Karen stepped forward and ignored the frown suddenly on Zach’s face. “We didn’t know you were coming.”
“So you do know Mike has a family.”
“Of course.” No one called Michael, Mike. Somehow, family always made you remember where you were from.
Karen fidgeted under his stare and something in his gaze hesitated. It was as if he knew he was coming across harsh and blaming her for his brother’s absence. But Karen knew Michael wasn’t as close to his family as he once was.
“He’s had a grueling schedule this last year.” She made excuses for Michael, knowing that part of the reason his family had not been brought into their marriage was because it wasn’t scheduled to last. His deception was meant for Hollywood, not his family. In reality, Karen had half expected someone to show up before now.
“Everyone’s busy.”
Which Karen translated as Zach not giving a shit about Michael’s schedule or his excuses. They were Michael’s to excuse, and Karen didn’t want to step between him and his family.
“I’m sure Michael will be excited to see you.” She started to walk past Zach to show him the way inside.
“Looks like my timing is bad.”
It would have been easy for her to suggest that unexpected and unannounced visits had a way of having bad timing, but she refrained. “Not at all.” Since they’d never met in person, and she had no way of knowing if Zach knew her name, she presented her hand. “I’m Karen, by the way.”
Zach took her hand in his and an unexpected hot current shot up her arm. Now that was bad timing!
A zip of chemistry was just fine, thank you very much, but not with her temporary husband’s brother. Oh, no, that wasn’t fine at all!
Surprise passed over Zach’s eyes before he pulled his hand away rather abruptly. “And I feel as if I owe you an apology.”
“What for?” For coming off as an abrasive, albeit sexy, ass? Oh, yeah…maybe he did.
“I’m a little shocked to find a real person behind the pictures we’ve all seen.”
“A real person as opposed to what?”
Zach shrugged. “My brother is seen with someone new at every film premiere. I think we assumed you weren’t real…but I can see now that you are. Doesn’t excuse my rudeness. My beef is with my brother, not you.”
Karen felt a warm smile fill her face and something in Zach’s eyes softened. “Was that an apology?”
“Half-assed, but yes.”
Seemed Zach and Michael had that in common, the ability to apologize without actually saying the words. Though Michael was getting better.
“Apology accepted. Now c’mon, Zach, let’s go find your brother.” She didn’t leave any room for discussion as she walked around him and into the house.
A couple of heads turned as the two of them walked into the kitchen. She couldn’t help but wonder if the help thought the man beside her was Michael’s twin, or stunt double, which Zach could easily pull off. If Karen remembered right, Zach was Michael’s older brother by at least a year. There was an older sister and two younger sisters. All of whom still lived in the small town in Utah Michael had grown up in and moved away from shortly after high school.
Samantha, Karen’s friend and sometimes colleague, intercepted the path to Michael’s side. “There you are. Michael’s looking for you.” Samantha eyed Zach with a slight smile.
“We’re looking for him, too. Samantha Harrison, this is Zach Gardner, Michael’s brother.”
“Of course. The family resemblance is hard to miss.” Samantha shook Zach’s hand.
“A pleasure.” His words were dry, as if he’d like nothing better than to disappear.
“Where did you see Michael last?”
“In the courtyard. C’mon, I’ll show you.”
Thankful for Samantha’s presence, Karen offered her practiced smile to Zach and led him through the house and out the massive doors to the courtyard where even more guests mingled and eyed the new guest.
Michael stood with his back to them.
Karen tapped his shoulder and caught his eyes before he looked beyond her. “Michael. Look who I found.”
In a split second, confusion mixed into recognition, and then the most surprising thing happened. Michael lost some of his polish. “Jesus, Zach.”
Karen stood aside and watched the two brothers offer smiles, handshakes, and man hugs.
“It’s been too long,” Zach said.
“Too damn long.”
Both men smiled at each other as if they’d never shared a cross word or years apart.
Samantha tucked beside Karen and whispered in her ear, “He’s crashing the party?”
Karen kept smiling. “Just showed up.”
“Well this is going to be interesting.”
That was what Karen worried about.
Michael turned toward the small crowd. “Everyone, this is my brother, Zach.” Michael took a moment to offer a few names to Zach, but it became quickly apparent the man wasn’t going to remember most of them. Or if he did, it was because of their fame and not the brief introduction. “And you’ve met Karen.”
Zach once again took her in with his blue gaze. “I’ve met your wife.”
Zach allowed Mike to lead him around and introduce him to his friends, though Zach didn’t think there were many people in the house his brother could actually count on. He wasn’t sure what he thought it would be like walking into his brother’s world. He knew the level of success his brother had achieved, but he’d never experienced it. The plastic Hollywood scene was light-years away from the life they’d grown up in. Maybe that was the appeal. Lord knew growing up in a small town in Utah had its drawbacks.
Like never finding a woman as stunning as the one Mike called his wife. Zach had seen pictures, right before their mother went on a tear about having never met Karen. None of the pictures did the woman justice.
Her eyes were the shade of blue seldom seen outside of an ocean. Her blonde hair was too pure to come from a bottle, and despite all the activity around her, she didn’t seem to let any of it affect her. Zach understood his brother’s attraction and that had happened exactly never. Not once could Zach remember them both having the same girl in their thoughts.
He pushed Mike’s wife out of his mind and remembered why he took this little trip to his brother’s.
It was their youngest sister, Hannah, who prompted Zach to jump on the back of his motorcycle and take the road trip to LA. Mike could be Mr. Hollywood with everyone else, but his family missed him. Their mother was pissed, their father ready to disown the youngest male in the Gardner line, and the girls were convinced that Michael Wolfe wasn’t blood related after all. But Hannah had practically begged Zach to drag Mike home.