When he trotted toward her, her stomach knotted. So much for wishful thinking. She braced herself and looked straight ahead, her thoughts racing.
“Natalie.”
One heartbeat. Two. Finally, she glanced at him. She was thankful for the jet-black sunglasses she had on.
“You cut your hair.”
She almost raised her hand to touch the short tips that brushed her neck. But there was no reason for her to finger-comb it. She no longer had to play the proper daughter of a powerful U.S. senator—and she had no reason to try to impress Alex.
“Can we talk?”
Alex’s voice was gentle, and absurdly, it made her want to cry. It held the warmth that had never failed to make her insides melt. But that warmth had been a lie, hadn’t it? To keep her in the dark while he was plotting behind her back…to set her up for something she hadn’t done. Something she’d never even considered doing.
She took a deep breath and got out of the car. The four-inch dress sandals she wore added to her height, and she was thankful she had taken so much care with her appearance that morning. She knew she looked good. Eat your heart out, she thought. Now all she had to do was keep it together in front of him.
“I thought we were done.” Her voice was steady. Her gaze was steady.
Steady.
Alex reached out and gently took her wrist. “No.”
The contact seemed to burn her skin, and she almost cried out. What was he up to now? Hadn’t he done enough?
“Let go.”
He kept his hand where it was. She
could feel the heat and intensity of his gaze even through the sunglasses.
“Ethan turned in his resignation.”
She laughed. “And…what? You want me to fill his position?” God, she had to get away. A moment longer and she would crack, cry like some pathetic loser. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction, even if it killed her to hold everything inside.
“Natalie, I was wrong. I know you weren’t spying on us. It was Danielle. She was the one who gave the numbers to Charlie Rodale,” Alex said quietly.
Natalie’s lips parted. She hadn’t suspected her mousy assistant even knew Charlie.
“Why?” she said before she could stop herself.
Alex shrugged. “Apparently, she’s in love with him.”
“What?” Charlie could be very charming when he wanted to be. Still, how could he have used Danielle like that? And for her to betray Natalie’s trust…
Suddenly, all emotion drained from Natalie. Why should she care about them? She was going to leave all this behind soon.
“I’m sorry,” Alex said.
The simple apology surprised her, but it was too little too late. “Well.” She tugged until he let go of her wrist. “It doesn’t matter. Thanks for letting me know. If that’s all, I think you should go.”
She walked to her condo, and he followed. She turned to him at the door.
“I’m not going to invite you in.”
He nodded silently but kept looking at her steadily with those beautiful, unreadable eyes. Was there more to his visit than an apology?
She straightened her spine. She didn’t know what it was about him that made her do it, but she found herself saying, “I’m moving. Someplace far from here.”
“You can’t go.”