by Aimee Carson
Big guy. Generic suit. Eyes like a hawk. He certainly wasn’t here to have fun, not with a discreetly placed radio earpiece and connecting wire that disappeared into the guy’s suit.
Kate finally appeared, coming to a stop between him and her brother. “That’s Dalton’s right-hand man, Anthony Hall,” Kate said. “The media has gathered in force, and Anthony’s in contact with the security team, just in case there’s trouble.”
“I guarantee Anthony also researched every reunion guest who donated money to the campaign and coached Dalton on their biographical information,” Brian said.
Memphis raised a brow in skeptical amusement. “You’re kidding.”
“It will help him work the room more effectively,” Kate said, as if this were perfectly reasonable. But Memphis had his doubts.
Apparently Brian shared his concern. “Now you can see the dog-and-pony show in action, Memphis,” Brian said.
“And during Dalton’s schmoozing prowl of the contributors,” Memphis queried, deadpan, “will he move in order from the most important to the least? Or will the time he spends speaking with each one correlate with the amount of money donated?”
Kate shot Memphis an overly patient look. “Without contributions, Dalton can’t run an effective campaign,” she said easily. “And without an effective campaign, he can’t get elected. One of Anthony’s roles is to make Dalton look brilliant.”
Her tone radiated a calm acceptance of the practice, and Memphis finally grasped just how odd her childhood had been, raised under a political spotlight. He eyed the small crowd surrounding Kate’s tall, dark and high-profile ex, flanked by his redheaded fiancée. Clearly the evening was being carefully orchestrated, and the fact that the former spouses could sweep aside their differences for the greater political good was grating.
Memphis hiked a brow. “How much does one get paid to make others look brilliant?”
“Too much,” Brian said, all humor gone as he stared in the direction of his former brother-in-law. “And given that Anthony’s boss got engaged three months after finalizing his divorce, it appears Mr. Hall is falling down on the let’s-make-Dalton-look-brilliant job.”
Memphis knew Brian’s hostile tone was driven by concern for his sister, but that was because her brother didn’t know the full truth about her marriage.
He shot Kate a pointed look, and her eyes widened with a trace of alarm. While her brother continued to gaze unhappily at Dalton, Kate softly shook her head at Memphis, mouthing the words not now.
With a slight frown, Memphis opened his mouth to provide her a verbal incentive when he was interrupted by the earbud-wearing Anthony Hall, and Kate quickly traded her alarmed look for a cool social smile. But the rapid-fire blink of her eyes relayed her distress.
“Nice to see you again, Anthony,” she said as the beefy blond man approached.
“Good evening, Kate,” the man replied. “Dalton sent me to tell you he will be coming over to greet you now.”
Brian’s expression was anything but pleasant. “Why don’t you use your little radio there to tell Dalton he can go to hell?
Memphis heard a quiet “oof” from Brian, most likely in response to a discreet elbowing in the side from Kate, and Memphis decided to help his friend out.
“I don’t think Representative Worthington would earn much in the way of contributions in the netherworld,” Memphis drawled.
Kate’s smile was weak, but her arms worked fine, giving him a matching jab in the ribs.
Anthony Hall ignored both men, addressing Kate as if they didn’t exist. “We decided it would be best to give you a warning.”
“Yes,” Memphis murmured sardonically. “Can’t be too careful with the planning.”
This time Kate curled her fingers around Memphis’s arm, her smile looking forced as she smoothly addressed Anthony. “Thanks for the heads-up.”
Dalton’s right-hand man gave Kate a polite nod and left, never having acknowledged the two men flanking her like bookends. And when Dalton himself, minus his fiancée, began to head in their direction, Kate’s voice sounded strained.
“Brian,” Kate said as she turned to her brother. “Why don’t you go get a drink?”
Memphis could sense her growing tension.
But Brian simply scowled as his former brother-in-law drew closer. “I think I should stay.”
The strain in Kate’s muscles climbed to record levels.
“Please,” Kate said to her brother, her heart relentless in her chest. For a full five seconds Brian continued to stare at Dalton’s approaching form, clearly unhappy with her request, and Kate went on, attempting a reassuring tone. Which was far from easy. “Memphis can keep me company while I chat with Dalton.”
With a reluctant expression, Brian finally blew out a breath and headed off, and Kate nearly melted with relief. But the sensation didn’t last long, because when Dalton came to a stop in front of her and Memphis, all eyes in the room were aimed in their direction—or discreetly trying to pretend that they weren’t.
“You’re looking beautiful tonight,” Dalton said smoothly, his words sincere. “And congratulations on the reunion success.” He grinned and reached out to clasp her hands. “It’s another fabulous Kate event.”
“Thanks,” she said. She allowed her ex to kiss her cheek before discreetly pulling her palms from his, surprised by how soft they felt.
With a smile on his face, Dalton shook hands with Memphis, who calmly returned the gesture. No one would have questioned the warmth in Dalton’s greeting, but Kate could see the tension framing Dalton’s eyes. His handsome looks were polished to perfection, something she used to find appealing. Now she preferred a more rugged look. And calloused hands.
No need to wonder why.
“I was surprised you changed your mind about coming,” she said.
“You know better than anyone that a united front benefits everybody,” Dalton said, and Kate had to bite back the bitter bark of laughter. “And with that in mind,” her ex went on. “I was hoping to convince you to organize an event for me.”
The words were so unexpected, for a moment she couldn’t process the request. She stared at her ex for several seconds before responding.
“Why me?”
“Because it makes sense,” he said simply, as if it did. “No one throws a better party than you. And your help will convince the public once and for all that the divorce was amicable. Besides, the Anderson name attached to anything is always an advantage,” he said, his teasing smile growing bigger at the running joke they used to share.
But Kate didn’t find it amusing anymore. “Have you discussed this with Olivia?”
“No,” he said with a slight shrug. “Not yet.”
She lifted a disbelieving brow. “Don’t you think she might mind you working with your ex-wife?”
“Of course not. She knows the score.”
She knows the score….
Kate blinked hard, staring at the man who had charm to spare, the one whom everybody loved. The one she’d spent years hearing about from others. How lucky she was to be his wife. How selfless Dalton was in his political goals. He hadn’t discussed his plans with his future bride, confident she would approve. Because, in his mind, what benefited Dalton and his causes benefited his spouse, regardless of how she might actually feel.
Putting the needs of the many over the one. Every. Single. Time.
Mind spinning with the memories, aware every eye in the room was on her, she felt Memphis place a reassuring hand on her back, grateful for his steady presence. Just a short time ago she would have said yes to Dalton’s proposal. Because she’d been trained to be a team player, to set aside her personal feelings in favor of the more important overarching goals. Her equally dedicated parents, God love them, had instilled this principle in her from the time she could walk. And Dalton had adopted a similar attitude. But what had worked well for everyone else hadn’t worked out so well for Kate Anderson.
And she was done d
oing what was expected.
She firmly met her ex-husband’s gaze. “I won’t do it.”
Dalton’s forehead crumpled in disbelief even as he fought to maintain a pleasant expression. “Why not?” he said. “Anthony and I think your involvement would be beneficial.”
“Dalton,” she said, straining for patience, but losing the battle. “You are a brilliant politician. Eloquent and convincing when you’re rallying the people to address the important issues. Your concern and commitment to those less fortunate has always been genuine, and you are amazing when it comes to dealing with a crowd—whether it’s your adoring public or your devoted staff. But when it comes to the one-on-one …” She slowly shook her head, wondering why it had taken her so long to see the truth. “You’re a disaster.”
The shocked look on Dalton’s face was priceless. “Kate, I—”
She calmly held up her hand to stop his protest. “I’m starting my own event business,” she went on, maintaining a steady gaze as she dropped her arm to her side. “And I should agree to your proposal and charge you double, just for being such an insensitive clod toward Olivia. But I’m not going to plan your event because she deserves better. Good luck with your marriage, Dalton.” Heart pounding with exhilaration, she turned to leave. And then she stopped, realizing she had one more thing to say. “But this time, pay more attention to your wife.”
Kate pivoted on her heel and headed for her brother, feeling lighter and lighter with every stride. Memphis fell into step beside her, his hand on her elbow.
“That was beyond awesome,” he murmured. “Did it feel good?”
A smile slipped up her face. “Better than good.”
With Memphis’s touch on her arm and her ex-husband firmly in her rearview mirror, Kate felt as if she’d conquered the world, the moment a million times better than being awarded the silly prom queen title. Because this feeling was based on reality and not just an image.
Across the ballroom, her brother spied them approaching, coming to meet them halfway. “What did he want?” Brian said.
Memphis said, “Dalton asked Kate to plan an event for him.”
“The son of a bitch,” Brian whispered with force. And then sympathy and concern swamped his face as he looked at Kate. “Are you okay?”
Kate’s heart twisted at his expression, letting out a good bit of air from her happy bubble. “Brian,” she said. “It’s no big deal.”
“No big deal?” Her brother’s face was incredulous, and a sharp sliver of unease popped the rest of her feel-good bubble. “Are you out of your mind?” he went on.
Perhaps she should have chosen her words more carefully. “I’m fine—”
“Save it, Kate,” Brian said, cutting her off as he stepped closer and went on with an impatient tone. “You know he must have been seeing Olivia before your divorce.” Brian’s frustration was obvious, and he fixed his glare on Dalton across the room. “Why are you always so forgiving of the bastard?”
The irony actually hurt, and the sharp, barking cough from Memphis made the pain worse. Kate caught Memphis’s eye and sent him a warning look, completely unprepared for this discussion. Couldn’t she just bask in her recent accomplishment for a moment? Before she confessed the unvarnished truth to her brother?
According to the expression on Memphis’s face the answer was no. While her brother continued to glare in the direction of Dalton, her heart pounded in fear, and Kate gave a slight, desperate shake of her head at Memphis, hoping to silence him. But Memphis James did what Memphis James wanted.
And now was no exception.
Memphis narrowed his eyes at Kate with heavy expectation. “Nothing wrong with a little forgiveness, Brian,” Memphis said, his tone loaded. “But lies do have a way of piling up, don’t they?”
Brian’s gaze landed on her, and the strain on her heart grew heavy, because the combined male expressions were too much. Brian, who was worried about his sister after the mention of a supposedly cheating ex, and Memphis, who was clearly unhappy—because she was the reason her brother was needlessly concerned.
Guilt washed through her like the waters in a storm drain after a tropical downpour.
Her mouth opened to tell her brother why he didn’t have to worry, but panic drove her response. “I’m okay,” she said to Brian. Offering reassurance was so much easier than a confession.
“Kate,” Memphis said, his tone a warning, and she knew he was expecting more from her. “You need to tell Brian the truth about the end of your marriage.”
“What truth?” Brian said.
Her heart pinched so tight the drop in blood pressure made her light-headed, and she felt trapped, as thoroughly as she’d been in the bathroom. She’d lived with the lie for so long if she confessed now Brian would surely be angry she hadn’t been honest with him sooner. She knew he’d been worried about her for months, but she’d been too much of a coward to set him straight.
Just like now. “The truth that I’m over Dalton, Brian,” she said, gently touching his arm. “There’s no reason to worry about me. I’m fine.” Despite the nausea rolling in her stomach, she sent him a reassuring smile, aware of Memphis’s eyes on her face, the gaze boring into her with all the intensity of a power drill. “Really,” she said.
As if the word was enough.
Brian let out a breath. “All right,” he said reluctantly, clearly unconvinced. “You want me to fetch you a drink?”
She could use about a million of them. “Yes, please,” she said, blowing out a breath of relief as Brian headed back to the bar.
Miraculously, Memphis remained silent until Brian was out of earshot.
But when he spoke, his tone weighed heavily on her heart. “If there is a repetitive stress injury for avoiding the truth, I imagine you’re in a lot of pain about now.”
“Memphis,” she said, feeling weary.
“Why didn’t you tell him the truth?”
“I want to wait until the timing is better.”
“A better time?” he said skeptically, his face matching his tone. “How much better can the timing get?” The disappointment in his eyes took on a bit of anger as he pointed in the direction of Brian at the bar. “Your brother thinks you’re suffering in silence and putting on a brave front.”
Her stomach flipped, leaving her even more nauseated. “I know he does.”
His brow developed deep furrows. “You know what I think?”
If the look on his face was any indication, she didn’t want to hear.
Memphis went on anyway, the lines of anger on his forehead growing even deeper. “I think you wouldn’t know the truth if it jumped up and bit you in the ass.” Her heart deflated completely, and Memphis let out a small scoff. “One thing I didn’t take into consideration about the possibility of moving back and working with Brian was the manual I’d need to keep up with your lies.”
Despite his attitude, and the shame it brought with it, the news brought a small seed of hope. “Brian asked you to help on his show?”
“Yes.”
The silence stretched between them, a soul-pounding moment where her gaze clashed with his as she waited for him to go on. He didn’t. “You turned him down,” she said, and Memphis didn’t bother confirming the truth. She knew the answer by the look on his face.
And the remaining bits of expectation and joy from the past week collapsed in one fell swoop.
“Why won’t you say yes?” she said.
He looked at her with an emotion she couldn’t interpret. “Why should I?”
“Because he’s your best friend,” she said, her heart picking up speed. “Because you said yourself you missed working with him.” It was clear from his expression that her words weren’t the ones he wanted to hear. And the memories of the past week pressed hard on her chest, hope making her words tight. “And because you could continue to see me.”
Several seconds passed. His expression—the doubt and the distrust and the disappointment—was hard to watch. “You’ve as
ked me several times what I want from you,” Memphis said slowly, his serious tone slowly dropping the bottom on her stomach. It held an edge of finality that was frightening. “The answer used to be anything. But anything isn’t enough anymore.” He stared down at her, and tension gripped her muscles. “I’ve waited for years for you to grow up and come into your own, Kate. But maybe you were never capable of that.”
Irritation flared. “That’s not fair.”
“You are still burying your head in the sand. If anything, it’s even worse than before.”
“I’m trying to fix my life.”
“Not all of it. Just the parts that are easy. The hard parts are still being patched together with lies.” The disappointment in his face was profound. “Your family doesn’t know the first thing about the reality of your relationships, neither ours nor your marriage.”
Heart thumping hard enough to steal her breath, aware of their surroundings, she fisted her hand, forcing herself to maintain a low voice. “My first goal was to get through this reunion. You know how hard—”
“Yes, I get it,” he said. “It’s complicated.” His tone made it clear he was over that explanation. “So you are still treating me like a friend in public.”
Stunned by the heat in his words, she said, “I just need more time to work through—”
“Kate,” he bit out, stepping closer, the frustrated intensity in his eyes sending a chill up her back. “You keep saying it’s complicated. You keep saying wait until the reunion is over. But you know what? It will always be complicated, and I’m finally realizing the timing will never be right enough for you.” His gaze grew dark, the troubled emotions roiling in his eyes. “And I’m tired of being treated like I’m your dirty little secret.”
“Dirty little—?” Confusion scrunched up her face. “What are you talking about?”
“I think you’re worried your family will disown their perfect sister and daughter if they knew the truth about your past. Especially when you finally admit you cheated on your ex with a kid from the wrong side of the tracks.”