AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Audit season, right?” she asks.
“Yeah.”
She bristles. “I do not miss that.”
I tilt my head. “Admit it. You kinda do.”
“Okay, maybe a little.” She chuckles as she bites the tip of her fry. “So, how’s Mom?”
“Mom?” I ask.
“Yeah, my mom. You two had lunch this week, right?”
I pause. “How did you know about that?”
“The staff of a United States Senator is full of resources.” She smiles for a moment, then shrugs. “And she told me.”
I sigh, though I’m not really surprised. “What a gossip.”
“She doesn’t have much going on, to be fair.” Paige tilts her eager head. “So, what was your secret lunch about?”
“It wasn’t a secret lunch,” I say.
“Then, why didn’t you tell me about it?”
“I have lunch with your mother all the time, Paige.”
“We have lunch with my mother all the time,” she argues. “You two having lunch alone together is a little out of the ordinary.”
“No, it’s not.”
“One might even say it’s... suspicious.”
“Not out of the ordinary. Not suspicious. I wanted to get out of the hotel and away from Parker for a while, so I had lunch with your mother. End of story.”
Paige leans forward, her eyes squinting with intrigue. “Liar,” she says.
I laugh. “I’m not lying!”
“You’re a dirty, rotten liar.”
“Okay, fine.” I lean in, mimicking her squint. “I didn’t tell you about it because I gave her something last month to hold on to for safekeeping. I retrieved it from her at lunch so I could give it to you tonight.”
Her brow piques. “What was she holding for safekeeping?”
I lean back. “I’m not sure you deserve it anymore.”
“No, I want it,” she whines.
“You called me a liar,” I tease. “You made me feel bad about myself.”
“You’re not a liar!” she says, backpedaling hard. “You’re a wonderful, handsome, generous man and I love you.”
She pouts her bottom lip.
I cave.
“It’s on your pillow,” I say.
