“About fucking time,” Seth added.
Katie hadn’t moved. The second Kevin started yelling, she’d stopped dead on the floor. Not that she looked scared. Quite the opposite. She clenched her fist as if she planned to land a shot or two on her own.
Eric nodded to her. “It’s okay. Take a seat.”
He noticed her hand shook as she reached for the chair. To prevent a scene, he pulled the chair out for her. When he glanced up again, every person at the table was staring at him.
Kevin fumed. “What the hell is going on?”
Eric rested his hands on the back of Katie’s chair. Damn, but it felt right to be this close to her. He had no idea how that was still possible. “I talked with the reporter who did the story about the video.”
Katie stared up at him. “You did?”
“Twice, actually.” Eric kept his attention on Kevin. “He never talked with you about it.”
“What?”
“You named the reporter as your source for Jimmy Blau’s involvement with the video.”
Kevin looked around the table. His eyes were wild now. “No, I didn’t.”
“I was standing right there,” Seth said. “You did.”
“If you didn’t get the information from the reporter, then that means you got it from Blau. And that can only mean one thing: you hired Jimmy to have someone follow me.”
Kevin continued to aim his fury at Katie. “Her.”
Finger-pointing wasn’t going to work here. Eric had gotten over the initial wedding deception. That was the least of his worries regarding Katie at this point. “I know all about that.”
“Apparently everyone at the table does,” she whispered under her breath.
Eric let his fingers brush against her shoulder. When she didn’t flinch or move away, he kept them there. “I want to know why, Kev. What the hell were you thinking?”
“I had to know what I was dealing with.”
At least he didn’t deny it.
Eric guessed he should be relieved at having ferreted out the truth, but the sense of relief evaded him. Being right still meant someone he trusted had betrayed him. “What does that mean?”
Kevin’s gaze flicked to Josh and then back again. “There was certain information I needed, both so I could reassure our donors and so I could come up with a strategy with you to combat it.”
Josh eyed Deana. “I think he means you, dear.”
“Men are such idiots,” Deana said.
“Absolutely,” Katie agreed right after.
“Ever think of just asking me? It’s my life.” Eric asked the question even though he knew the answer. No one did. Everyone was so busy rushing around, trying to protect him, they missed the fact he was fine.
“You weren’t in a mind-set to help. You were reeling from Deana’s marriage to Josh.” Kevin held up his hands in a calming gesture. “No offense.”
“You’re wrong.” The boom of Eric’s voice caught everyone’s attention.
“I never imagined you’d turn around and get involved with her.” Kevin nodded in Katie’s general direction. “Or that she had a scam going. I was shoring up our campaign. This sort of thing is done all the time.”
Eric knew a justification when he heard one. “You went too far.”
“I asked about your behavior at the wedding. Your new girlfriend is the one who took it too far.”
Katie almost bounced out of her chair. “Do not blame me, you slimy bastard.”
Eric tried to hold her down but she wasn’t done.
“You lost control of Jimmy. You thought he worked for you but the whole time he was just searching for an angle. Somehow you handed him one and he ran with it.” Katie swore under her breath.
“You would know,” Kevin shot back.
Katie’s shoulders stiffened even more. “I didn’t have anything to do with the video.”
Kevin scoffed. “We’re supposed to believe that.”
Katie didn’t back down. She leaned across the table, smacking her hands against the wood as she spoke. “You set him loose. Jimmy is a two-bit player and you let him con you.”
“Why are you even here?”
Eric took that one. “She’s here because I want her here.”
With that, all the air left the room. No one said a word. Even Kevin was knocked speechless.
Katie did a good bit of staring. When she opened her mouth to say something, Eric squeezed her shoulder as he helped her back into her chair. “Later.”
Deana heard the whispered word because she did some mumbling of her own. “Maybe there’s hope for you yet.”
Eric ignored both women. He could only handle one battle at a time and the political one was hot enough. The female kind was well beyond him at the moment.
Filled with regret he hadn’t expected, Eric looked at Kevin. Here was the man he’d entrusted with the intricacies of his campaign. Kevin had political experience and they’d been close since law school, but they’d gone different ways. He acted like he had to control a presidential candidate instead of a local contest that should be an easy win.
And now Eric had to end the bloodletting. “It’s time for you to go.”
Kevin’s eyes narrowed. “Excuse me?”
“You went behind my back, and maybe you thought you were doing a good thing at the time, but you didn’t come to me. I can’t trust you.”
“But you can trust your sleazy girlfriend?”
Seth stood up. “That’s it.”
“I’m not warning you again.” Eric wrestled with the part of him that wanted to land a punch on his former friend. “My relationship with Katie is not your business. Nothing is. As of right now, you’re fired.”
“You’ve got to be kidding.”
“You can go through the formality of handing in a resignation, if you want. If anyone asks, we’ll say your litigation schedule picked up and you couldn’t make the commitment.”
The import must have hit Kevin because his body shrank. “Eric.”
“I’m fine with providing cover. But hear me on one thing. You say a negative word about Katie and I will tell everyone I know about your maneuvering in the campaign. You want to see a reputation go down in flames, keep pushing me.”
“I can’t believe this,” Kevin said more to himself than to anyone in the room.
“We’re done.”
Kevin didn’t offer any explanations or beg for his job. Without looking around or causing any more of a scene, he grabbed his notepad and briefcase and walked out.
The room stayed quiet for a full minute after he was gone.
Josh got up with his coffee cup and headed toward the kitchen. “Impressive.”
Eric wasn’t done. They all needed a lecture. Josh included. “We still have some business.”
“Uh-oh,” Seth joked until he realized no one else joined in.
Eric shifted to the side of the table Kevin had just abandoned. It put them in an us-versus-them arrangement and Eric was fine with that.
“Can I say something?” Deana asked, and then rushed ahead without waiting for an answer. “I’m sorry about Kevin. I know you used him because I recommended him.”
“When?” Katie asked with a tone that suggested she didn’t like Eric and Deana talking.
“Years ago when Eric mentioned a possible run.”
Eric took back the floor with a single clap. Too much discussion on side issues and he would never get this part out. And suddenly, he wanted to be alone with Katie. Watching her sit there, shredding a napkin between her fingers, he felt that familiar kick of admiration and desire. The crowd blunted her usual sass but she hadn’t backed down. She’d met Kevin head-on, exposed him and the bind he’d put her in.
She didn’t have anything to do with the video. That much was clear to anyone with eyes and ears. Kevin couldn’t sell that allegation. What that meant in terms of a future with Katie, Eric still didn’t know. But maybe they weren’t done after all, and that possibility punched up his energy leve
l again. The dragging exhaustion disappeared, leaving him ready to fight.
“And that brings us to the problem we all need to discuss.” He waited until he had everyone’s attention—glares, smiles, and all. “It’s time everyone stop with the guilt and overprotective crap.”
Seth folded his arms on the table. “This should be interesting.”
Eric figured he might as well start with the most obvious point first. “Deana, I am over you.”
She shifted in her seat. “I know that.”
“Sure as hell better be,” Josh said.
“I was thinking the same thing,” Katie grumbled at the same time.
“I take responsibility for every decision I made in your nephew’s case. Good or bad, it was all me. You are not accountable for my career or any scandal that breaks.” When Josh tried to speak, Eric shut him down. “You either. Yes, you asked for a favor to confirm once and for all that Ryan was guilty. Deana benefitted from that, but the community did, too.”
“You gave me the ability to move on,” Deana said.
Josh slipped his fingers through his wife’s. “It’s a bigger gesture than you think.”
“But I didn’t have to do it.” Eric shot Josh his best man-to-man look. “You’re not that persuasive.”
Josh pretended to be offended. “That can’t be true.”
“My point is that you’re both off the hook. You don’t have to come running over here every time you think I’m in trouble. In fact, I’d prefer if you didn’t.” Eric tapped a hand against his chest. “Grown man.”
Josh nodded. “Got it.”
“And now that I’ve lectured, I have a favor, Deana.” This part was tougher. It involved some pride swallowing and something even bigger—real closure. The decision was the right one, but people would talk. Hell, if he had any chance with Katie, this might destroy it.
“What is it?” Deana asked.
“I want you to consider being my campaign manager.”
Deana’s eyes bugged.
That was nothing compared to the homicidal glare on Katie’s face. “What?”
Seth shoved his chair back from the table and Katie’s striking distance. “Whoa.”
This decision had to be his. Eric had learned something from the Kevin experience. “You are connected, well-funded—”
“He means you’re loaded.” Josh laughed until Deana elbowed him in the side.
“You are the perfect person to run a campaign. You can also shoot down dumb rumors and will never hire a spy to follow me around.”
Deana smiled. “All true.”
“We have a past, but that could be a good thing. You’ll bring me whatever I need to hear, good or bad, and I’ll handle it.”
Eric could almost see Deana turning the idea over in her head. He glanced at Josh to see if there was any trouble there, but he seemed fine. They both relaxed in their chairs. They didn’t say no or run out. Eric took all of that as a positive step.
One hurdle down. “Talk it over and let me know.”
“Is that last part your way of telling us to leave?” Josh asked.
“Yes, and you can take Seth with you.” Eric appreciated the other man’s quickness. “Katie stays.”
She snorted. “Only because Katie wants to stay.”
“I like her.” Deana whispered the admission to Josh.
He nodded. “Me too.”
“While I appreciate your telling everyone where you want them—” Katie’s sharp tone said the exact opposite—“one problem with your scenario is that I have my sister’s car and she needs it.”
Seth stood up and held out his hand. “Give me the keys.”
Katie shrank back looking more than a little suspicious “Why?”
“I’ll take it back to her.”
Katie grabbed her purse and held it to her chest as if it was filled with gold and Seth wanted to steal it. “I don’t think so.”
“Guess she’s heard about your driving,” Josh said.
Seth looked highly offended. “What is that about?”
Eric knew the answer. “Cara.”
“Who is Cara?” Seth asked.
Josh’s eyes grew wide. “Oh.”
“She’s very pretty.” Deana gave Seth a conspiratorial nod.
“Yeah?” Seth asked.
Katie snapped her fingers in front of Seth’s face. “She has a baby and a bad attitude about men.”
“Neither of those things scare me.”
Josh laughed. “They should.”
The idea of Cara and Seth made Eric smile. The poor bastard would get knocked back more than a few times if he tried to go there. Cara was not an easy audience. Eric knew that from experience.
“Let him go,” he said to Katie.
She pointed a finger at Seth. “Behave.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Now, I’ve been patient, and I’m done with that.” Eric headed for the door. “Everyone out.”
“Subtle,” Seth said.
“I’ve discovered that virtue is overrated.”
Chapter 27
She waited until Eric closed the door before she said anything. It took that long for her to leash her anger against Kevin. The man had been determined to drag her down with him. Thank goodness for the group dynamic and a small show of support from Eric or she’d probably be the one in the parking lot right now.
“That was strange.” She could think of a lot of words to describe what had just happened, but that was the safest.
“The last few days have been strange.” He clicked the lock. “I’m about ready for a vacation, and that’s saying something since I haven’t really taken one in two years.”
The fact didn’t surprise her one bit. If he kept this up, they’d have to pull him out and take him to a hospital for a long rest. “You often gather everyone you know in your dining room?”
“We usually use the kitchen.”
The lightness had moved back into his voice. He threw out one of his dry one liners and her heart soared. “Good to know you’re flexible.”
He stood next to her at the dining room table. Their hands rested inches apart on the back of the chair beside them. “Why are you here?”
She would have taken offense but his soft tone deflected the brunt of his harsh words. “Is that your way of telling me I shouldn’t be?”
His fingers slipped closer. “I was asking a simple question.”
“Not to contradict you, because I’ve now seen you furious and am not looking for a replay, but we haven’t had a moment of simple between us since we met.”
He pretended to consider her theory. “It has not been boring.”
“Is that good or bad?”
“Well, if you’d asked me earlier today—”
“You scared the hell out of me.”
The tips of his fingers touched hers. He glanced down as he rubbed his forefinger over her knuckles. “You have to know I would never hurt you.”
Hope blossomed in her chest as his hand moved over hers. Her tendency in relationships was to find a stable point and stay there. Ever since her heart was handed to her by a guy who wanted to keep her on the side, Katie had protected her soul from further battering. She’d pull back to avoid controversy and fall back on sex.
With Eric, the intimacy had been amazing, but she wanted more. For the first time, she needed to break her old pattern and reach someone on a different level. Eric’s gentle touch spurred her on.
“I prosecute men who hurt women,” he added.
“I know your record. I don’t question how you feel on that point.” She had seen violent and even now dealt with the aftermath while living with Cara. Men delivered that sort of abuse through fists and with words. She couldn’t imagine Eric doing either. “That’s not what I meant.”
“I scared you in another way?”
“I’ve never seen you like that.”
His face fell “I’m sorry. I made a leap and blamed you for the video.”
“Unde
rstandable under the circumstances, but that’s part of what I’m talking about. It was the change in you from what I thought was true to what really is that scared me.”
He slipped his fingers through hers. “I don’t know what that means.”
Being close to him felt so damn good. There, in his home, surrounded by his woodsy scent and the comfort of the ocean beyond, nothing else existed. If they could stay there and wipe out everything that went before, she’d be happy.
No. That was wrong. She didn’t want to go backward. It was time to put all of those worries about being kept around for sex behind her. Eric deserved more and she needed more. To get there, she had to make him understand why they’d derailed in the first place.
“I thought you bottled everything up and never showed your emotions,” she said.
“Those aren’t the words I’d use, but the end result is pretty accurate. If you’re looking for someone who races around the house yelling, that’s not me. I keep it in and analyze it.”
Her free hand found its way to his stomach. “Why live like that? Doesn’t it make you crazy?”
“My work demands it. It’s how I was raised. There are probably a million reasons, but I’m not sure that’s what you really want to know.”
The hardest part lay right in front of her. She searched for the right words, but trying to pretty it up didn’t work. In the end she just blurted out the insecurities that skipped around in her brain. “I convinced myself you enjoyed the sex, but when it came to anything important, you were holding me away from you. That you didn’t want me in your life.”
Pain raced across his face. “Honey, that’s not true.”
He had never used an endearment before. This one shot right to her heart. Everything had fallen apart this afternoon, but hearing him now, seeing the love so obvious on his face, she thought they might actually be able to put it back together.
She had to get through this first. “I kept thinking your relationship with Deana changed you.”
He groaned. “Why does everything come back to her?”
“No, listen to me.” Katie wanted to kiss the frown from his mouth, but that would end the conversation. That’s how it worked with them. They went to the place they knew. She needed them to hover in the tough part for a little longer.
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