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If it wasn’t for the noise this made in the news, there was nothing in it that should be anyone’s business but his own. His family, the people in town, his friends—it wasn’t like they had ever known who he had hooked up with or dated. That wasn’t the issue. And, although he shouldn’t have succumbed to a woman who had still been legally married, it wasn’t about that, either. This could have been a storm in a teacup except for two things. One, that what followed had taught him something about himself. Something ugly. And two, that he had fallen irreversibly in love with a woman whose rare silence meant that she was already seeing him in all his ugliness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After a sleepless night, half of which spent jogging in cold, empty streets so he wouldn’t go crazy, Jordan drove to the airport.
Though it was five a.m. in California, his mother called.
“We don’t believe everything we hear on the news, but you know how these towns are. Your father is well known in Wayford and Riviera View, so he’s worried it’ll impact his business.”
“They’ll enjoy the gossip, but no one is stupid or prude enough to stop working with him, even if this thing were true.”
“I know, sweetie. I’ll talk to him. I’m more worried about how you’re taking it. I’ll make you your favorite casserole.”
“Thanks. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. It’ll soon blow over. It always does.” It was true. He knew it wouldn’t even impact his career. But he couldn’t care less about all that. The only thing he cared about was Hope.
“My famous big brother,” Ava said the moment he picked up an hour later while waiting for the flight. She wasn’t mocking. Her voice was tinged with warmth and empathy. “Making headlines to bring the limelight into this corner?” That was pure Ava. Her next sentence even more so. “Seriously, though, Jord, how can we help?”
He pressed his eyes closed for a second, thanking whoever was up there in the sky for his mother and siblings.
“Thanks, sis. Nothing you could do right now.” Except maybe rapping on a specific door in Riviera View and pleading my case for me, because I’m going to fail.
“Whatever, whenever you need. Can I tell you what I think happened?”
“Do I wanna hear it from my baby sister?”
“Your married little sister. And yes, you want to, because I know you too well, although you’re a million years older than me. You had a fling with this woman, whom you don’t love, when she was on the cusp of divorce. The baby isn’t yours. And I think you’re in love with someone else. And the reason I know is; one, I know you, and if this was yours, you’d tell us a lot sooner. Two, I know you wouldn’t believe it of me, but I read a lot of romance novels—I mean, a lot!—and I could fill in the blanks just from the initial reports and knowing one of the two people involved. And three, you coming here all freaked out is not because of Mom, Dad, Luke, or me. You’d leave it for a phone call if it was just us.” She chuckled. “Just tell me if I’m right.”
He took a deep breath. “You’re right.”
“I knew it!” she said victoriously. “You know I don’t mean it like that. I just really don’t think it’s a big deal, and if she wasn’t a congresswoman, no one would give a damn. And as for the rest, it’ll be all right. I love you, big brother, ’kay?”
“’Kay.” He smiled, though the back of his throat pricked unfamiliarly with emotion. “Thanks, Ava. I love you, too.”
When he was seated and waiting for takeoff, right before switching his phone off, it chirped. Heart hammering, he looked at the screen. No hope.
“I fired Dobbe altogether. Please know that this is by no means something that I’d accept on my staff, and I know it came from him. His name came up from several people I trust. I offer you my sincere apologies and am willing to issue a statement to that effect. We need you on our team.”
“Thanks, Senator. I appreciate it. I’ll finish what you hired me to do, because I don’t back out of my commitments.”
“That’s why I offered you a full-time spot on my staff.”
“You know I don’t take those.”
“I know. And for the record, I don’t believe that rumor to be true.”
“I handed the latest revisions to your assistant. I’ll check in with him later.” He changed the subject, feeling like a liar still.
“Again, if there’s anything I can do—”
“Thank you.”
Jordan loosened his tie and gazed outside as the aircraft bolted on the runway.
The more distance the plane closed between him and Hope, the more he lost hope.
