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He holds up a finger and then walks out without saying anything to me. It’s annoying that he doesn’t tell me what he is doing. But it gives me a chance to compose myself and calm down. We won’t be any good to Lily if we spend the whole time arguing. I have to find a way to push through my feelings and be civil with him. No more fighting.
Carter walks back in a few minutes later, carrying a large coffee cup in his hand. I glare at him for getting himself a coffee after he spilled mine all over me.
I realize what I’m doing and close my eyes. He’s just goading you. Don’t let him do it.
I open my eyes, and he isn’t standing across the table from me. He’s leaning over me as he places the coffee cup in front of me.
“A peace offering,” he says before sitting in the seat next to me.
I smile. “Let’s get to work.”
He holds my gaze for far too long before he says, “Where do you want to start?”
I don’t know why he’s being so nice to me. It’s either from guilt from spilling coffee on me or ruining my plans for Lily, but whatever the reason, I’m not going to waste the moment.
6
Carter
I
fucked up.
Not by convincing Jacob to come here today. I know that my instincts were correct. That Jacob would have been the best way to get the public back on Lily’s side.
I fucked up by letting myself feel anything toward Victoria. I don’t have feelings. Ever. I’m ruthless and uncaring. It’s why I’m so good at my job. I never care about my clients. I just do what’s best for them even if they hate me at the time. They always thank me afterward.
And, now that I’ve let myself care about Victoria, I don’t know how to shut it off. I don’t even feel anything that loving. I just feel guilt and concern. I’ve hurt Victoria countless times. But today was the first time that I didn’t like it. I didn’t like seeing her in physical pain. I didn’t like the emotions it evoked in either of us.
“Carter, are you listening to me?”
I blink, trying to come back to the real world instead of the world of torture I have created for myself in my head. A world where I want Victoria, but I can’t have her.
“To every word.”
She frowns. “Then, what was I saying?”
“You said, ‘Carter, are you listening to me?’”
She can’t stifle the tiniest of grins from her lips. It makes me happy to see her smile.
“Before that.”
“That you feel the best way to move forward is to show Lily as a strong, independent woman who doesn’t need a man by her side. Don’t paint the men as monsters but not as saints either. Just do one interview with another strong, independent woman who will want to address the sex tape but then will focus on the issues that Lily wants to tackle as a senator instead of doing dozens of interviews, like the plan was before.”
She clears her throat. “You were listening.”
“I have an impeccable memory. Anything I hear or see, I will remember.”
She sips her coffee to keep from yawning. I know she stayed up all night, preparing for this. She’s smarter than I gave her credit for. Most of her ideas are spot-on, and she has a backup in mind for every scenario. If we didn’t hate each other so much, I would offer her a job. But her exhaustion is going to lead to mistakes. She might think she has the same level of experience as me, but having to spend all night formulating a plan shows me just how little experience she actually has. She’s talented, but she needs someone to harness that talent.
“What do you think?”
I lean forward in my chair until I’m close enough to smell the coffee mixed with her perfume. “I don’t think you care what I think.”
She leans forward in her chair as well. “What do you think?”
“I think your ideas are good.”
