The biggest difference though is that between the two men, loving Ashton doesn’t hurt.
I realize that I’ve stopped moving. I don’t know how long I’ve been standing and staring at myself in the mirror. I am not broken. I am whole, and I am strong. I don’t need anyone to complete me because I’m not shattered. I’m like a stained-glass window; the pieces don’t fit like they used to, but time has made them into something new. I can choose to move on without the past forever haunting me. I step back away from the mirror and clear my head. I’ve got to finish getting ready.
Back in my room, I choose an emerald green form-fitting gown. Once zipped, it shows off my curves. But I choose it because it makes me seem more sophisticated, not because I want Ashton to like what I’m wearing. Or, at least that’s what I tell myself.
I search through my closet until I find the stilettos that match this dress. An added bonus is that they make my legs look amazing.
Finding jewelry to match, I hurriedly put them on and take one last look in a full-length mirror. I can’t help but smirk at the gorgeous woman in front of me. I look like Hell on heels. Perfect for the social minefield I’ve got planned tonight.
Grabbing my phone, I see missed messages and texts from dinner guests including Tristan and Derek. A rather interesting message from Jeremiah makes my mouth quirk.
“I don’t know what you have planned, but it better be a good one.”
Oh, it is. Just you wait and see.
Driving back to Ashton’s, I realize something that hadn’t occurred to me before. After the accident, I’ve had a hard time trusting anyone driving with Jade in the car. In fact, it’s why I don’t employ drivers. My mother is the only person I have allowed to drive with my daughter. Yet this morning, I had Ashton drive her to me without a second thought. Not once had it occurred to me that I should be worried, not even when they took longer than expected. Maybe I’ve changed more than I thought.
24
Ashton
Schedules exist for a reason, good reason, and that’s why when you’re invited to a dinner party there is always a time on the invite, and that’s when you should arrive. Not earlier, not incredibly late, but at that time. I’m obviously not one for planning big parties, but it’s common sense to me that you follow the rule in order to give the host or hosts enough time to prepare.
Which is precisely why I’m so annoyed to hear the doorbell ring so much sooner than expected. But I do my best to set my irritation aside as I go to answer the door. When I swing it open I put on my best happy-to-see-you smile, and I’m met with Commander Jenkins and Petty Officer First Class Jake Marcham. I was really hoping that Emily would be here before any of the important guests got here, but I suppose that I’m just going to have to buck up and deal with them on my own until she gets back.
It can’t be that difficult, right? It’s just a bit of small talk and socialization to pass the time until she arrives and can really start digging to see what she can find. I’m a bad-ass corporate lawyer who can take down a company with a few words; I’ve totally got this.
Except after welcoming them inside and speaking to them for a few minutes, I very quickly realize that I do not in fact, have this.
Every attempt I make at conversation feels awkward and forced, added to the fact that they’re constantly surrounded and interrupted by servers and kitchen staff bustling around getting the food plated and ready for guests.
“You’ve got a beautiful home, Ashton.” The Commander says politely, glancing around the kitchen. “It’s the perfect size and style for entertaining.”
“Thank you. It really is the perfect home for hosting things like this, isn’t it?”
Truthfully, I’ve never regretted letting my real estate agent convincing me to buy such a ‘good property’ as I do right now in this very moment. Who the hell needs a dining room that seats twenty people, or so many bedrooms? Not me, that’s for sure. I make a mental note that the next home I buy will be much smaller and much less conducive to… whatever all of this is.
That’s about as smooth as our conversation ever gets, and after a few more moments I politely excuse myself and head out of the living room that we had awkwardly moved into. I make my way out into the main hallway to go and look for Jade. Sure, there are a couple guests here but I’m clearly not getting anything out of them, and I’d much rather try and get some information out of Jade about her mother anyway.
I know that my focus needs to be on the dinner party, but I just can’t help thinking about Emily and what we’d talked about before, and how much I want her. No, ‘want’ isn’t a strong enough word to describe how I feel. I need her. I’ve never felt like this about anyone before in my life. That should bother me realistically, but it doesn’t. There’s just something about Emily and Jade that make me feel like we belong.
Jade is nowhere to be found in the main area of the house, so I make my way into my bedroom, only to find that she isn’t there either. I saunter out and down the hall into the spare bedroom she’d been taking a nap in earlier, and find it empty. She’s even made the bed. That brings a smile to my face but I’m also a bit nervous that I can’t seem to find her, so I head out of the room and further down the hall.
When I turn the corner, though, I breathe a quiet sigh of relief as I see her leaning against the wall just down the hallway, not far from the other side of the living room.
She notices me coming over, but instead of that bubbly and goofy smile that I’m coming to really appreciate, she seems neutral, and she’s focused on something just beyond where she’s standing. Actually, ‘standing’ isn’t the right word because if I didn’t know any better, I’d say she was trying to stay hidden, keeping herself just out of view.
“Hey Jade, there you are.” I say gently, smiling. “What’re you up to? What are you doing hiding out here?”
She presses her finger to her lips and nods to the living room, and I when I glance around the corner I see the Commander and Petty Officer chatting. I look back at her with a cocked brow and a smirk, shrugging my shoulders, not sure of exactly what I should be looking for.
“I’m listening to those two talk.”
She keeps her voice low and gestures for me to come closer, so I do, kneeling next to her with a curious smile.
“Alright kiddo, what’s up?”
She looks around the corner again, then sighs, looking back at me with a curious gaze and arms crossed over her chest.
“What does ‘redacted’ mean, Ashton?”
Okay, so that’s definitely not anything I expected her to say or ask me. I’m caught off guard for a split second before I right myself and chuckle, smiling at her.
“It usually means that something is hidden and removed from an important paper or document. Like, say I get an email but there’s information on it that I need but I’m not supposed to read some other things on it, the other information will be removed, or redacted. Why do you ask?”
“Because I’ve been standing here listening to them talk and they said that word a few times and I didn’t understand it.”
This kid is not only cute as hell and a phenomenal baker, but she’s smart as a whip too. I’m impressed. I know a slew of adults who wouldn’t have thought so sit back and eavesdrop on those two, and this girl who’s barely in middle school is over here collecting intel like she’s been trained for it.
“Okay, Jade.” I say warmly, nodding. “Can you tell me what else they said? I’m not upset with you. I just need to know what they said.”
Before she can answer, I hear Emily come into the living room—she must have gotten back while I was looking for Jade—and she greets the Commander casually, clearly an old family friend of hers. I knew that Emily had some friends in high places, but a Naval Commander? Sheesh.
“Your Mom seems to know that one pretty well.”
I murmur it softly and Jade just nods, shrugging her shoulders.
“Yeah, I’ve met him a couple of times. She’s known him for
ever; he’s been a friend of our family for a while.”
The Commander introduces her to Petty Officer Marcham and that’s when Jade tells me what she heard, and I stop dead in my tracks to look back at her, wide-eyed.
“You’re sure that’s what you heard? That’s exactly, word for word, what they said when you were listening?”
She nods her head and shrugs and I sigh. I’m in total disbelief of what I’m hearing. Jade frowns and looks a bit concerned so I smile and shake my head, giving her a wink.
“You did good, kiddo. I’m impressed. I mean that, and I’m not upset with you so don’t worry. I just wasn’t expecting that, but I’m very glad that you told me. You just keep that between you and me, okay? Let’s not let the other dinner guests in on it; it’ll be our secret.”
She beams back at me and I stand up, gesturing back towards the kitchen with a grin.
“Why don’t you head into the kitchen and make sure that they’ve got everything in order. We wouldn’t want them to forget one of those perfect cakes you made, right?”
She give me an eager nod and darts off, the concern of whether she was doing the right thing completely banished from her mind as it fills with thoughts of baking and sweets. I, on the other hand, have a head swimming full of scenarios, none of which are ideal.
With a heavy sigh I head towards the living room to talk to Emily, wracking my brain trying to figure out how I’m going to tell her that a long-time family friend of hers was the one to leak the file.
25
Emily
I hope I’m doing the right thing.
“Oh, I’m so glad you could make it! How was your trip?” I kiss the cheeks of the retired General, ever the graceful hostess.
The dinner is just beginning as guests are arriving and moving about the house. Servers glide around the room, offering drinks and hor's d’ oeuvres.
I station myself close to the door, greeting guests as they arrive, and taking a mental tally of each one. Music plays softly and the house bustles with activity.
I lost track of Ashton about twenty minutes ago after seeing him fail miserably at making small talk with some of the guests. Jade is missing too, though I’m hoping it’s because she got bored and decided to busy herself with something that doesn’t involve kitchen fires.
Out of the corner of my eye, I suddenly see Ashton appear and move toward me rapidly.
Just then, another guest arrives, and I begin to answer the door. However, my arm’s progress is halted when I feel hands grab my shoulders and begin to pull me in the opposite direction.
“Wait, hold on! What are you doing?” I hiss, pulling away from my captor.
“We need to talk. Now,” Ashton hisses in my ear.
Another knock at the door.
“I can’t right now. Don’t you see I’m in the middle of greeting our guests?” I plaster on a smile and try to casually nod at the very important dinner guests surrounding us. The General looks at us quizzically, but then shrugs and moves on. I breathe a sigh of relief.
I walk back to the door and smile as I open the door. Guest after guest arrives. My friends from the coffee shop are here, including the socialite and the military police officer. I make sure to gesture to Ashton and re-introduce him to each guest. The socialite winks in his direction as she walks by, giving her hips a little extra oomph in an attempt to get his attention. To his credit, Ashton doesn’t rise to the bait and ignores her. The military officer, however, drinks up every movement the woman makes and follows her into the dining room.
The next arrival is an ambassador. I see Ashton’s eyebrow raise when he hears the name of the man’s country of service. I greet him warmly, thanking him for his attendance. I wonder if my partner is starting to piece together my grand scheme.
“Are you sure about this? Was it really wise to invite the ambassador from the very country involved in the scandal?” Even though his lips are right next to my ear, his whisper is barely audible.
I want more than anything to elbow him in the gut. I know what I’m doing.
“Look, I really need to- “
“Not. Now.” I grunt through my smile.
Two agents arrive, one from the Federal Bureau of Investigations, and the other from Homeland Security. I see Ashton begin to shift from one foot to the other.
A White House correspondent arrives next with a couple of big-time lobbyists. It isn’t until I find myself surrounded by some donors from DC and a few senatorial aides that I realize Ashton has disappeared again.
As the other guests wander off, one of the aides stays by my side making small talk about DC. He seems familiar somehow, but I can’t place where I know him from. The man glances casually around him and slowly reaches into his coat. Pulling his hand out, I see that in it is a sealed manila envelope. It’s then I remember that he is one of my mother’s aides. My adrenaline starts pumping.
“I was told that this is something you need.” He says quietly, staring intently at my face.
I swallow and nod, smiling as if he just gave me a compliment. “Thank you. You’re too kind. Please, help yourself to the party!”
I carefully hold the manila envelope as inconspicuously as I can and begin slowly making my way around the room. If half the people in this room knew what I have just been handed, they’d have me in prison in less than five seconds. I walk unhurriedly, not wanting to arouse any curiosity. I make sure to stop and talk to different guests, and after a few rounds around the room I excuse myself to the kitchen to check on dinner.
In the kitchen, cooks and servers are busy finishing the last touches on the meal. I dodge out of their way as I pretend to look for something. I need a safe place to hide the envelope. Unfortunately, I can’t think of a single place where anyone wouldn’t accidentally stumble upon it. All I need is one of these waiters getting curious to get me a one-way trip to prison.
Just then, an arm snakes out of the pantry and grabs my hand. I’m pulled into the pantry and into Ashton’s arms. I only let out a squeak of surprise before his mouth crushes mine. The pantry door closes behind me and we are cloaked in darkness.
My body immediately goes soft, and my frantic thoughts cease as I lean into him. Just as my arms begin to move toward his neck of their own accord, he pulls away.
“Now, no one will interrupt us.” I can’t see his face in the gloom, but I can hear his satisfied smirk.
“Fine, you’ve caught me,” I say, putting the envelope behind my back. “What is so important that it can’t wait?”
The excitement in his voice makes me shiver.
“Thanks to your amazing daughter, I now know the culprit’s identity.”
26
Ashton
“What? Who?” I can hear the shock in her voice at my reveal.
I search for the light switch on the wall and flip it on. I want to see her face when I tell her the news. I hadn’t expected to figure it out this way, but Jade was like a secret weapon. No one ever expects a child to be listening in on their conversations. I file that information away for later review.
“Commander Jenkins and Petty Officer First Class Jake Marcham. They’re a couple of your guests tonight.” I keep my voice low, though I can feel the adrenaline pumping through my veins. The men who started this whole mess are right here with us!
I expect to see her face light up in excitement, but instead, fear flashes in her eyes.
“What does Jade have to do with this?”
“She has a great future ahead of her as an international spy.”
“Stop joking around and answer my question.”
I tell her about finding Jade and listening in on the party-goers conversation. Her eyes go wide with shock and she begins to fidget.
It’s then that I notice she is holding something behind her back.
“What’s that?”
“Nothing.” She answers too quickly and I narrow my eyes at her.
“Come on, Emily. What do you have?”
She shakes
her head and backs away. By now I can see it’s an envelope. My interest is piqued, but before I can try to snatch the package away from her, a knock on the pantry door interrupts us.
“Um, excuse me, but dinner is ready to be served if the hostess is ready?” The voice through the door is unmistakably one of the party servers Emily hired. I want to growl in frustration as she flees out of the pantry with the envelope in hand.
The server looks at me nervously, then scampers away when I give him the most murderous look I can muster. I stalk to the dining room, following the crowd of people.
My dining room has been transformed for this evening. Candles, elegant table settings, and decorations scattered throughout the room give it an air of dignity and refinement, two things my house has never seen before with me as the owner. Being almost antisocial, this room likely would never have been draped in such finery had it not been for Emily ordering me around.
Small placards at each table setting have the name of a specific guest. Apparently, Emily had created a seating chart without my knowledge. Though to be honest I didn’t really care. The only annoyance was being seated at the complete opposite end of the table from her. As hosts, we apparently were supposed to sit where everyone could see us.
This is not my element, but I promised that I would try. I put on my “Good with Clients” face and try my best to socialize with the people closest to me. Next to me are seated the Senator’s aides, the socialite, and the postman.
I quickly lose track of what Emily is doing at the other end of the table as I try to keep up with the conversation between the aides. I practice my host skills and try to invite the retired General into the conversation but find that both of us are lost pretty quickly.
Office Fling (Manhattan Bad Boys BWWM Interracial Romance) Page 13
