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learned my lesson about letting a man get in the way of that.”
    Sandra nodded.
    “Zack Matheson will do what we need him to do,” Gaby promised. “I’ll stake my reputation on it.”
    “You already did,” Sandra said.
    Something cold and serious in her blue eyes hollowed Gaby’s stomach. “One bad article won’t affect your decision about who takes over during your maternity leave, will it?” she blurted.
    “It’s not one bad article, Gaby.” Sandra leaned forward as best as her bulk would allow. “I agreed to consider you for the position because your administrative background gives you an excellent understanding of the business, and because you assured me you’ve moved on from the attitude that had you turning down that promotion last year. But I made it clear I’ll appoint someone who can run the firm the way I do. That means someone who puts the company first and doesn’t take garbage from people.”
    “I don’t—”
    “I need someone who’ll fight for my business,” Sandra said. “You’re not that person. I’m taking you off the shortlist.”
    Gaby’s lungs constricted; she couldn’t breathe. “No!” The word came out a squeak, using up the last of her air. She cupped her hands over her mouth and nose, and finally found breath.
    Sandra eyed her in alarm. Gaby dropped her hands, fought for composure.
    This promotion was her big chance to secure her future, to ease her cash-strapped elderly parents’ worries, and her own, about how she would be provided for. With her lack of a college education and her overly administrative background, no other company would even consider her for this kind of job.
    She needed to rescue this situation, right now.
    “What if I get Zack into the Bachelor of the Year contest?” she asked.
    “You just said he won’t do it.”
    “That was marshmallow-me talking.” Gaby attempted a small joke. “Sandra, I admit, I’m on a learning curve with Zack, but I’ll learn faster, I’ll make it happen.”
    “You really think you can persuade him into the contest?” Sandra asked, patently unconvinced.
    “I have to,” Gaby said. A subtle shift in the engine noise told her the aircraft had begun its descent. She didn’t want Sandra to get off this plane with the last thought on her mind being that Gaby was a no-go. Any savvy PR operative knew that last impressions were almost as important as first impressions. “And if he does—if Zack enters the contest and makes a real effort, if we can honestly say Getaway is delighted—will you put me back on the shortlist?”
    “I’d need to see quite a transformation,” Sandra said honestly. “In Zack, and in yourself.”
    “You’ll see it,” Gaby promised. “Can I get back on the shortlist?”
    Sandra glanced at Taney and the other women, then back at Gaby. “I’ll keep an open mind.”
    “Thanks, Sandra, you won’t regret it.”
    Gaby was certain of that. The prospect of her prickly client being a contender for Bachelor of the Year was mind-boggling, but she would make it happen.

CHAPTER FOUR
    Z ACK HAD RACED BETTER in Indianapolis—he’d finished eleventh, a result he attributed to the fact he’d spent more time in the gym than usual and less time on his public image. Fortunately, his sponsor didn’t hear that.
    When Gaby had called him to confirm their Tuesday morning meeting, he told her he’d realized his physical fitness wasn’t up to race-winning level. He’d asked his trainer to devise a tough new program.
    “You’re okay to meet in the gym, right?” he asked.
    “Of course,” she said. After all, he needed to be in peak physical condition for the bachelor contest.
    Now, she sat on a weight bench in the Matheson Racing gym, waiting for Zack to move to a piece of equipment that involved less exertion than the rowing machine, so she could broach the bachelor contest without raising her voice. She couldn’t help noticing that Zack was already in fantastic condition. Not overbulked, his tank