aimed at showing your family you’re a Matheson just like them, and without you the family is less than it should be.”
“You want to spin me to my family?” Zack said, outraged. “You’re nuts.”
“I admit you’re driving me crazy,” she said. “But putting you in the bachelor contest will fix that.” She leaned forward, and the movement parted her blouse. Zack got a glimpse of creamy skin. He jerked his gaze away.
“I can’t fix the psychology of what’s going on in your family, but I can help change perceptions,” she said. “Once you change someone’s viewpoint, then they reevaluate everything, and react to words and behaviors, in the light of that new view.”
He tried to follow her reasoning. “You’re saying that if Dad and my brothers think I’m a nice guy, they won’t jump on everything I say?”
That did have some appeal. Right now, every time he made the tiniest progress with his family, he’d open his mouth and ruin it. Which possibly came down to those deep-rooted perceptions. Maybe the reason he got along so well with his sisters-in-law was because they didn’t prejudge every communication.
“They’ll see everything differently,” Gaby agreed.
Despite the fact he was mad with her and had every reason to be, the idea proved incredibly seductive. Zack found himself leaning toward her.
“It’s not all perception,” she said. “You’ll need to change some behaviors, but if you know what you’re trying to achieve you can avoid a knee-jerk reaction when people say something you don’t like.”
That made sense. “And you think a PR campaign can do all this?”
“I know it can.” She sat back, sensing victory. “It will mean me spending a lot more time with you. For a while, at least, I’ll need to be present during most of your family interactions.”
Zack made the surprising discovery he could live with spending more time with Gaby. But what she was proposing was too weird. “I’m too busy for this.”
“How much time, how much race focus do you think you lose to fretting about your family?” she demanded.
A lot. Looking at Gaby in profile, Zack wondered why he’d never noticed the stubborn tilt of her chin. Her soft voice, with that edge of nervousness, had lulled him into a false impression that she was a pushover.
She didn’t wait for him to articulate his answer. “When you feel confident you have your personal life under control, your racing should improve.”
How many times this season had the solitude of the No. 548 car proven an overfertile time to ponder his grievances? Could those negative thoughts affect his racing? Of course they could—everyone knew racing was a head game.
“How would this work?” he asked reluctantly, scarcely able to believe he was considering manipulating his family. Why not? Nothing else has worked.
“We’ll tackle both campaigns at once—the bachelor contest and your family. You will pay meticulous attention to the charm school lessons I give, which —” she fixed him with a firm eye just as he began to protest “—will be as relevant to your family situation as they are to the contest.”
Zack harrumphed.
“You will make every effort with the contest, and in all circumstances you will behave as I tell you.”
“The power has gone to your head,” he said.
“I’m not joking.”
Zack had been so wrapped up in his own troubles, he hadn’t realized until now that the lengths she was prepared to go to were extreme.
“Why are you so hot on this?” he asked. “You’re going way beyond the call of duty.”
“It’s my—”
“Your job, right.” He twisted to face her. “I don’t buy it.”
Her gaze slid away. “This is about you, not me.”
“I’m not going along with this crazy scheme unless I know what’s in it for you.” He saw the way her eyes lit up at the thought of him giving in. Yeah, well, he was desperate. “Tell me,” he ordered, “or it’s no dice.”
Her lips clamped
“You want to spin me to my family?” Zack said, outraged. “You’re nuts.”
“I admit you’re driving me crazy,” she said. “But putting you in the bachelor contest will fix that.” She leaned forward, and the movement parted her blouse. Zack got a glimpse of creamy skin. He jerked his gaze away.
“I can’t fix the psychology of what’s going on in your family, but I can help change perceptions,” she said. “Once you change someone’s viewpoint, then they reevaluate everything, and react to words and behaviors, in the light of that new view.”
He tried to follow her reasoning. “You’re saying that if Dad and my brothers think I’m a nice guy, they won’t jump on everything I say?”
That did have some appeal. Right now, every time he made the tiniest progress with his family, he’d open his mouth and ruin it. Which possibly came down to those deep-rooted perceptions. Maybe the reason he got along so well with his sisters-in-law was because they didn’t prejudge every communication.
“They’ll see everything differently,” Gaby agreed.
Despite the fact he was mad with her and had every reason to be, the idea proved incredibly seductive. Zack found himself leaning toward her.
“It’s not all perception,” she said. “You’ll need to change some behaviors, but if you know what you’re trying to achieve you can avoid a knee-jerk reaction when people say something you don’t like.”
That made sense. “And you think a PR campaign can do all this?”
“I know it can.” She sat back, sensing victory. “It will mean me spending a lot more time with you. For a while, at least, I’ll need to be present during most of your family interactions.”
Zack made the surprising discovery he could live with spending more time with Gaby. But what she was proposing was too weird. “I’m too busy for this.”
“How much time, how much race focus do you think you lose to fretting about your family?” she demanded.
A lot. Looking at Gaby in profile, Zack wondered why he’d never noticed the stubborn tilt of her chin. Her soft voice, with that edge of nervousness, had lulled him into a false impression that she was a pushover.
She didn’t wait for him to articulate his answer. “When you feel confident you have your personal life under control, your racing should improve.”
How many times this season had the solitude of the No. 548 car proven an overfertile time to ponder his grievances? Could those negative thoughts affect his racing? Of course they could—everyone knew racing was a head game.
“How would this work?” he asked reluctantly, scarcely able to believe he was considering manipulating his family. Why not? Nothing else has worked.
“We’ll tackle both campaigns at once—the bachelor contest and your family. You will pay meticulous attention to the charm school lessons I give, which —” she fixed him with a firm eye just as he began to protest “—will be as relevant to your family situation as they are to the contest.”
Zack harrumphed.
“You will make every effort with the contest, and in all circumstances you will behave as I tell you.”
“The power has gone to your head,” he said.
“I’m not joking.”
Zack had been so wrapped up in his own troubles, he hadn’t realized until now that the lengths she was prepared to go to were extreme.
“Why are you so hot on this?” he asked. “You’re going way beyond the call of duty.”
“It’s my—”
“Your job, right.” He twisted to face her. “I don’t buy it.”
Her gaze slid away. “This is about you, not me.”
“I’m not going along with this crazy scheme unless I know what’s in it for you.” He saw the way her eyes lit up at the thought of him giving in. Yeah, well, he was desperate. “Tell me,” he ordered, “or it’s no dice.”
Her lips clamped
Similar Books
