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A cynical expression crossed J.C.’s face. “Keep dreaming.”
She didn’t know why she did it, but something made her argue. “There has to be a better way, J.C. There just has to be.”
J.C. smiled, not unkindly. “Go home, Carly.”
Carly headed for her office once she left the conference room. She needed her coat and the travel mug Shane had given her this morning, but she was operating on autopilot, because she couldn’t stop thinking about J.C.’s cynical statement—Keep dreaming. As if things could never change.
All at once she desperately wanted Shane. Wanted his reassuring arms around her. Wanted him to convince her J.C. was wrong, that things could change for the better...if you fought hard enough to change them. Shane, who tilted at windmills. Who fought for what he believed in, no matter how impossible the odds.
That’s when she realized she hadn’t called or texted Shane all day. She’d been so busy she’d—well, not forgotten him, because she’d thought of him several times throughout the day. But she hadn’t taken the time to let him know she was thinking of him. And he hadn’t called or texted her, either. She grabbed her smartphone from her purse and double-checked to be sure it was on. It was, but there were no messages, no missed calls and no texts.
Fear clutched at her heart. What if something had happened to Shane, and she hadn’t contacted him? She’d done this to Jack, too, let herself get so caught up in other things—a story, their wedding plans—that she’d neglected the man she loved.
The man she loved?
“Oh no. No,” she whispered, not wanting to believe it. “You didn’t, Carly. You didn’t.”
Only...she had. She’d fallen in love with Shane. Two days ago she’d insisted they maintain an emotional distance. And now...now her heart was telling her what her head didn’t want to acknowledge—she loved Shane so much she was suddenly frantic with worry merely because she hadn’t heard from him all day.
She hurriedly checked the time, remembering she’d told Shane to pick her up at five, and it was now almost half past the hour. She fumbled with her phone, intending to text him, but before she could, the device buzzed and vibrated. When she looked at the touch screen, she saw it was from him.
Waiting downstairs, if you’re ready. If not, just let me know. Don’t rush. Take your time.
Shane was waiting for her downstairs. Had been waiting patiently for almost thirty minutes. That’s all she could think about. She shrugged on her coat, grabbed the empty travel mug and crammed it into her purse, then flew out the door, heading for the elevator.
She rushed out, hitting the circular glass door with such force it was still going round when she was already on the sidewalk outside. Cars lined both sides of the street in front of the building, but none of them was Shane’s, although she looked twice just to be sure. She didn’t despair, though. He’d told her he was here, waiting, and he would be. She just had to be patient and—
Out of the corner of her eye she saw a car coming down the street. She heaved a sigh of relief when she recognized Shane’s Mustang, and she was at the curb waiting by the time he pulled up. He made as if to hop out, probably to hold the door for her like the gentleman he was, but she jumped in before he could.
“Hi,” she said breathlessly, buckling herself in. “Sorry I made you wait.”
“No problem.” His smile went right through her, and she sighed softly. “Busy day, I take it?” he asked as he pulled into traffic.
“Kind of.” But she didn’t really want to talk about her day. Maybe later. For now, all she wanted to know was what kind of day he’d had. “You?”
“So-so. Nothing happening on the floor of the Senate, but Cody called me.”
“Your brother-in-law? Has the agency found out something already?”
“Not exactly. But he talked with his boss here in DC, and they sent a couple of local agents to interview me this morning.”
“And?”
“And nothing. They’ll let me know when and if they learn anything. In the meantime, they gave me some advice.”
“Which is?”
