Elijah told me I didn’t have to attend, because he worried the reporters would make me uncomfortable. But…what if that’s not the reason? What if he’s aware of his approval ratings slipping and he’s trying to save my feelings? Because that would be such an Elijah move. He can’t fake how much he wants me. And I know he cares about me—it’s there in every look, every touch. His career, though. He can’t let it suffer, either.
Not for someone he doesn’t love.
A knock at the door jars me out of my downward spiral. Knowing it’s probably just Ricky and Kyle checking in, I jog to the door and glance through the peephole to confirm.
When I see who it is, I rear back with a frown on my face. “Um. Yes?”
“Addison, it’s Preston.” He stops there, as if it will be enough to make me open the door. Seconds later, he continues with a tight laugh. “You might remember me from election night. We were introduced by Mrs. Du Pont.”
“I remember,” I call through the door. “What are you doing here?”
“Mrs. Du Pont sent me to pick you up. She’d like you to be her guest at the ceremony this morning.” I watch in a stupor through the peephole as he checks his watch. “We don’t have a lot of time.”
Hope tickles my belly. “She…wants me there?” I press a hand to my thudding heart. “Does Elijah know?”
“Yes and yes.” I get the sense he knows I’m watching him, because he’s all smiles now whereas before he seemed anxious. “I’m happy to wait out here while you get ready…”
Guilt is like a mule kick to my side. If this was New York, I would leave his butt on the stoop to wait without giving it a second thought. For all intents and purposes, he’s a stranger. This is the south, though. I’m honor-bound by geography to invite him inside for sweet tea.
I finger the doorknob, but something won’t allow me to turn it. This is Elijah’s house. There are probably cameras outside. Inviting Preston inside when Elijah isn’t home would be stupid. And I don’t want to let him in, either. There’s something about him that rubbed me the wrong way on election night and I have to trust my first impression.
“You know, I think I’ll just drive myself,” I say, backing away from the door. “Thanks anyway, Preston. Sorry for the inconvenience.”
“You need security clearance,” he drones louder, sounding kind of smug and impatient now. “Virginia put my name on the list. You’ll need me to get in.”
Dammit, he’s right. Any other day, I could walk right into City Hall and go through a light security check, but today they probably have it sealed up like a drum. I can’t call Elijah and bother him when he’s reviewing his speech and preparing for the biggest moment of his life, either. I have no choice but to take the ride if I want to be there. And I do. I do so bad.
“I won’t be more than ten minutes! Promise!” I call, already turning to sprint up the stairs, my socks sliding on the carpeted stairs. With the decision made not to invite Preston inside, I finally allow the excitement to trickle in. Holy shit. Maybe I wasn’t imagining it yesterday when I sensed Elijah’s mother softening toward me. And Elijah wants me at the ceremony, too. I was wrong about everything. How was I so wrong?
I still haven’t moved my clothes into the master bedroom closet, so I take a hard right at the top of the stairs and dash down the hallway, mentally tearing apart my wardrobe. Black dress. Boom. Just throw the modest, black dress on, pair it with the pumps and swap my underwear for a thong to eliminate panty lines. I’m golden. That’s all I have to do. Thank God my hair is washed. I’ll brush it, clip it back and no one will know it was still messy from bed until eleven o’clock in the morning.
The transformation is completed in record time. I stop at the door to pluck my black pumps off the shoe rack, sliding them onto my feet for the first time in forever. Feeling armed and ready with my footwear in place, I’m out the door, keys and cell phone in hand.
When I get to the passenger side of Preston’s idling Lexus, a few cameras go off from waiting vehicles and I hesitate. Getting a ride from this man is the right thing, isn’t it? Preston might be kind of slimy, but he’s a trusted member of their staff. We’re only going less than a mile, aren’t we?
“Addison.” He rolls down the window and smiles. “We’re going to be late.”
“Right. Okay.” Chewing my lip, I climb into the car and buckle my seatbelt, giving Preston a hard look when he makes no effort to hide his lazy perusal of my body. My fist bunches with the urge to deck him, but I force myself to relax. I just have to get through the ride to City Hall. There’s an ugly voice in the back of my head, though, whispering he wouldn’t be that disrespectful to Naomi. He would be ma’am-ing the bejeezus out of her. Rather, she would already be at the ceremony. “Can we go, please?”