by Caila Jaynes
She carried the coffee and followed Fred as he hurried to the car and placed her bags in the trunk. He opened the back door of the car and gratefully accepted his coffee cup.
“Just how I like it,” he said with a happy sigh.
Once she was settled in the town car, Claire closed her eyes in relief. At least the frenetic pace of the last twenty minutes had come to an end. As Fred drove toward Reagan National Airport, she sipped at her coffee as her thoughts drifted.
Whether it was a political event with her father or a function that benefited Gabe’s investment fund, she never felt fully comfortable in the role of hostess. The events she helped with always felt like a performance, something forced.
The same could be said about law school; it too felt forced. Yes, it had been the next logical step after college—the path her parents had expected—but that alone said it all. Raised as an only child, Claire had always been burdened by an oppressive sense of duty that prevented her from pursuing anything other than what was expected.
She shook her head. Why was she letting her thoughts run wild? She’d committed to helping Gabe this weekend, and that was exactly what she would do. As soon as she returned to DC, she’d work extra hard to make up things at school. Her biggest priority was winning Chris’s case. He was relying on Leah and Claire, and they weren’t going to let him down.
As Fred inched the car in heavy traffic toward the airport’s departures lane, Claire asked, “Are you driving anyone else today? I hope I didn’t make you late.”
“Nick.” Fred caught her eye in the rearview mirror. “But don’t worry. I let him know I wasn’t available this morning.”
“Was he upset?”
“If he was, he didn’t say anything.”
Claire nodded before turning her gaze back to the window. Nick Papadakos, her father’s press secretary, had asked Claire out last year. She’d told him she wasn’t dating because she was too busy, focused on law school. Then just a few weeks later, she’d started seeing Gabe, and she sensed that hadn’t set well with Nick. He’d been a little curt with her ever since.
In his mid-thirties, Nick was ten years older than her, but that wasn’t what bothered Claire. After all, Gabe was seven years older, so it wasn’t an age issue. There was just something about Nick she didn’t feel comfortable with, something about the way he always watched her with a hungry gleam in his eye. It seemed juvenile, but the man simply gave her the creeps.
Since Nick wasn’t just an employee but was also a friend of her father’s—they often went hunting together—she hadn’t mentioned her misgivings to anyone. Her father was aware Nick had asked her out, but that was all.
This being a campaign year, her father needed his press secretary more than ever, and Nick was excellent at what he did.
At least, that’s what her father’s chief of staff always said, and she trusted Peter Cooley’s advice as much as her father did. Peter had been in their lives for nearly twenty years now, a trusted advisor to her father since his mayoral days in Massachusetts. The man had been such a big part of their lives, he was practically a part of the family.
Just because she didn’t like Nick didn’t mean he wasn’t an asset to her father, so she’d keep her mouth shut about him. It didn’t matter how awkward it was whenever they were at events together.
Fred caught her eye in the rearview mirror. “How’s your case coming along? Do you think you’ll be able to get Chris out of jail?”
“I sure hope so. He’ll be chewed up and spit out in the general population.” Claire sighed. “I get that what he did was wrong, but considering how the foster-care system pushes kids out in the street when they turn eighteen, it’s just . . . it’s just wrong.”
“Sounds that way.” Fred gave her a commiserating look. “There but for the grace of God go I, right?”
Claire reached over the seat back to squeeze his shoulder. “You’re so right. We’re really lucky, aren’t we? And speaking of lucky, how’s that granddaughter of yours doing? Did Katie get the scholarship to Duke?”
Fred beamed as he caught Claire up on his oldest granddaughter’s efforts to pay her own way through college. A hard-working self-starter, Katie knew her parents couldn’t afford the colleges she was interested in attending, so had started applying for scholarships on her own in her junior year. Fred was proud as he could be of her, and Claire loved listening to him brag on the girl.
In fact, Claire sometimes felt like one of his granddaughters herself. Fred was so attentive, so in tune to how often she’d been left to her own devices as an older teen when her parents had been traveling. He’d watched out for her for so many years, he was more like a godfather than her father’s employee.
Once Fred had pulled into a spot at the curb, Claire got out and retrieved her large suitcase and tote from him.
“Thanks! See you Sunday at two,” she called out with a wave as she hurried away, and he waved back with a big grin.
Claire sneaked a look at the time as she checked her bag, praying it would make it on the plane. Snatching her claim check, she hurried toward the screening checkpoint.
At her first glimpse of the line, which snaked well beyond the barriers, she stopped dead in her tracks. Her shoulders slumped as she stepped to the end of the line, wondering if she’d make it to her gate on time.
After switching her tote strap from one shoulder to the other, she swiped at her forehead. This stress was getting to be too much.
How could I have been so stupid? Why didn’t I get up when I was supposed to?
After rushing through security, Claire hurried to the gate and arrived just before the agents closed the plane’s door.
Thank goodness Gabe booked me a first-class seat. Claire found it and plopped down, exhausted and out of breath.
She fanned a hand over her sweaty face as she checked the time on her phone. The meeting at the jail had to be over by now. Needing to know whether Chris had taken the offer, she tapped Leah’s contact info and pressed the phone to her ear.
The elderly man seated next to her frowned as he pointed at Claire’s phone. “They just made the announcement about turning off cell phones.”
Claire gave him an apologetic smile before quickly disconnecting the call and switching the phone into airplane mode.
Vowing to apologize to Chris, Leah, and Professor Moore as soon as she could, Claire returned her phone to her purse and pulled from her tote the bios Gabe had provided. She hadn’t had a chance to review the background information on his clients yet, and it was time to get started.
Chapter Five
When the eggs were ready, Grayson accepted the tray Mary had prepared and headed upstairs. His mother was awake and sitting up in bed when he entered her room. Her eyes brightened at the sight of him, and she gave him a big smile.
“Gray!”
Dismay overcame him as he settled the bed tray over her legs. He’d only been gone for a couple of weeks, but in that short time, Eleanor’s pallor had increased significantly and she looked much older than her fifty-eight years. Her face now held no color whatsoever, and her skin had lost its normal healthy glow, leaving it waxy.
He did his best to keep his voice cheerful as he leaned down to give her a hug. “How are you feeling?”
“Still weak, but I’m going to have another blood transfusion on Monday. That should help.”
He hoped it would, but the transfusions seemed to help less and less. Lowering himself into the chair by her bed, he asked, “Is it time for your pills?” When she nodded, he asked, “Which do you need to take?”
She gestured toward two plastic bottles set off to the side on the nightstand. “Those. One of each.”
After taking a pill from each bottle, Grayson placed them in his mother’s hand. “What about the others?”
His mother swallowed one of the pills with a sip of juice. “I’ll take those after I eat.”
As Eleanor picked at her breakfast, mostly moving her eggs around her plate, Grayson ask
ed, “Is there anything I can do to help you around the house?”
“Nothing that I can think of.”
“How about I cut the grass for you this morning?”
She shook her head. “No need. The neighbors’ boy does that for me. Stop worrying about me, and tell me how work is going.”
Trying to relax, Grayson sat back in his seat and crossed an ankle over his knee. “Work is fine.”
“And your social life?”
“It’s great.”
Eleanor glanced up at him as she poured her tea, her eyes narrowed. “It’s not great. All you ever do is work. I worry about you, you know.”
“You don’t need to worry about me. I’m doing fine.”
“When was the last time you had a girlfriend?”
Grayson looked away, not wanting to admit it had been a while. Hookups didn’t count, and he certainly wasn’t going to discuss those with his mother. “My assignments keep me busy.”
Her brow creased, she reached out and patted his knee. “I just hate that you’re so alone.”
“I’m not alone.” He rubbed the back of his neck, hoping she wouldn’t continue to press the point. The last thing he wanted was to argue with his mother when she wasn’t feeling well.
Casting about for a change in subject, he spotted a photo album lying on the bed next to her. “Looking through old pictures?”
“You as a boy.” When he picked up the album and flipped through the pages, she reached out and pointed at one. “Remember this?”
Grayson studied the picture. In it, he was standing in front of a Christmas tree and looked to be about seven or so.
“It was the first Christmas after your father died,” she said wistfully. “Our first in this house.”
Grayson stiffened as memories stole his breath. “I don’t remember that Christmas,” he lied, his heart hammering in his chest. He consciously slowed his breathing, willing his heart rate to slow down.
Discussing his father’s death had always been difficult. But now when he was facing his mother’s mortality as well, it was sheer torture.
Chapter Six
In the Jacksonville airport, Claire headed toward baggage claim, doing her best to ignore the tantalizing aromas coming from the fast-food eateries she was passing in the concourse. It was no easy task, given the way her empty stomach was rumbling.
When she reached the lower level, she found a driver holding an iPad with Claire Parker displayed on the screen in large letters. He introduced himself, and once she’d relayed a description of her bag, he asked her to make herself comfortable in the baggage claim seating area until the luggage was offloaded from the plane.
Grateful she didn’t have to worry about her suitcase, Claire settled into a seat, finally able to call Leah to ask how the meeting at the jail went. Her friend’s angry tone when she answered surprised Claire.
“You didn’t tell me your notes were in some kind of shorthand, Claire.” Leah’s normally laid-back tone was shrill. “I couldn’t read them at all, so I was pretty much screwed. Thanks a lot. I would’ve been better off just winging it.”
Oh my God. I completely forgot about my abbreviations.
Claire sucked in a shocked breath and apologized. “Did Professor Moore take it out on you?”
“No, but she had to step in because I looked like a complete dumbass in front of the prosecutor. I gotta tell ya, it wasn’t fun.”
Wincing, Claire whispered more words of apology.
Leah let out a long sigh. “Forget it. Just make sure you have your ass back here by Tuesday, ten a.m. That’s when the next meeting is scheduled for.”
“I’ll be there.”
“I should warn you . . . you’re on Moore’s shit list now.”
Claire closed her eyes briefly. “I’m almost afraid to ask, but how did the meeting turn out?”
“The prosecutor offered the deal like we thought. Chris gets a suspended sentence if he gives up his suppliers.”
Relief spread through Claire. “Thank God.”
“Hold up. Not so fast,” Leah said. “Chris won’t do it.”
“He’s afraid of them?”
“He didn’t come out and say it, but yeah. He is.”
“What did he say?”
“I couldn’t get him to open up much. Neither could Professor Moore.”
“Was the prosecutor still in the room?”
“He’d stepped out by then. We got Chris to agree to think about the deal, at least. It’s where we left things until our meeting on Tuesday. He’s gettin’ a sweetheart deal that could keep him out of prison, which is probably—” Leah stopped short. “Never mind.”
“We’ll make it happen. We have to. And, Leah, I’m going to make everything up to you.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’m ready to forget this disaster of a day and go get a drink. A big one.” Leah’s tone brightened. “Too bad you aren’t here. I’d make you pay.”
“Drinks are on me when I get back,” Claire said. “And lunch. I owe you big-time. See you next week.” The baggage carousel finally lurched to life as she said good-bye, thanking her lucky stars that Leah was such a good friend.
Moments later, the driver retrieved Claire’s bag from the carousel and escorted her to the exit where his limo waited. As they walked outside, Claire looked up at the clear sky as the hot, humid air hit her. Back in DC, summer was over and the leaves were turning, but here the sunshine was searing and the vegetation a vivid green. She took in a deep breath of salty air, grateful to be able to experience this semitropical climate, if only for a weekend.
Once she was seated in the limo and they were on their way, Claire called Gabe to let him know she’d landed. He sounded distracted but happy to hear from her, and promised to meet her when she arrived at the hotel.
As the driver pulled up to the resort entrance, Gabe stood waiting for Claire under the portico, dressed in a short-sleeved Polo shirt and khakis. A breeze lifted a few locks of his light brown hair from his forehead as he spoke on his phone, revealing hazel eyes that widened when he caught her eye as the car stopped. He ended his call and came forward to open her door, helping her out and dropping a quick kiss on her lips as the driver retrieved her bags.
“How was your flight?”
She looked up at Gabe’s face, pink from the round of golf he’d played that morning. “It was good.”
“Sorry I couldn’t meet you at the airport. I had a conference call.” Gabe gave the approaching bellhop their room number, then focused back on her. “How did your meeting go this morning?”
Claire shook her head. “Can you believe that I overslept and missed it? I’m in really hot water with my professor.”
He gave her a mischievous grin. “Tell him it’s my fault.”
“He’s a she, and I’m definitely not her favorite person right now.”
“Impossible.” Taking Claire’s hand, he led her toward the entrance. “Let’s go upstairs. I can’t wait to show you the suite.”
The resort was nothing short of opulent. Potted palms lined the lobby’s limestone floors, and an enormous bouquet of tropical flowers sat atop a round teak table. Claire squeezed Gabe’s hand as they headed toward the bank of elevators.
Gabe slid a keycard into the brass panel and pressed the button for the top floor. Once the elevator doors slid closed, finally leaving them alone, Gabe cupped Claire’s face in his hands and gave her a longer kiss. He attacked her mouth, his kiss hungry and demanding, leaving her breathless.
“I’ve missed you so much,” he whispered. He pressed his hips to hers as he backed her into the elevator wall, his desire evident.
Claire kissed him back, then pressed her hands to his chest to create a little room between them. “I missed you too.”
Brushing her hair from her face, she glanced up at the discreet security camera in one corner at the ceiling. The last thing she needed was to be caught in a compromising position in public. Her parents had drilled that lesson into her head sin
ce she hit high school. Between her father’s political aspirations and her mother’s social climbing, Claire had spent most of her life in the spotlight. She hated it.
She had missed Gabe, though. He’d been traveling for much of the past month, and the different time zones had made connecting a challenge.
The elevator doors opened and Claire blinked in surprise as they stepped out into a small foyer with a single door.
“The suite takes up the whole floor?”
Gabe grinned and opened the door with his keycard, revealing a suite as lavish as the lobby but with an elegant, contemporary flair. On the far side of the seating area, white floor-to-ceiling plantation shutters framed the oversized sliders that opened onto a flagstone terrace overlooking the ocean. A full-sized dining room table was to the left, set with elegant china, and what appeared to be a late lunch for the two of them was waiting under silver domes. A bottle of champagne snugged in white linen rested in an ice bucket.
Claire noted several doorways leading off the living area. “How many bedrooms are there?”
“Three.”
She nodded as the reason he’d rented the penthouse became clear. “So your clients are staying here too.”
“No. The suite is just for us, although we’ll be having a dinner party here tomorrow night.” Gabe rubbed the back of his neck, not meeting her eyes. “Actually, Claire, I’ve gotten an update on their travel plans. There’s been a slight delay.”
Thoughts of how expensive a suite like this had to be flew out of Claire’s head. “They aren’t coming in today?”
“No. They’re flying in tomorrow afternoon.”
Shock and dismay stole Claire’s breath. She’d just missed one of the most important meetings in her law school career for nothing.
Keeping her tone even, she asked, “When did you find out?”
“Just as you drove up. That’s who I was on the phone with.”
Claire nodded, pushing aside her disappointment. It wasn’t Gabe’s fault. Just like her parents, he expected her to go with the flow. Playing that role was easier than pushing back and causing trouble.
