Author: K.A. Linde

Chris smiled at her as she walked toward him. She wondered what he thought had happened back there. He must think they had worked everything out or he wouldn’t look so smug. At least he was a good friend to have arranged a way for them to talk.

He handed her a drink as she approached. “I thought you’d want another,” he said with a wink.

“Yes, I would,” she said, taking it and sipping on the whiskey sour.

The key felt like the business card Brady had given her the first time they had met and he had told her to call him. She couldn’t stop feeling like the tiny thing was weighing her bag down.

The next hour was a blur of Brady, taking pictures, shaking hands, schmoozing all around. She couldn’t drag her eyes away from him, and Chris wouldn’t let her have more than one more drink. Apparently she hadn’t been as sober as she had thought when she had met Chris the first time. He was probably right about it anyway; she shouldn’t trust herself to drink in this environment.

Someone handed Brady a microphone and he gave a short speech thanking everyone for being in attendance. A series of other officials spoke after him. It was the same thing from everyone. They all wanted people to donate money to Brady for his campaign. They wanted to take him from a candidate to a shoo-in.

Liz already thought he was. And she had before she had become completely and totally biased.

After the speeches, music streamed through the speakers and the lights dimmed. Everyone began to mingle around the room and some of the younger crowd started dancing. Chris disappeared for a second to get another beer, and Liz thought about leaving early anyway.

She just needed to suck it up and see the evening for what it was. She had gotten herself into this mess. She hadn’t thought that she would want anything more from Brady Maxwell than what he had offered her that morning in the diner…that she would want a real relationship. And it hadn’t mattered, until it did.

Liz found Brady in the crowd standing with his family, Amber, and some official Liz didn’t know. Savannah was speaking and Brady was laughing at whatever she said. At least he got along with his sister. She wondered if he and Clay were too much alike, or if their animosity ran deeper.

Brady said something to the official as Amber spoke with his wife. She wondered what it would be like to stand there with Brady and entertain the wives of officials while he spoke to the husbands. Would she enjoy doing that? A chill went through her. She was getting way ahead of herself.

His eyes found her across the room and she saw his mask fall when he smiled at her. Their eyes locked and her cheeks flushed. He wanted her. She could see it in that one look.

Liz licked her lips. He nodded once, as if he understood what she was implying and turned his attention back to his sister.

She needed to leave. She couldn’t stand here any longer. She wanted to be in his bed, snuggled up against his chest, enjoying the time she could have with him. She didn’t want to see him parade around a room with someone else. Even if he had no personal feelings toward Amber, it still made Liz feel disgusting. She understood his position, but she didn’t have to like it.

“I think this is the last one for me tonight,” Liz said, setting down her empty glass.

“Are you sure?” Chris asked.

“Yeah. I think it’s time for me to go home.”

“You’re not still upset, are you?” He leaned against the table and surveyed the people surrounding them.

“No. I’m all right, I guess. Just tired. Sorry I haven’t been the best date,” she said with a small apologetic smile.

“Well, you weren’t the worst one I’ve ever had,” he said with a wink.

“Does this also have something to do with being handed off to someone’s son?”

“I swear I’m never telling you anything again. You’ll use it against me for all of eternity,” he said, shaking his head.

Liz pointed at herself and shrugged. “Reporter. I don’t forget much.”

“Great,” he groaned.

“Thanks for bringing me, Chris,” she said, wrapping her arms around his waist and pulling him into a hug. He patted her back twice before releasing her.

“Take it easy. I’m sure I’ll see you around. I always end up at functions for Brady.”

“Definitely. Hopefully I’ll see you soon,” Liz said with a smile.

She took one last look at Brady. He looked up, saw her leaving, and smiled. She tried to hold her smile back, but she wasn’t successful. He knew where she was heading now.

Liz turned away before he could and walked through the double doors and into the fresh evening air. She turned the corner and stared at the line of cars and limos that stretched around the circular drive. Unless his driver happened to recognize her, she wasn’t going to be able to locate Brady’s car without a valet.

She looked around and found the valet station, but it was currently unoccupied. They must have been out collecting a car for someone else.

She craned her neck when she heard voices off to the left, hoping it was the valet, but saw someone talking on their cell phone. The person turned and Liz saw that it was Clay. He nodded his head at her and beckoned her over.

Liz scrunched up her eyebrows and stood her ground. The last thing she wanted to do was upset Brady right now.

“Let me give you a call back,” she heard Clay say before hanging up his phone and sliding it back into his pocket. “Hey, you’re not leaving, are you?”

Clay walked back across the sidewalk to stand in front of her. Fuck! She couldn’t take Brady’s car if Clay was standing here.

“Yeah, I think I’m going to call it a night,” she told him.

“Where’s Chris?” he asked, looking around. “Is he getting his car?”

“Nah, I think I’m going to head home alone.” She sure hoped he didn’t try to read more into that. Chris was technically her date, and now it probably looked bad that she was leaving without him.

“Huh,” he said, seeming to mull that over. “Well, do you need a lift?”

“You would miss your own brother’s party?”

“Hey, it’s not like it’s my party,” he said with that cute dimpled smile.

“You really don’t support him, do you?” she couldn’t help asking.

“Why do you care if this guy wins an election?” Clay asked. “I mean, why do you think he’s running anyway? In a few years, he’s not going to remember anyone in this room who isn’t paying him in the upper hundred thousands. Unless you have a trust fund somewhere lying around, which, forgive me if you do, he’s not going to remember you either. The man has a plan, and he won’t stop for anyone to get there.”

“What? Did he step on your toes to get where he is now?” she demanded. This was not a conversation she wanted to have with him after the one she’d had with Brady in the bathroom.

Clay chuckled and shook his head. “Just wait. You’ll see. The toes will be the least of everyone’s concerns. You don’t know him well enough to understand.”

“Why are you telling me all of this?” she huffed.

“Because I want to take you home,” he told her. “Why don’t you let me?”

“I’m just curious,” Liz said, holding her hand up. “Does this line actually work on women?”

Clay laughed out loud. “Actually, yes. It does.”

“Uh-huh…well, maybe you should try some new material.”

“Apparently, but that doesn’t change the fact that I want to take you home. Nor does it change anything I said about my brother,” he said.

Liz smiled slightly. He didn’t get it. He didn’t get what Brady got about the world. Clay had it written all over him how jaded he was. From the way his hand rested in his pocket, the cockiness in his smile, and the glint in his eyes. She just wanted to…fix him.

“I appreciate the offer, but I’m going to have to pass. And about your brother, maybe you’re not wrong about him. But next time he gives a speech you should listen to what he says and how he says it. You might be surprised.”

“I’ll do that…just for you,” he said with a devious smirk that said he certainly wouldn’t.

“Ms. Carmichael?” a voice called behind her.

Shit!

“Yes?” she asked, turning to face him.

“Your car is on its way,” the valet said.

She hadn’t even gone up to ask the valet for the car. Was this Brady’s doing?

“That’s me,” she said to Clay. “Have a nice night.”

“At least let me get your number,” he volleyed.

“And what are you going to do with it? Don’t you go to Yale?” Liz asked.

“So?” he said with a shrug before pushing his phone into her hands.

Liz rolled her eyes. “I only want to hear from you if you change your mind about your brother,” she told him. She typed her number into his phone.

He took the phone back and nodded. “Sounds like a deal. I think I’ll find some compassion tonight,” he said with a wink before walking away.

Liz blew out softly as he departed. She knew that if she hadn’t done that then she never would have gotten away without him seeing that she was getting into Brady’s car.

Damn! Why hadn’t she thought of using a fake number? Whatever. It wasn’t as if she would ever respond to his messages.

Brady’s driver, Greg, pulled up in front of the valet station a second later. The valet opened the door for her and she slid into the backseat. Greg stared back at her through the rearview mirror with a smile. “Pleasure to have you back, Ms. Carmichael.”

Greg rolled up slowly in front of a brick two-story house in the very back of a gated neighborhood in a Raleigh suburb. It was dark outside, but the front porch light was on, allowing Liz a better view. The house was traditional-looking, with bay windows in the front and a large porch with a porch swing. She knew that Brady had neighbors on either side of his house, but the generous portion of land, curve of the cul-de-sac, and abundance of tall pines obscured the view of any of the surrounding lots.

Liz exited the car after Greg pulled into the driveway and opened the door for her. She thanked him for his time, and he got back into the car and drove away. She couldn’t believe she was actually standing in front of Brady’s house. She took a moment to relish that fact.

As she walked across the sidewalk up to the front door, she took in the smell of freshly cut lawn and pine that permeated the air. His house was far enough off the road that she could hear crickets and cicadas chirping in the woods, and the stars were bright with life overhead. The temperature had dropped some after nightfall, and a breeze blew in. She had an overwhelming feeling of peace, like the first night she had spent with Brady on the lake.

Liz removed the key from her bag, pushed it into the dead bolt, and unlocked the door. She turned the handle and pushed inward. The foyer was lit overhead, revealing a giant staircase leading to the second floor. The entranceway was all hardwood floors leading off in three different directions. She closed the front door and took the opportunity to look around the house.

She could make out the outline of a square wooden dining room table off to the left. The room to the right had sliding double doors that led into a library, with an oversize wooden desk taking up the majority of one wall. The bay window was actually a small nook, with a cushion over the seat and bookshelves underneath. She stared all around at the books and wondered whether he had actually read all of them. Where would he find the time?

She backed out of the office and walked into the living room. Dim lighting cast shadows up into the high vaulted ceilings. The living room was nearly the length of the house, save for the kitchen, which she could just make out in the dark. The room was well furnished, and a giant area rug covered the center of the room. Glass doors led out to a back deck used for grilling, and beyond that were trees as far as she could see in the darkness.