Was I being distrustful because that was all I knew how to be now?
I shook off the thoughts and smiled.
“Okay,” I said.
“Okay?” my dear friend and mentor lit right up. “I knew I could count on you.”
I sat up straighter, trying to manage the strange nausea in my stomach.
“I’ll have Justin send over the details. Do you want him to write a few remarks for you?”
“About the senator?” I asked. What in the world would I say about him?
Once, he broke my finger at the dinner table. One minute I was handing him a plate, the next he’d snapped my pinky finger back until it popped.
“That would be great,” I said and stood up. “Have Justin send me everything I need.”
“You’re not going to stay for lunch?”
“No, actually. I’ve got another engagement for lunch.”
“With who?” Caroline asked. She asked like she was surprised. Like it was impossible I had friends. And she wasn’t wrong, but I was allowed to have some dignity.
“Just a friend from college,” I lied and picked up my purse. “I’ll look forward to Justin’s notes.”
I left her office, aware of her concern chasing me out the door. Justin sat at his desk in her outer sanctum, and I gave him my breeziest smile. “I look forward to seeing you at the fundraiser!”
“Let me—” he said, standing up from his desk.
“I’m good. Take care.” I pushed the button, and the elevator opened as if it had been waiting for me. Which, since it was Caroline’s private elevator, it probably had been.
I heard one of the other doors open as I stepped inside, leaning back against the glass and marble. The low murmur of voices as the doors began to slide shut.
“She’s leaving?” asked a brogue that made me stand up straight.Was that...?
Before the door could shut, a hand braced it open, and I came face to face with Ronan.
CHAPTER SIX
Speechless, I gapedat him as he stepped into the elevator. The doors closed behind him, shrinking the square footage around us to absolutely nothing. I stepped back into the furthest corner of the elevator.
“What are you doing?” I asked. It was ingrained, being frantic alone with a man that wasn’t Jim.
“Are you all right?” he asked, reaching for my elbow. And I absolutely flailed away from him so he wouldn’t touch me.
“I’m fine,” I said, embarrassed down to my core.
“You’re a terrible liar.” He dropped his hand without actually touching me, and I’d never been so relieved and disappointed in my life.
I laughed, low in my throat because he had no idea what a liar I could be.
He reached behind his back and pressed the button that stopped the elevator. We lurched to a halt, and I braced myself against the wall behind me so I wouldn’t bounce into him.
“What are you doing?” I cried.
“Why are you upset?”
“Because you are like... kidnapping me?”