“All right,” Sloan smiled sleepily—her full tummy acting like a drug.
Cole started a lighthearted comedy and sure enough, by the end of the first twenty minutes, Sloan was breathing slow, steady breaths. Her beautiful lashes stretched far from her pale, lightly freckled face as she slept.
Cole didn’t mind that she’d fallen asleep. He was just content to watch over her while he was able. Tomorrow would be a different story all together. But for tonight, she slept safely under his protective, outstretched arm.
Chapter 78 All Eyes Watching
Moments away from pulling up to the red-carpet event, Meg gave herself a small pep talk.
Sirus sensed her tension as he offered her a tight-lipped smile just before stepping out of the limousine first.
Ermos held the door for them as Arkdone then Michelle exited the sleek black vehicle. Meg took a deep breath and stepped one leg out. Instantly, a warm familiar hand was on her elbow, gently helping her out of the car. Cameras flashed around her, blinding and insistent, but Meg’s eyes were focused on one point of light.
She was looking directly into Gideon’s eyes. The honey-yellow orbs gleamed as they looked adoringly down at her.
She stood at his side wearing Arkdone’s choice of four-inch heels and was still shorter than the stunningly handsome man at her arm.
“Wow,” he whispered into her ear.
Meg wanted to fling her arms around his neck and hug him for being there for her, but part of her also felt a small tug of sadness that Sirus had to be gone for Gideon to be there. She pushed the thought aside, smiled and said, “That’s my eloquent guy.”
“You’ll do just fine, but if in doubt, just excuse yourself to the ladies room,” Gideon suggested with a smirk.
“Ladies room—got it.” Meg took a deep breath and prepared to smile for the cameras and Arkdone.
Gideon threaded Meg’s arm through his and held her hand before stepping toward the Senator smiling widely for the paparazzi and answering a reporter’s question.
“And this lady in red would be my special guest. This is Meg Winter.”
“Isn’t she part of the terrorists’ plot…?”
The Senator opened his hands, showing his palms and waved them slowly back and forth in a polite though defensive gesture. “The information I received about the Winter family was inaccurate and the videotape of the events of that day in Flagstaff were completely fabricated by a hacker. We are in pursuit of this menace and expect his arrest at any time. Framing this innocent family was just the hacker’s ruse to distract authorities from a real threat. I am nothing if not a fair man, so the moment I discovered my sources were corrupt, I fired everyone involved and extended an olive branch to the Winter family, myself. Ms. Winter has graciously accepted my apology and even agreed to work under my employ as an assistant but, that’s enough business. Tonight we’re here for the beneficiaries of the Brisbee Foundation.”
Meg had stayed quietly innocent-looking as she was recorded during the brief interview. She didn’t know if the microphone was going to be shoved in her face, so she was already formulating the politically correct restatement of the Senator’s words.
Instead, they were paraded in front of the cameras. If it weren’t for Gideon’s reassuring, periodic squeeze of her hand, she may have burst out screaming and leveled the photogs by sheer will so she could kick off her stupid high heels and bolt.
She took a deep breath as the grand doors were pulled wide open and the opulent home of Governor and Mrs. Brisbee stood ready to greet their newest guests.
“Governor Brisbee, Mrs. Brisbee,” the Senator began. “May I introduce Miss Meg Winter.”
For a moment, Meg wondered if she were supposed to curtsy or bow or something. She mentally kicked herself for not paying attention to how the group before them had behaved. Just when she was about to do something probably painfully wrong, Mrs. Brisbee held out her gloved hand. Meg took it gratefully.
“Miss Winter, I understand there has been a lot of excitement surrounding you and your family. Please accept our apologies for the monumental misunderstanding?” The older woman looked beautiful for her age; though she did have the telltale “surprised” look of someone who had possibly overdone the plastic surgery.
“Of course,” Meg managed to say.
The governor held out his hand and shook Meg’s firmly as some people do to try to establish dominance. Meg resisted the urge to show just how firmly she could return the favor. “Miss Winter, you grace us with your beauty.” The older gentlemen reached to take her other hand and held her arms out wide, as though she were a piece of meat on display. Meg had to bite her tongue and smile through his strangely inappropriate attentions.