“A favor?” I spun around, ready to pull my hair out, but instead I rested my hands on my hips and dropped my head. “Did you honestly say a favor?”
My fingers gripped my hips, preventing me from grabbing him by the shirt collar and hoisting him up against the building. “I’m going to say this once.” I took a step forward, which forced him to look up. “Don’t you ever play these games with me and Lucy again! Do you hear me? NEVER. DO. THIS. AGAIN.”
Having had my say, I retreated a step, doing my best to calm my temper.
Ben glared up at me. “Pardon me for caring about your career. You’re losing your edge. Have you seen the poll numbers? Grissett is catching up to you. Get your head back in the game, or we’re both going to be out of a job.”
Was he fucking serious?
“You don’t think my head’s in the game?” My hand fisted at my side, and I wanted nothing more than to launch it into his face. “I think you should go. You’ve done enough tonight. I don’t want to ever have this discussion again. Keep in mind, you work for me, and I’ve told you more than once to keep her out of this and stay out of our business. Remember, you can be out of a job, even if I’m not.”
“Yes, sir.”
Ben’s curt tone irritated the shit out of me. I considered myself a rational man, but he was pushing my limits. He shook his head, turned, and walked away.
I glanced back to the entrance of the restaurant and found Lucy, Mason, and a few other customers on the steps staring at us. Lucy and Mason walked down the steps and came toward me.
“I’m sorry if you heard that.” I swallowed hard, embarrassed to be seen losing my temper. I glanced back, and the other customers dispersed. Show’s over, folks.
Lucy placed her hand on my bicep, which was flexed. “Is everything okay?”
I relaxed a bit. “Yes, thank you. I’m going to take off.” I kissed her cheek and shook Mason’s hand. “Enjoy the rest of your night. I really hope I didn’t ruin it for you.”
Adrenaline still flowed, making me tense. Needing to calm down, I turned to walk down the sidewalk toward the parking garage. The light wind tonight did little to cool me off. The tree-lined streets looked ominous, even though the lampposts lit them and people were milling about. Maybe it was just my dark mood.
“Drake!” Lucy ran ahead of me and turned to face me, forcing me to stop walking. “I wanted to tell you something.”
I smiled, but it was a nervous one. Possibilities of what she might say darted through my mind at rapid speed, and none of them were pleasant. “Okay. You can tell me anything.”
That cute little freckle bobbed as she smiled. “I just wanted you to know that I’m falling for you too.” She rolled up on tiptoe and gave me a swift peck on the lips. “I need to go, but call me later.”
And just like that, she hustled back to Mason. I watched until they walked around the corner and out of sight.
So she was falling for me too. It wasn’t what I would have guessed she was going to say, and I was so glad I was wrong.
? ? ?
The entire drive home, I thought about what Lucy had told me. First, that she loved Mason but wasn’t in love with him. That I held a special place in her heart, which I thought was great, but the best thing was her telling me she was falling for me. I knew the first time I laid eyes on her that she was something special, but knowing she felt the same way I did? That just turned this debacle of a night around for me.
By the time I was nearly home, I’d calmed down a bit, but was still furious with Ben.
Maybe I should fire Ben and hire Lucy as my campaign manager. She’d be great at it.
My thoughts were interrupted as the Bluetooth sounded through my car, and my brother Dane’s name flashed across the dash display screen.
“Hi, stranger.”
“Hey. Am I catching you at a bad time?”
“No. I’m driving back from Reston. What’s up?”
“I just talked to Mom. Heard you have a girlfriend; good for you. It’s about time you got your rocks off by something other than your left hand.”