you were going to stand me up again,” Zach whispered in her ear, acting as though they were sharing an intimate secret.
    “Why the hell didn’t you tell me you two had hooked up again?” Jaxon asked his friend.
    “We’re not hooking up.” Zach glared at his business partner. “We’re here for a business meeting.”
    “Poor choice of words,” Jaxon said, chuckling as he revealed the set of deep dimples that made cheerleaders fight over who deserved to be his prom date. “I know you’re not ‘hooking up.’ Rennie just told me she’s married now.”
    Rennie felt the tension emanating from Zach. “Um, I’d love to catch up, Jaxon, but I have to get back to the office soon. We’re scrambling to try to find a venue for an event next Thursday night.”
    “Scrambling?” He crossed his arms over his chest, displaying his powerful physique. “Why are you scrambling?”
    “Well,” she said, adjusting her purse strap on her shoulder, “the venue we booked had a kitchen fire last week. They’re going to be closed for at least a couple of months for repairs.”
    “What kind of event are you hosting?” Jaxon asked, his brown eyes narrowing with interest.
    “I’m the director of Sky’s the Limit. It’s a charitable foundation for sick kids.” She was used to giving her pitch about their organization, but not with Zach standing so close, listening so intently. “We attempt to make their one wish come true. Even if we can’t restore their health, we can at least give them one day of happiness.”
    “It sounds like a worthwhile cause,” Jaxon said, casting a glance at Zach. “Are you involved with this?”
    “Oh no,” Rennie said quickly. The last thing she wanted was for her association with Zach to last beyond the single day they were planning with Jake. “One of our applicants asked to meet Zach. We’re just meeting today to try to set up a time.”
    “Hmmm”—Jaxon stroked his