Chapter Thirteen
Zack
Tuesday
I sat outside a lawyer’s office with anxiety racing through my veins. This was the first step towards setting up my charity. I needed some legal advice, and I already felt well and truly out of my depth. If I felt that way before even setting foot in his room, how was I going to cope once things really began to happen? I wanted this, I really did, but I wasn’t totally convinced that I could do it.
What happened to the confident son of a bitch that you used to be? I asked myself angrily. Where did that guy go?
Of course, I already knew the answer, it all happened at exactly the same time as my accident. I could still be that guy again, the one who didn’t question any of his decisions whatsoever. I just needed to give myself time to get back to that place. I needed to find some of that patience that I so desperately lacked.
Without even meaning to, my eyes kept darting over to the receptionist sitting behind her fancy desk. She was beautiful enough, and she’d made it very clear from the second I set foot in the office that she liked me, but there was nothing about her that attracted me to her. Well, nothing apart from the shock of red hair that ran down her back. It was more orangey than Olivia’s, and clearly dyed rather than natural, but it was the closest link that I had in this place, and since she was all I could really think about, I couldn’t stop myself from looking.
I felt upset yesterday as I had to go to the physiotherapist office in such pain. The night before I had laid up in bed planning how I would torture Olivia over what happened without actually revealing any details. I wanted to flirt her up into a frenzy, even if I knew it meant that she’d push me to my limit. It would hurt, but it’d be totally worth it. Then I had to go and fall down the stairs like an idiot, leaving me vulnerable and sore.
Still, it all worked out pretty nicely. It was kinda sweet to see Olivia in a new light, and damn, her hands all over my body made me feel incredible, and not just because she helped with the pain. It made me realize that somehow or another, I had to make her want me again.
“Mr. Taylor?” the receptionist called out in a sultry tone of voice. “Mr. Nova will see you now.”
“Thanks.” I stood up and fixed my eyes on my feet as I walked. I could feel the redhead’s eyes burning into the back of my neck, but I couldn’t even give her a cursory glance. I didn’t want to do anything that might be considered leading her on.
“Hello there, Mr. Taylor,” the lawyer’s official-sounding voice dragged my eyes back upwards. “It’s good to see you.” He was a buttoned-up type, with serious dark eyes and very pale skin to match. He looked like the sort of person who was chained to a desk, which made a lot of sense given his line of work. “How may I help you today?”
“You got my initial email, about the charity that I wish to set up?” I really didn’t want to go through all the boring details again if I could help it. “I guess I just need some advice about the best way to move forward.”
“Ah yes.” Mr. Nova adjusted his glasses while he brought up what I presumed was my email on his screen. “You don’t know whether to focus on helping soldiers who are coming home or vets that are down on their luck.”
Dad and I argued about it for hours. I knew that I needed to concentrate on one area in particular, even if I wanted to help everyone. It was the only way that the charity would work and I could keep it going long term.
“Yes,” I agreed as I took my chair. “I want to sort out housing, food, benefits, that sort of thing, but I need to define exactly what I want to do.” I laughed a little awkwardly. “I guess I’m a little out of my depth here.”
“Don’t worry about that,” Mr. Nova tried to reassure me. “Everyone is at first; we all have to start somewhere, after all.” I let out a deep, relieved breath that I didn’t even realize I was holding as he said that. It was nice to know that I wasn’t the only one in this boat. “Now, with the windfall that you have described to me in the email, it might be possible to do both.”
“Both? Really?” I exclaimed in shock. If I did both, that would leave me feeling so much better about myself. Not only did I want to keep myself and my father happy, but it would also be wonderful to help more people. “You think that’s possible?”
“I do,” Mr. Nova nodded. “But you will need an office space and staff to work for you. This is a massive thing that you wish to start, and it’s best to have experts on your team. You need people working for you that can fill in the gaps in your knowledge…”
I nodded along as he started to unravel all the worries that I had in my mind. He gave me advice about the sort of people that would be good for me, companies that are designed to help charity startups, consultants that would be perfect for me. Everything that I had got my brain tied up in knots about, Mr. Nova answered and left me much more at ease about everything.
“Thank you, Mr. Nova,” I happily gasped as I shook his hand at the end of the meeting. I had mountains of paperwork balled up in my arms from him, and I couldn’t wait to get started on it. “That was an excellent meeting. I feel much better about everything now.”
“Well, you know where I am if you ever need any legal help,” he grinned back at me. “But for now, good luck with the startup, and I hope everything goes well.”
I practically skipped out of the office. I even gave the redhead a cursory goodbye since I was feeling so good. It was the very first time since I first started discussing the idea of a charity that I actually felt like I could do it. I had that sensation in my chest, the feeling that I was a productive member of society.
I grabbed my cell phone out of my pocket and dialed my father’s number while I waited to hail a cab. I wanted him to know how great I felt about it all now, and I needed him to know that I would still require his help. This was definitely something I could do, but not without him.
“Hello?” he answered in his usual curt tone of voice. “Zack, is everything okay?”
“Yes, Dad, everything’s fine,” I answered smilingly. “I’ve actually just been to visit the lawyer, and I think that things are much clearer in my head now.” I sucked in a deep breath before revealing the good news.
“I think I want to focus on both areas: soldiers coming home and vets down on their luck. I want the charity to reach out to as many people as possible. I might have to divide things a bit, but the lawyer reckons it won’t be hard with the finances that I already have behind me.”
“That’s great news.” Dad sounded pleased, which made me glow more. “I’m very proud of you, Son. So, what’s the next move? Did the lawyer give you any idea of what to do first?”
“Erm…office space, I guess. I need to find somewhere that we can start all of this. Will you help me with that part of things? I wouldn’t like to do it without you.”
“Of course.” He was clearly touched. “I can take a look about if you like, set up some meetings?”
“Yeah, and I’ll do the same. I’m sure between us we can work something out.”
“Perfect. I’ll get to it now. I’m turning my laptop on as we speak!”
“Oh, a cab has just turned up, so I’m going to hop on it, but thanks, Dad. I’ll speak to you later on.”
“Bye!”
As I hung up the phone, I did so with a big smile. I loved the feeling that my life was actually going somewhere again; it had been such a long time since I last thought like that. My leg had slowed me down for far too long, and now, finally, I could use the shitty thing that had happened to me to do some good.
Zack Taylor, charity owner. I liked the sound of that!
***
Damn elevator! I cursed to myself as I staggered up the stairs. Lark’s right, I really do need to move.
He had been urging me to go somewhere new forever. I just didn’t ever have the energy or willpower to bother. Now, I felt renewed enough to do just that – just as there was another reason to stay.
Yes, it was a silly one since it couldn’t ever become anything, but I didn’t want to go while Olivia lived just there, right across from me. I’d still get to see her at my physiotherapy appointments, but it wouldn’t be the same. How could I go knowing that she wouldn’t be able to pop around for a quickie at any time she wanted?
No, for now at least, I needed to stay.
“God damn it!”
I smiled to myself as I heard a voice that sounded suspiciously like hers just in front of me. Only moments ago, I felt too tired to make it up another stair, but with the power of her voice racing through me, I found new energy all over again.
“Are you okay, Olivia?” I asked her as I saw her on her knees picking stuff up. “Why do you have so many bags? Too many to carry, actually.”
“Oh.” She turned to face me with red cheeks. With her pale skin flushed like that, she somehow managed to come across as even more adorable. Sexy, too. “Zack, sorry I didn’t see you there. It’s just groceries, and apparently, I picked up too many considering the elevator is out of order again.”
“Yeah, a nightmare.” I took a couple of the bags from her. “Come on; I’ll help you.”
“But your leg…”
“Is fine today,” I insisted. “It’s nowhere near as bad as it was yesterday. You know how it is with good and bad days.”
“Okay.”
I couldn’t help but notice that Olivia was unusually quiet as we walked, but I decided not to question it in case it was something that she really didn’t want to discuss with me. Things were weird between us; neither of us really knew what we were to one another, which made moments like this a little strange.
It wasn’t until we reached our landing and I placed the bags down outside her front door that she even spoke again. “Thank you for your help, Zack.”
“You’re welcome.”
She looked up at me for a moment with something unreadable in her eyes. I wasn’t sure what it was, but something about it made me want to kiss her. I knew full well that I’d be pushing my luck, but for some reason, I couldn’t resist. I cupped her chin softly in one hand and leaned my head forward. The breath caught in Olivia’s throat but she didn’t move to throw me off, which I decided to take as a good sign.
I moved in, my heart beat harder, any minute now we would be kissing again, and there was no telling where it would lead. Just as our lips were about to connect, I made the mistake of resting my other hand on her door to support me…and it fell through causing us both to crash to the ground in a heap.