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any dating.
    â€œTo hell with it,” he muttered, and got up and went to his bedroom to retire for the night.

Five
    Z ane put in a busy morning at the office on Monday. Heather was back—her mother was doing fine—and she orchestrated Zane’s meetings and phone calls with her usual efficiency.
    Around two in the afternoon he had time to think about Gwen and he dialed her home number. He got her answering machine, and when he dialed her business number, he also got an answering machine. He left no messages.
    Around three, Heather’s voice came over the intercom. “Zane, your sister Vanessa is on line five. Are you able to take the call now, or would you like me to tell her that you will call her back?”
    Zane stiffened. Something told him that Vanessa wanted to discuss Gwen, and he did not want to talk about Gwen with anyone. Especially with his matchmaking sister. But Vanessa was tenacious, and sooner or later he would have to have this conversation. He figured he might as well get it over with.
    â€œI’ll talk to her, Heather. Thanks.” Hitting the button for line five, Zane picked up the phone. “Hello, Vanessa.”
    â€œHow are you today, Zane?” Vanessa asked warmly.
    â€œCouldn’t be better. And you?”
    â€œJust great, thanks. I know you’re busy, so I’ll getright to the point. Devin and I were both quite taken with Gwen over the weekend, and we’d like you to bring her to dinner on Wednesday so we can all get better acquainted.”
    Zane shook his head disgustedly. No matter what he did there was no escaping his family’s determination to marry him off.
    â€œVanessa, I can’t accept an invitation for Gwen without talking to her about it.”
    â€œHow about letting me talk to her? I’d love to phone her.”
    Zane’s heart skipped a suddenly nervous beat. “I’d rather do it myself, if you don’t mind. Besides, I’m not sure of my own schedule. Hold on while I check my appointment book.” Zane saw at once that Wednesday night was open, and his mind raced through his options. It irritated him that he hadn’t foreseen Vanessa or another of his female relatives going into matchmaking overdrive if they liked Gwen. It was quite likely that his weekend scheme had backfired on him—in more ways than one.
    For one thing, he liked Gwen, which he certainly hadn’t expected when he’d proposed his plan to her at his house last Friday. He liked her and wanted to see her again, and he’d had no luck at all in reaching her by telephone.
    â€œUh, Vanessa, I might be able to make it, but before I make any promises, let me talk to Gwen. I’ll get back to you.”
    â€œOf course,” Vanessa readily agreed. “Call me as soon as you know for sure, one way or the other.”
    â€œI’ll do that.”
    After goodbyes, Zane hung up, then sat there pondering the can of worms he’d opened by introducingGwen to his family and deliberately acting as though she was special to him. It had seemed like a good plan originally. Now, in retrospect, he could see that it had been a damn foolish game to be playing. He had half a notion to call Vanessa back right now and tell her the whole story.
    Instead, he heaved a long sigh and dialed Gwen’s home number again. He got her answering machine. Same with her business number. Frustrated, he jumped up, grabbed his suit jacket and left his office. Striding past Heather’s desk he said brusquely, “I’ll be gone about an hour.”
    He got in his car and drove to Gwen’s house. Pulling into her driveway he saw that the parking space next to the garage was vacant; Gwen’s white van was gone. Damn, he thought impatiently. He knew of no way to find her. Turning off the ignition, he sat there and scowled at the front of her house while wondering what in heck was going on with him. He could have easily concocted a tale for