“Melissa.” He stopped in front of her, the familiar charming smile firmly in place. “You look well.”
“Michael.” She kept her voice neutral. “I didn’t know you were in town.”
“Just visiting some old friends. You know how it is.” He sipped his drink—whiskey, neat, the same thing he’d always ordered. “I’ve been following your infrastructure bill. Impressive work. Though I hear it’s hitting some resistance.”
“Nothing I can’t handle.”
“I’m sure.” His eyes swept over her in a way that made her skin crawl. “How’s Lila? I’ve been meaning to schedule a visit, but work has been so demanding.”
Work.As if work were the reason he’d seen his daughter exactly twice in the past year, both times brief and awkward, Lila emerging from each visit quieter than before.
“She’s doing wonderfully,” Melissa said. “She’s having a great summer.”
“I heard. Someone mentioned you’ve hired a nanny. Young woman, apparently.” His smile didn’t waver. “Live-in and everything.”
Melissa kept her expression perfectly still—years of political training, of learning to mask every flicker of emotion that might be used against her. Her heart was pounding. In her clutch, her phone felt suddenly heavy, the warmth of June’s texts still there.
“My childcare arrangements aren’t particularly newsworthy,” she said coolly. “And live-in was a good solution with my hours.”
“Yes, you never were much for mothering, were you?” Michael said.
Melissa’s blood boiled, the words landing exactly where he’d aimed them.. “I am here with her. What about you?”
“Now, now, I’m not attacking you, just stating facts,” Michael said. “And I’m glad Lila has… company. While you’re working so hard.”
“My daughter is thriving,” Melissa said. Her voice came out colder than intended.
“Our daughter, you mean.”
She ignored him. “Which you would know, if you ever bothered to actually see her.” She kept the anger perfectly leashed, perfectly contained, her face a mask. “Your concern is noted. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
She walked away before he could respond.
Her hands were shaking.
She made it to the hallway outside the ballroom before she had to stop, pressing her palm against the wall.He doesn’t know,she told herself.He’s fishing. Making insinuations because that’s what he does.
But the fear was there anyway. The old, familiar terror of being exposed. Of having her private life dissected and displayed for public consumption. She thought about June’s mouth on hers. About all the ways this could go catastrophically wrong.
What am I doing?
“Mel?”
Rachel was standing at the end of the hallway, concern evident in her expression.
“You took off,” she said, moving closer. “And I saw who you were talking to. What did he say?”
“The usual. Passive-aggressive comments about my parenting. Insinuations about my domestic situation.” Melissa’s voice was bitter. “He mentioned the nanny.”
Rachel’s expression hardened. “That man is a parasite in a tweed jacket. Want me to accidentally spill red wine on him? I’ll do it. I’ll enjoy it.”
Melissa almost laughed. Almost.
“I’m fine. He just caught me off guard.”
“You’re not fine. You’re shaking.” Rachel steered her toward a small alcove. “Sit. Breathe. Tell me what’s really going on.”
Melissa sat. She thought about lying, about deflecting, about maintaining the careful composure she showed the rest of the world.
