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“What if I am, Blaire?” Grant challenged. “You know how hard it is for me to leave Tyler alone with you? I’m jealous of every man who has the privilege of breathing yourair.”
“Okay, my man,” I cupped his face between my hands. “This is a good time to chill. We’re going to walk in there like civilized people. You’re going to let me sit beside Andy. I hope to have decent conversation with your father’s political strategist and promise not to embarrassyou.”
Grant scowled at me and jerked his face out of my hands. “How could you think you’d ever embarrass me? That’s uncalled for,Blaire.”
“So was your highhandednessearlier.”
“Okay, I get it,” he grumbled. Grant took my hand and led me to the dining room and walked me to where Andy stood to hold the chair out for me. It didn’t escape me that some alpha-male posturing came from Grant’s side, but Andy was surprisingly good-natured about it. After all, he did work for Grant’s father. It was best not to aggravate the son toomuch.
When I sat down, Andy leaned in close and whispered, “I hope I didn’t cause trouble between you and Mr.Thorne.”
“No, but you were very brave to offer to be my dinnerpartner.”
“Your boyfriend is scary,” Andy said. “But I think Mrs. Thorne isscarier.”
I burst out laughing. I wasn’t meaning to because, even without looking, I could feel the weight of Grant’s glare behindme.
“Shit,” Andy murmured. “Maybe your boyfriend isscarier.”
“He’s glaring at us, isn’the?”
“Yes,” my dinner companion sighed dramatically. “Should I be worried about walking to my carlater?”
“I’m not sure.” I was surprised that it was an honestreply.
17
Blaire
I’d never had a morerelaxed dinner in the presence of this political crowd—maybe because I wasn’t sitting beside Grant who drew everyone’s attention. It was fortunate that he was engaged in conversation on both sides of the dinner table. It seemed Andrew Spencer turned out to be closer to my age of twenty-nine. He had the look of a college freshman. He lamented his boyish features, saying that people frequently underestimated him and it had been difficult to find work out of college. He’d been lucky to land a position on the Florida governor’s campaign and managed to turn a beleaguered politician’s career around. That was how Gus Lynch discovered him and offered to be hismentor.
“I’ve admired August Lynch since college,” Andy said with obvious hero-worship. “I can’t believe he called me a few weeks ago and offered me ajob.”
“You mean he called you out of the blue?” Iasked.
“No. I sent in an application when there was an open position,” he said. “I had these alerts that notify me of available openings with lawmakers Iadmire.”
I was careful not to reveal too much of myself to Andy. I knew his affable behavior could be a smoke screen for a cunning political mind. Why else would a shrewd man like August Lynch hire him to be his aide. I immediately felt guilty when I thought about it. No harm. No foul. Andy was a consummate dinner companion andconversant.
When people started to rise from the dinner table, I saw Grant make a beeline for hisdad.
Shit. This isit.
All my nervousness from earlier returned and that last bite of chocolate pie seemed to have lodged in my throat. I gulped somecoffee.
“Hey, you okay—?” Andy started. “Hmm … looks like I’m needed. Uh-oh, I hope your boyfriend’s not complaining to the senator about me.” For the first time that night, Andy looked unsure of himself as he pushed back from the chair. “Excuse me, Blaire.” He smiled, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “I enjoyed your company atdinner.”
I wanted to assure him that Grant’s call for a meeting with his dad and political advisors had nothing to do with one of them hitting on his girlfriend. Even Grant wasn’t that petty; he would’ve handled that situation himself. I kept my mouth shut though. Andy would find out soon enough that fifty percent of what I told him over dinner wasfabricated.
* * *
The guests had startedto leave. Amelia and Valerie were busy chatting them up on their way out while I sat in one corner of the parlor, pretending to show interest in the latest issue of Elle Home. I’d made some acquaintances, mainly women who were curious as to who had managed to hold Grant Thorne’s attention for months. As for the men, they wanted to find out how they could win favors with my man. I wasn’t delusional to think it was my sparkling personality that attracted their interest. I snickeredinwardly.
The door to the senator’s office opened and a stone-faced Grant emerged, heading straight for me.Uh-oh. Not sure those forty-five minutes that they’d spent holed up was a done deal. When he reached my side, he held out his hand. “They want to talk toyou.”
“Of course,” I replied, but it didn’t mean I was going to tell themeverything.
When we entered the senator’s study, Marcus was perched on the edge of his desk, Andy was sitting in front of it and Gus was pacing the length of the room. The collective gazes that zeroed in on me when we stepped through the doors nearly had me retreating, but Grant’s firm hand on my elbow was all the courage Ineeded.
