23

Leta was on her way home, still berating herself for the bold move that had backfired, when her cell phone rang. She reached in the seat next to her and pulled it to her ear. “Hello?”

“Ms. Breckenridge?”

She slowed for the red light ahead. “Yes?”

“This is Edith Styles from Heritage House. I have a matter I need to discuss with you. Could we make an appointment for you to come by?”

She frowned. “Is everything all right with my mother?”

“Oh, certainly. Yes, all is well where Sylvia is concerned.” There was a momentary pause. “We just need to talk about some changes occurring here at Heritage House.”

A red car in the lane behind her pulled dangerously close to her bumper.

“Okay, sure,” she said, wondering why some drivers were so rude. “I have to work tonight. But I can be there tomorrow, around six?”

“Fine. I’ll see you then.”

The phone went dead and she tossed it back in the seat, wondering why the director of Heritage House seemed to make everything sound like a storm was about to hit.

She’d had enough turbulent weather to last a lifetime, thank you. Especially after today.

Leta had left Jane Ladd’s office with a worried churning in the pit of her stomach. She’d blindly miscalculated the situation, believing she could simply request a reassignment of duties.

From the look in her boss’s eyes, her stupidity had cost her.

The light turned green and Leta pressed on the gas pedal, slowly moving forward in line with the other cars. She glanced in the rearview mirror. Thankfully, the rude driver must have turned.

The only thing she could do now was to comply. Katie’s suggestion that she simply resign wasn’t an option she could consider. Finances dictated she just swallow this bitter pill, even if actively working against Nate made her feel sick inside.

What other choice did she have?

Nate tossed the media file onto the table and leaned back against the deep leather cushioned chair. His eyes burned from hours of reading, and it was only going to get worse going forward into this bid for the governor’s office.

He’d let himself forget the energy required to run an effective campaign—endless meetings, war-room strategy sessions, private fund-raising events, meets and greets, and the nagging feeling he was always behind. Not only in his extensive task list, but in the polls.

When in the thick of things, his personal life got shoved aside. No spending leisurely time with personal friends, no movies, no reading the latest New York Times bestsellers. Barely time to sleep and rest up for the next day, when everything began all over again.

For all it cost him, everything would be worth it in the end. If he pulled this off and landed on top, that is.

Nate shook his head, pushing the negative possibility of losing the election from his exhausted mind. If he gave even an inch to the idea he might be pushing himself into the ground for nothing . . . Well, best to move on from that type of negative thinking.

To give his everything in order to win, he’d have to stay focused on why he was running in the first place. Losing was no option. Especially with so much at stake.

Especially when someone was counting on him.

He hadn’t seen or talked to her since the day of the symposium. Just before he’d gone ahead and announced.

How many times had he picked up the phone since that day, only to slip it back in his pocket?

He’d toyed with making a trip to Central Market in hopes of running into her. The time had never been available.

At least that’s what he told himself. With everything going on after the announcement, and until he settled things with Tiffany, he thought it best to hold off a little.

Nate got up and walked to the windows and looked out at his pool. His hand slipped into his pocket and he pulled out his phone.

Truth was, he longed to call her. Right now.

What did that say about him?

He thought the absolute world of Tiffany Shea. But the truth was, lying alone in bed at night, he often wrestled with just how he was going to let her know they had no future.

Certainly, there was no doubt in his mother’s mind that he should establish his connection with Tiffany permanently, even to the point of engagement. In practical terms, he could easily make that same argument in his own mind.

She was smart, beautiful, and he had loved her. Or, at least he thought so.

Then thoughts of Leta Breckenridge would inch into his mind and delightfully divert his attention. That is, until he realized what a schmuck that made him.

He was running for governor but couldn’t even govern his own mind.

Tiffany was far too bright. Soon she’d notice something was different. Certainly, he admired her and never wanted to treat the woman he’d been dating in any manner outside the respect she deserved.

Tiffany had done nothing to warrant anything but the very best from him. She was a woman worth loving and clearly believed her relationship with him was secure.

In fact, she’d dropped over unannounced last Sunday night with a bottle of wine and not-so-subtle intentions.

First, she’d shown up in tight jeans and boots—totally out of character for someone he’d seldom seen out of business attire, or business casual in the rare hours she was at leisure. Her neck was draped with layers of chunky pieces of turquoise set in heavy chains that pressed against milky-white skin exposed by a blouse barely buttoned.

No doubt, she was one beautiful woman.

He’d found himself sorely tempted when she placed her empty wineglass on the table and leaned into his chest. “I think it’s time we quit talking about politics for the evening, don’t you?”

She smelled of the finest cedar soaked in something sweet, like vanilla. The heady scent had made breathing difficult. Finally, he’d choked out a response. “A wise candidate acts on the wisdom of his closest advisors. And his advisors are telling him he has a very early morning.”

Even as he brushed her off, he remembered how he used to thread his fingers through her long brown hair, let the curled twists cascade over his hand as he pulled her even closer. Then the phone rang, forcing the memory from his mind.

Yes, a woman like Tiffany Shea had been easy to love.

So why had he fallen for another? For a girl who looked at him with adoration, like he was someone capable of holding her entire world in place? Even now, she was there capturing his mind and holding his thoughts hostage.

God help him.

In his wildest dreams, he couldn’t imagine what he was going to do.

But he knew he needed to talk to her again.