* * *
ZOE STAYED FOR dinner because she didn’t have a reason not to. Lilah could spend the night with Julie and Victoria, so there wasn’t a need to hurry back. Zoe also wasn’t enthusiastic about turning around and making the three-hour drive back home after driving up that morning.
Zoe hadn’t given her final answer, she wanted to make sure Lilah was okay with moving forward, and Zoe needed time to think things over. Byron’s family made preliminary plans for a joint statement and press conference to announce everything. After the work was done, and a delicious dinner prepared by the family’s personal chef, the family planned to congregate in the upstairs sitting room.
Zoe took that as her cue to leave. She took the moment to go into one of the downstairs living areas and call Victoria to check on Lilah before getting back on the road.
“How are things going up there?” Victoria asked after greeting Zoe.
Zoe hadn’t told Victoria where she was going. She’d only mentioned a family emergency and the need to keep Lilah out of things for a while. Although she agreed with Grant about the need to keep the number of people from knowing the truth about Lilah’s parentage, Zoe wanted nothing more but to confess her confusion and frustration with the entire situation with someone, and wished she could unload everything to her friend.
“They’re going okay, I guess.”
Concern immediately filled Victoria’s voice. “Do you need anything? If Lilah needs to stay one more day that’s fine. I’m happy to help.”
Zoe smiled, appreciative of her friend’s immediate offer of support. “Thank you, but I’ve already asked for enough.”
“That’s what friends are for. Will you be back tomorrow?”
“No, I’m heading back that way now.” She checked her watch. It was almost nine, but the drive was only three hours. “I should get there around midnight.”
“Zoe, don’t you even play with me. You left early this morning and now you’re trying to drive back tonight. No, ma’am. Get a hotel room, get some rest and then come pick up Lilah tomorrow,” Victoria said, using what Zoe would call her “mom” voice.
“I asked you to watch her for the day. I honestly didn’t expect things to take this long.” An oversight on her part. She’d expected to talk things out privately with Byron, not have the entire family-planning session on the next step. She should have remembered how much oversight his father had on family affairs.
“I’d rather not spend the next three hours worried about you falling asleep and driving into a ditch on the way back. Find a hotel. Stay the night. Lilah will be fine.”
Zoe covered her mouth and yawned. The idea of a bed versus three hours in a driver’s seat and a long stretch of highway fought a short battle. “Maybe you’re right. I’ll see if I can find a hotel. Let me talk to Lilah.”
“Good!” Victoria sounded pleased. “Hold on a second.” She called Lilah’s name. A few seconds later her daughter was on the phone.
“Hey, Mom! Did you say yes?”
Zoe rolled her eyes at her daughter’s enthusiasm. “Can you not forecast our business to everyone?”
“I didn’t say anything, and Ms. Victoria went upstairs to take the clothes out of the dryer. It’s just me. Did you say yes?”
Zoe sighed and shook her head. “I said I’d talk to you before saying yes. If you agree to the plan, then we’ll release a statement and possibly do a press conference.”
“Yes!”
“But don’t forget, this doesn’t mean anything more than making sure you’re safe.”
“I know, Mom. I get it. We’re not going to be a family.”
Based on the way Byron pulled Yolanda into his arms earlier, no, there was no chance of them being a real family. The quicker Lilah understood that, the better. “We aren’t going to be a family. This is politics. I’ve met Byron’s fiancée and they’re in love. He’s happy. We can appreciate his willingness to still help, but at the end of the day he’s doing this so that he and Yolanda can have a happy future together.” She kept her voice firm and hoped Lilah understood every word.
“Okay,” Lilah grumbled.
Zoe never liked to dash her daughter’s dreams, but this was one that needed to be swiped out of existence before it took hold and made things worse. “Now, I’m getting a hotel instead of driving back tonight.”
“You mean I get to spend the night?” The joy came back to Lilah’s voice.
“Yes, please don’t drive Victoria crazy.”
“I won’t! Love you, Mom! Have a good night, okay?”
“Oh, you’re done talking to me?” Zoe said with a laugh.
“I’ve gotta tell Julie I’m staying the night. We can watch movies like we planned.”
Zoe laughed, happy to give a little to make her daughter happy. “Okay, but remember we still aren’t telling anyone the whole story. Not even Julie. I still need to think things through. So promise me you’ll keep this just between us.”
“I promise,” Lilah said solemnly. Her daughter understood when Zoe was being serious and thankfully respected her concerns.
“Tell Victoria I’ll call her in the morning.”
“I will. Bye!”
Lilah hung up and Zoe chuckled as she stared at her phone. She hoped Lilah remembered not to get her hopes up too much about this situation.
You and Lilah both.
She blew out a long breath and pulled up the travel app on her phone. “Now to find a hotel room.”
“Just stay here.” Byron’s voice came from the door.
Zoe turned quickly toward the door. Byron came in, his strides long and relaxed. Her gaze followed his movements. Regardless of her pledge to keep things platonic between her and Byron, Zoe had to admit the man looked good. He commanded the room and filled it with his self-assurance and poise. He could have been so much more arrogant, but he wasn’t, which was part of the reason people were drawn to him.
“I can’t stay here,” Zoe said automatically. “I’ll get a hotel room.”
Byron went to the minibar and poured a drink. Did the family have one in every room? He turned to her and held up the goblet and raised a brow. Zoe needed to find a hotel. She should book a room, get a good night’s sleep and prepare to make her way back home in the morning. Except, this was the only time they’d been alone since earlier. A lot had been said with so many people around them. She needed time with him to talk about what they were doing without the input from everyone else.
“Yes, please,” she said.
Byron turned back to the bar and poured her a drink. “No hotel. We’ve got plenty of room. Stay here. Sometimes I pick a spare bedroom and stay over instead of driving home.”
Zoe raised a brow. “You don’t live here?”
Byron shook his head then brought the drink over to her. “No, this is the family center, but I’ve got my own place downtown. Elaina moved back home after her divorce. India stayed here when she finished touring, but I’m pretty sure she’ll be moving out soon.” Byron sank down onto the couch.
Zoe settled next to him. She turned to her side on the couch and faced him. “What about Yolanda?”
He shrugged and sipped his drink. “What about her?”
“She won’t care that I’m staying here?”
Byron smiled his charming smile. “She doesn’t live here either, but I’ll call and let her know.”
“Did she leave?” Zoe tried to sound disappointed, but from the way Byron chuckled she must have failed.
“She had to get home and handle some things.”
She wanted to ask where Yolanda’s home was. If Byron was calling her did that mean they didn’t live together? The idea made her feel a kernel of satisfaction she didn’t deserve to feel.
Instead of focusing on his relationship with the super-perfect Yolanda, Zoe chose to change the subject. “Where is India?
I’m surprised I didn’t meet her with the rest of the family.”
Byron held up his glass and studied the brown liquid. He sat back against the cushions of the chair and stretched out his long legs. “India eloped.”
Zoe’s eyes widened and she grinned. “Oh, my God! Really? When?”
“The night of my primary win.”
“Who did she marry? Did you know it was coming?” Zoe was amazed by people who eloped. The romantic notion of being so in love that waiting for a traditional ceremony was unacceptable. The urgency to just be married and start a new life with someone as soon as possible. Would she ever feel that way?
“The eventual marriage was expected, but not the elopement.” He turned his head and met her eyes. “She married my best friend Travis.”
Zoe hesitated. “Oh.” She wouldn’t have expected Byron to be against his sister dating one of his friends, but then again, she didn’t have a brother and wasn’t sure if that broke some man-code law.
“And Elaina’s ex-husband,” Byron added with a tight smile.
Her jaw dropped. “Ooh.” She cringed and leaned in closer. “Seriously?”
Byron nodded slowly. “Seriously.” He took another long swallow of the drink.
“How did that go over?” Was that one of the reasons Elaina seemed so tense?
“It was a shock...that wasn’t really a shock,” he said slowly. “In hindsight, I guess I should have realized Travis and India had more of a serious connection. Even before he married Elaina.”
“Then why did he marry Elaina?”
Byron shook his head and sipped his drink. “Let’s just say there was family pressure involved. He and Elaina used to hook up when they were young. They got in some trouble and got married. It only lasted a few years before they split. When India came back to town Travis and India’s old friendship sparked up, which led to them realizing they loved each other.”
“Wow. And everyone is cool with that?”
“We’re getting used to it. They’re happy. Really happy. In our family someone deserves to be happy.” He sounded sullen and almost regretful.
Was he not happy? She thought about Elaina’s words earlier about Byron doing what he thought would please him. That wasn’t the Byron she remembered. In college Byron was completely confident in his choices and assured of his future. He’d never let anyone push him into a decision. She couldn’t imagine he would be doing something deep down he didn’t believe in.
“Are you happy?” When Byron frowned at her she realized she may be delving too deep. “I mean with all of this. With the plans we made today? With still having to deal with a lie I told years ago.”
She watched him closely. Sure, he’d come to her and insisted on carrying the lie through, but what were his motivations? Was it really just to win his election? Was a part of it because he still cared?
What I felt for you wasn’t hero worship, a small bit of affection, or a little bit of attraction.
“You didn’t tell a lie. From here on out, what you said back then is nothing but the truth,” Byron said, his voice calm and controlled. “Doing what we’re doing has multiple benefits. The biggest of which is getting ahead of potential rumors. Political campaigns can be dirty, and by handling this up front it’ll make it easier to win down the road. I’m not seen as a family man. My family helps but having you and Lilah seen as family is actually beneficial.”
Zoe took a long sip of her drink, the heat of the whiskey burning away the disappointment of his words. She couldn’t forget his ultimate goal. Winning. Doing whatever it took to come out on top. Byron was a fighter, so she wasn’t surprised he’d chosen to fight a blackmail attempt and use the situation to strengthen his appeal. Turn a negative into a positive.
“I’m worried about Lilah,” she admitted. “She’s not used to this lifestyle. We’ve never been a part of anything this visible. I’ve spent a lifetime trying to protect her and now I’m throwing her in the limelight.”
Byron sat up and put his drink on the table. He turned and faced her, his eyes and face serious. “Whatever you need during this process let me know. I know I’m asking a lot of you and her. I’ll provide security for both you and Lilah throughout the entire campaign.”
Zoe fought back the warmth spreading through her chest at his offer to help. He would do anything to make this easier for her and Lilah. That was the kind of guy he was. She appreciated his assistance, even if she didn’t deserve it.
“We don’t need security.” The refusal was automatic. She didn’t want to accept anything else from Byron or his family. They were already doing enough. She could look out for her and Lilah.
“Zoe.” He held out a hand as if to touch her knee but curled his fingers in on themselves and pulled back. “I’m not making the offer to exert control over your life. I don’t know who’s behind the blackmail. We aren’t sure who was originally looking for you. Until we get answers to those questions, having someone watching out for you and Lilah would make me feel better.”
“Having a security guard following me and my daughter around will bring extra attention to our family, disrupt our lives and frankly is unrealistic. The school I chose for Lilah has security and my job is locked down tight.”
“But—”
“But if things start to really get hot for us, and if I notice there are more people trying to get close to me and Lilah, I’ll let you know and we can talk about security.”
Everything he said was true. She didn’t know if her threatening email was a fluke or tied to this. She’d already freaked out when he’d argued with his dad, and twisted away from Elaina as if she were made of acid. If she mentioned the emails the family might think she was paranoid. She was, but she didn’t want them to know. Plus, she wasn’t ready to have men in black suits following her around. If the campaign became overwhelming for her and Lilah she’d consider the offer for extra protection.
Byron’s lip quirked up. “Fair enough.” He chuckled softly.
“What’s funny?”
“You. You always were a fighter. Independent.” He rested his elbow on the back of the couch and propped his head on his fist. Humor danced in the gold flecks of his eyes.
Zoe glanced away, unable to accept the admiration also reflected in Byron’s sexy eyes. “Not always.” There was a time she took whatever was dished out to her. When she didn’t think she deserved something happier.
“Yes, always. Do you remember when we worked together on that after-school volunteer project?”
Zoe thought back and grinned. She hadn’t been into volunteering and community service when she’d started college. Back then she’d only cared about going to class, passing and partying. A school project required her to volunteer, and that was how she’d met Byron. The rich guy who also wanted to save the world.
“I do,” she said slowly as she tried to remember the details. “We had to come up with a project for the after-school program at the local high school.”
“I wanted to create a program that taught kids interview skills, and you fought me to add on that fashion show.”
Zoe laughed and lightly pushed his shoulder. “It wasn’t a fashion show. Knowing how to dress, get a haircut, have clean nails, all of that is part of making a good impression at an interview. You just wanted to do a lecture on potential interview questions. I made the program fun.”
“You added a fashion show,” he teased.
“And what did you tell me after we took the kids through the program?”
“That you were right,” he admitted with an overexaggerated sigh. Then he smiled at her. “I was impressed. The way you got that store to bring in clothes for the kids to try on, and the nail and hair salon to help out, too.”
“Of course I was right.” Zoe took a quick sip of her drink. The heat of the alcohol only increased the fire simmering in her belly from the way he looked at her.
Zoe put her drink on the table and faced forward. “It turned out great. The kids had fun. They got to practice an interview.”
“You irritated the hell out of me.”
She pointed her finger at him. “That’s because before me no one else challenged you. Everyone was all Oh, it’s the rich guy. Let’s just nod and say yes.”
“I’d been challenged before,” he said. “I was more irritated that you thought of the grooming portion before me.”
“Ah, the truth comes out. I upstaged you.”
“Yep. It’s one of the reasons I asked you to help with my other projects. One thing I know is that no matter how smart I am, there are lots of other smart people in the room. I surround myself with smart people and you fought for your ideas.”
That was one of the things she appreciated the most about Byron. He was cocky, rich and wanted to win, but not at the expense of ignoring good ideas from other people on his team. “I thought you were just a glutton for punishment. I lived to drive you crazy.”
“You drove me crazy, too.” His eyes met hers. The fondness in them pulled at her midsection.
Zoe cleared her throat and looked away. “Well, glad to know I did succeed at something.” She rubbed her sweaty palms across her jean-clad legs. “I better stop and find a room.”
Byron’s fingers brushed her arm. “Stay here. Please.”
Where he touched her tingled. The sensation hummed through her body. Reminded her of the way she’d eased closer to him earlier. Pulled her to do it again. She needed to go.
“We can talk some more. Reminisce about old times,” Byron continued.
The look in his eye and the soft plea in his voice made up her mind. They could talk more. There was no harm in that. “I’ll stay.”
His shoulders relaxed. “And will you go through with the plan? You asked if I’m okay, but are you?” Byron watched her closely.
Zoe couldn’t use Lilah as an excuse. Her daughter was all for it. Ultimately, this was her decision. The fallout, good or bad, would be on her.
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