The cheers were deafening.
The congressman put his hands up to silence the crowd and said, “No, no. I promised Walker that I—”
Aiden cut him off. “Walker has already signed, and so has Spencer. It’s up to you and me to finish this.” He took a pen from his breast pocket and shoved it in front of him. “Why don’t you sign first, Congressman?”
His mind racing, Chambers tried to think of a way out of this fiasco, but he drew a blank. He was trapped, and he knew it. The crowd’s cheers grew louder as they began to chant his name. The people were looking up at him almost adoringly, they were so grateful for what he was doing for them. Maybe there was some good to come from this disaster after all. He had them in his pocket now. Every one of them would vote for him because he was their savior. With a flourish he took the pen, bent down, and signed his name.
Only Aiden could see the anger in his eyes when they shook hands. The man was seething, which, all things considered, was an expected reaction.
The congressman was patted on the shoulder a dozen times and had to shake hands with most of the people there on his way out the door to go back to Washington for his important vote. He wanted to linger and lap up the adulation, but he worried they’d catch on that he’d lied about having an important vote. He had no idea what he would say if they asked him what the vote was for. Losing the fortune he could have made from Rock Point definitely stung, but despite it all, he was actually feeling good about the future. He wouldn’t need to spend much money on additional campaigning now. He’d just won the hearts of the voters.
Kalie, the young reporter who had talked to Aiden and Spencer the last time they were in town, waited outside the doors. She had her microphone in hand and a cameraman behind her as Aiden approached.
Mayor Green intercepted him. “Thank you again for the generous donation to my campaign,” she said, “but after the congressman’s press conference, I don’t think I have much of a chance.”
“You’re the woman for the job,” Aiden said, motioning for Kalie to start recording. People gathered around as he looked into the camera and said, “Mayor Green cares about the people of this town. If it weren’t for her, the Hamilton Hotel and Resort wouldn’t be built here. Although your current congressman is taking credit, he had nothing to do with it. Your mayor worked for more than a year, calling and writing and sending photos of this beautiful area, to convince us to build here. She should be your next representative in Congress. I certainly would vote for her if I lived in this district. Just like she fought to get the Hamilton, she’ll fight for you in Washington. Do the right thing. Vote for Mayor Green.”
He turned to Mayor Green and began to laugh. She looked flabbergasted. Fortunately, Kalie had just given the cameraman the signal to stop taping.
? ? ?
An hour later Aiden was back on the plane and on his way home. He hadn’t seen Cordelia in more than a week. He couldn’t believe how much he missed her. He knew her cast had come off three days ago, and he’d heard from Regan that the doctor wasn’t happy to see a swizzle stick stuck inside.
He felt travel weary. He’d flown from San Diego to Houston and then up to Rock Point. Months ago he had made up his mind to slow down, to stay home more, but it wasn’t until he had to deal with the congressman and other men just like him that he realized how tired he was.
He wanted off the fast track. And he wanted Cordelia.
Thanks to Liam’s connections and hard work, along with a top attorney and the court in Sydney, Cordelia was now the owner of Merrick stock. It was expected that she would go back to Sydney to meet the board and sign additional papers. Aiden told her there was no way he would let her go there without him. He’d learned then not to use those exact words. Telling her he would “let” her do anything set her temper off. He smiled thinking about it.
He’d heard Julian Taylor’s arrest had started a firestorm in the press. Liam told him Simone and her family were on holiday, which he translated to mean they were hiding until things calmed down. Simone’s past was such a juicy story, Liam didn’t think that would happen soon. So far, they were leaving Cordelia alone. Aiden knew they would eventually want to interview her. He also knew she wouldn’t talk to any of them.
It was closing in on one in the morning by the time Aiden got back to the hotel. He went to Walker’s suite first. His brother was a night owl. He was going over notes Spencer had left for him when Aiden walked in, dropped the contract in his lap, and said, “It’s all yours and Spencer’s. He’ll take the lead and show you how it’s done.”
“You don’t want to run it?”
“No.”
He wasn’t worried Walker would screw up. The team wouldn’t let him. They had been doing this long enough that they had gotten rid of the wrinkles. It was a well-oiled machine now. “I’ll tell you all about the congressman’s press conference tomorrow. I’m beat. I’m going to bed.”
He went down the hall and opened the door to his suite. It was spotless. There wasn’t anything out of place. No phone under a chair, no scarves draped across the sofa, no chemistry books. No Cordelia.
She’d left a note propped up against a vase of flowers on the table telling him she was leaving and thanking him yet again for his help. He held it in his hand as he stood in the doorway of her bedroom. It was just as spotless and sterile as the living room. He didn’t know where she was or what she was doing. There was only one certainty. He wanted her back.
Coming to terms with his misery took time. He paced around the living room, and at two o’clock he called Alec. He was sound asleep, of course. It was the middle of the night.
Alec stirred at the sound. He carefully eased Regan off his shoulder so he wouldn’t wake her and fumbled for the phone. “Agent Buchanan,” he answered.
“Where is she?”
“What? Aiden?”
“Where is Cordelia?” He repeated the question in a firm voice.
Alec yawned. “She’s sleeping in the guest room.”
“So she didn’t leave for Boston?”
“No, she didn’t.”
Long seconds passed before Aiden spoke again. “She’s all right?”
“Yes. She’s fine.”
“When is she leaving for Boston?”
“Two days,” he answered. “Tomorrow is that Summerset thing, and she leaves the next morning.”
“Okay, then.” Aiden sounded relieved.
“I’m glad you finally figured it out,” Alec said on a long, drawn-out yawn. “I’m going back to sleep now.”
THIRTY
Cordie had just taken a grueling two-mile ride around her old neighborhood with Jayden Martin in his new used car. He didn’t mention that it was a stick shift until she was in the passenger seat, nor did he mention that he didn’t know how to drive a stick shift. She had whiplash before they rounded the first corner.
He was proud of his car and wanted her assessment and approval. She was diplomatic as she went over the repairs she thought he needed. First was the muffler. It was about to fall off. Then there were the tires. They were as bald as an eagle’s head and needed to be replaced. She also mentioned that he needed someone with experience to teach him how to drive a stick shift because he was stripping the gears.
By the time she got back to the house, she was late getting ready for the Summerset Ball. Alec and Regan officially owned her house now, and it felt strange to sleep in the guest room. Since her bed fit in it perfectly, she decided she would leave it and buy a new one in Boston.