CHAPTER 7:NEW TERRITORY.

I was mid way through my first shift at my new job. Cove was a small bar,that had the usual regulars in day in day out but once it hits evening time it starts to get a little busier..or so I'm told. 

I liked that it was quite,it was exactly what I needed. Pouring pints wasn't something that I done before so a quite bar ment a little less pressure. 

"How am I doing,Lynn?"I asked,while pouring maybe a little too much head on a pint. She was observing from beside me. 

"That's a little too much head,Darling. But it's okay you're doing good,just tilt your glass slightly."She tilted the glass with me and the rest of the pint poured perfectly. 

"It worked,Great!"Well it wasn't exactly great but I was getting the hang of it. 

"You're doing well,Kate. How do you like it?"Lynn asked,while setting the undrinkable pint to the side. 

"Well I thought pouring pints would have been easier,but I'll get the hang of it I promise."A strand of my blonde hair came loose from my bun and I tucked it behind my ear. 

"Don't be too hard on yourself,no one gets it on the first day. We'll pick this up again tomorrow."She smiled at me."I'll see you for your shift same time,Is that okay?" 

"Sure,Sounds great."I was thankful of how nice she was. I needed this job, I needed the money for Paris. I grabbed my things and left the bar,thankful for the bus ride home since I've been standing on my feet all day. 

I was greeted by a very hyperactive dog when I got in the front door,Max must have missed me today. Zach doesn't like to walk him,he doesn't do much with him to be honest. 

It's lucky for Max that I came along!! 

I headed for the stairs with Max right behind me."I'll change out of these smelly beer clothes and then I'll take you for a walk. Okay?" I rounded the corner towards my bedroom and bumped into something hard and wet. 

AGAIN!! 

I looked up and realized that my hands were flat against Zach's bare skin. Again-Why is this happening again!! I moved away totally embarrassed and flushed face."I'm so sorry..."

"We seem to be making a habit of this, running into each other in the halls. Especially when I'm not dressed."He smirked. 

"Not on purpose I swear. Um,maybe you should think about bringing your clothes into the bathroom with you if you're worried about it."Although I really wish you wouldn't. 

My dirty mind!! 

As much as I tried to take my eyes off his body I couldn't.He was dressed in a towel and had no problem in me seeing him,he's confident and looking at his shape I understand why. 

"I'm not-worried about it!"Zach's eyes were on me,and he knew exactly what I was looking at. Going by his response I was getting all kind of signals from him.

"I should um-get changed."I walked past him towards my bedroom. I was definitely in need of some fresh air after this encounter. 

"How was your first day?"He asked. 

"Yeah,It was great. Thanks for asking." I shouted back,before walking into my room without saying another word. On my way I could hear him chuckling at how embarrassed I was. 

I fell down on my bed with my phone against my ear and my hair tousled over my face."Stop!"I chuckled."It's not as if we rubbed up against each other. It was a accidental bump."

"Clearly he wasn't shy about you seeing him naked. It's obvious that guy likes you!"She giggled."I asked Michelle about him and she's given the thumbs up."

"There's no need to check him out,I'm not interested. Besides,I'm sure he's already in a relationship. He doesn't strike me as the one night stand type of guy."I turned around on the bed and looked towards the bedroom door. 

I was talking about Zach but if he happened to be walking past my room when I'm having this conversation he would definitely overhear me. I should be carful if I don't want things to be awkward around here.

"Have you seen any sign of a Girl?" Claire asked. 

"Well no but..."

"There you go then."She interrupted."I just want to make sure you know how amazing you are. If you want him you should go for it. That's all I'm saying."

I smiled."Thank you for the pep talk!" 

"So anyway,I have something to tell you. But you have to promise me that you won't freak out?"

When Claire tells me not to freak out,it causes me to freak out. I was worried now."No freaking out,What is it?"

"When I got home from work a couple of nights ago my apartment had been broken into. The whole place was trashed,but from what I can tell nothing was taken."

I gasped."Oh My God,Claire. Do you-Do you think that it was him?" 

"I don't know,Milly. He might think that I have some information on where you are. It's okay though, I'm smarter than that."She sighed."I wish that man would just leave you alone."

"We both know that he's not going to give up until he finds me."That was the reality of it. I will always be running from him."Claire,I don't want you to get hurt because of this." 

"I won't,I'm safe. I'm staying with a friend for now,I'm getting a security system fitted in my apartment. You don't need to worry about me."She tried to reassure me,but nothing that she said would have made a difference. 

"Okay."I stood from my bed and looked at myself in the mirror."I should go,I have to bring Max for a walk before it gets late. Talk soon?" 

"Sure,Talk soon."Claire hung up the phone. I tidied myself and left my room,ready for my short walk with Max. 

When I walked into the downstairs area,I saw Zach sitting at the dinning table working on his Laptop. I was feeling a little awkward seeing him after our bump in the hallway earlier. 

His eyes followed me across the room as I grabbed Max's lease and put it on him."Where are you going?"

"Um,Just to bring Max for a walk. I think he needs it."I looked at Max and saw how eager he was to get going. 

"Do you mind if I join you?"He stood from his seat,already grabbing his jacket."I could use a break from the screen,I'd love some fresh air."

"Sure,Okay!"I got the impression that he was looking for a reason to be around me. Maybe I was reading things wrong. Maybe he just wants the walk.

Twenty minutes later,Zach and I were walking through the park and Max was walking freely ahead of us. It was dark now,but the fact that I wasn't alone gave me some peace of mind. 

"He seems to be in his element being off his leash in the open."Zach was looking in Max's direction as he did a little exploring. 

"He's a good boy,Zach. Max can be trusted off his leash."I turned my head and looked at him."You haven't brought him walking before I came along,Have you?" 

"No-And I have a lot of guilt about that." He released a long drawn sigh."I had no intention of ever having a dog, he was my Father's. I couldn't part with him after my Father died,but now he just reminds me of him."

"It hurts to be around him,Doesn't it?" I asked. 

"That's silly,I know!"Zach smiled lightly, like he was smiling just for show."When I'm around him I find myself thinking about my Father. He should be here to take care of him-Not me!" 

I felt bad for him-He seemed so sad. It was clear that Zach was still grieving the loss of his Father. I've been through it,but I don't know what to say to make him feel better."It's not silly, I understand."

"So change of subject,Did you leave many people missing you back home?" Zach picked up a stick and threw it to Max for him to fetch. 

It was the dreaded question,I hated to talk to anyone about back home."Just Claire,a friend of mine. She's a cousin of Michelle's."

"What about a boyfriend?"Zach was looking at me,with a smirk on his face. 

Hearing the word boyfriend had me thinking of Liam of course. I was thinking of all the bad times."No,No boyfriend!" 

He furrowed his brows."None at all, that surprises me. You're 23,I thought you would've had at least one."

"Well-Just one. But I don't like to talk about him,things didn't end well between us."It was a tough subject that I wanted to avoid talking about at all costs. I looked over at me."What about you,is there anyone special in your life?" 

A part of me was hoping that his answer would be no! 

"Um,No one special. It's hard to know if a woman is with me for the right reasons."I guessed by his reply that you ment if a woman was with him for the person he was or for the things he had. 

Zach is a handsome man with money,a company and a home of his own. A lot of women would date him to see exactly what they can get off him-Him being attractive is just a bonus. 

I looked at him and smiled,probably making a little obvious that I had some attraction for him."When you meet the right girl,You'll know."