The next morning, I called Ben and told him I needed to talk with him. He was not only my campaign manager, he was my PR guy, and he needed to know what was going on.
Naturally, I didn’t tell him Lucy’s entire life history; I just gave him the CliffsNotes version. He didn’t need the nitty-gritty details, just the threat Emily made and the knowledge that I was sure she’d go through with it. He advised me to talk to Lucy, which I planned on doing anyway. She was my next call.
I went to my contacts on my phone and saw a picture of us I’d taken at the baseball game. Her head was tilted and her smile was bright, and she was all mine. Now I wasn’t sure where we stood. All I could do was pray she wasn’t with Gregory.
I pressed her name and connected the call. After two rings and about a hundred heartbeats, she answered.
“Hi, Drake.”
“Hi. Is this a good time to talk?”
“Yes, I’m not far from your place. I can come over.”
The sound of her voice was soothing, and yet I was anything but calm.
“That would be great. I’ll see you soon.”
I disconnected the call and rested my head on the back of my couch as what-ifs ran rampant through my brain.
When I heard the doorbell, I took a deep breath and opened the door. Lucy was smiling on the other side, obviously happy, and I felt twin spikes of pleasure and despair at that.
Her eyes bright, she said simply, “Hi.” Then she stepped inside and wrapped me in a tight hug.
She felt like home in my arms, all warmth and sweetness and comfort. I didn’t want to let her go, but I eventually did, and stepped back.
“I’ve missed you,” she said as she looked into my eyes, and I was lost.
“I’ve missed you too. Come on in.” I watched her hips sway as she stepped into my living room, and she had a bounce in her step I hadn’t seen in a while, if ever. “So, what were you doing in DC?”
“I just came back from Reagan. I took Greg to the airport.” She gave me a huge smile as she said, “I don’t know if I could ever repay you for what you did for us yesterday.”
He left?
“He went back to Georgia? Will you be joining him?”
Her brows lowered and she stared at me as if I asked her if she was going to Mars.
“Why would I be joining him?” Then her eyes widened. “Oh my God, Drake. Did you think I want to be with him? Even after I told you I love you?”
Uncomfortable, I shrugged. “That was before you knew he was alive. I wasn’t sure what to think.” I ran my hand through my hair. “But I’m so relieved.”
“Greg is my past. He has his life and he’s happy, and I have mine. Yes, it was a complete and utter shock seeing him again after all these years, but we’re different people now. We talked about it this morning on the way from his hotel to the airport.” Her eyes lit up as she added, “He thinks you’re a great man and wishes you luck in the election.”
I stepped forward and took her face in my hands, cupping her cheeks as my mouth covered hers. I’d missed her taste so much, and poured all the love I had for her into that kiss.
When she pulled me closer, I couldn’t let go. There was no way on earth I could lose this woman.
After our lips broke apart, I took her hand and led her to the couch. “I need to tell you something.”
“You can tell me anything.”
“Please sit.” I motioned toward the sofa.
After we both had sat down, she looked at me with such trust and adoration, my heart sank. “You’re not going to like what I have to tell you.”
“Just say it, Drake. You’re scaring me.”
“I went to a fundraiser last night, and Emily was there.”
“Your ex-girlfriend?”
That thought made my stomach roll. “Yes, the one and the same. But she’s engaged to Grissett’s campaign manager.”
“Oh,” she said with a frown, then her eyes shot open wide. “OH!”
“Exactly. But that’s not what I wanted to tell you.” I paused, wondering how in the hell I could tell her what I’d done.