We are stronger, and wearegoing to make our state a better place.
The limo pulls to a stop in front of the hotel and a uniformed trooper immediately steps in to open the door for us. Owen emerges first, followed by me, Carter right behind me. Normally I’d follow Carter, too, except I’m the lieutenant governor.
Carter’s “just” Owen’s chief of staff.
If only everyone knew the truth.
Fortunately, there’s not a huge crowd outside the hotel, but Owen does want to work the rope line.
I go with him. I can’t help but notice that Carter’s gaze is as intense and watchful as any of the troopers or county deputies in the security detail, studying the crowd, watchful for potential threats as he stays close to both of us. Once we reach the door, Carter rests his right hand in the small of my back, pats Owen’s shoulder with his left, and obviously guides me into position to take Owen’s arm before Carter falls in a step behind us.
Owen smiles down at me. “Shall we, Ma’am?”
One small capitulation Carter allows, because no one but the three of us knows that Owen means that with a capitalM.
I smile back. “Let’s do this, Governor Taylor.”
Dray is waiting for us inside the lobby. Normally, it’s easier—and safer logistically—to take a VIP in through a service entrance. But tonight is a celebration, and we’ve earned this little bit of pomp.
When we enter the lobby, the people inside erupt in cheers and applause, and both Owen and I smile and wave, looking great for the cameras, I’m sure.
I know Carter is still shadowing us, watching. This is the other reason he wanted me walking with Owen, so he could be more watchful, more ready.
Since the day of the school shooting, I’ve seen a far darker side of my husband emerge. More nightmares, more sullen moods from time to time. The wary, combat-hardened sergeant instead of the polished attorney.
What happened that day at the school a couple of months ago reminds Carter too much of his time in the Army, when he was on deployment, and the day he almost died.
But even more importantly, Owen still has no idea how close hereallycame to death that day in the school. It’s a lesson Carter will not forget, and refuses to stop beating himself up over. He’d let his guard down that day, thought they were safe. Had he not shoved Owen to the floor and dragged him around behind the counter in the school’s office, it could have been Owen who got shot next. He’d been standing in front of the counter, but directly in line with the opening to the hallway where the deputy was shot.
The shot that killed the deputy would have, no doubt, hit Owen first.
Sure, one can make a lot of arguments against that line of thinking. ExceptCarter’sconvinced of it, and that’s all that matters. It’shismind that frantically races, worried about Owen, about me.
It’s why Carter insists Iwillhave a security detail.
I know it’s also why, when last Friday night I tried asking him one more time to loosen that requirement, he grabbed me by the arm, dragged me into our bedroom, and paddled my ass red without speaking a single word. He didn’t stop until I tearfully apologized and promised to never again ask for him to cancel my security detail.
Then he pulled me into his arms, tightly holding me, silent sobs wracking him as his waking and sleeping nightmares fought for control of his soul, until I was the one holding him and he fell asleep in my arms.
His first halfway decent night’s sleep in weeks.
He never sleeps well when the two of us aren’t in bed with him, but especially when Owen isn’t, and Owen had to be in Tampa for interviews that night and stayed over in the Brandon house.
I’m afraid what might happen to Carter if there’s ever another close call. I don’t honestly think he could handle losing either of us. I think it would completely snap his sanity.
But that’s fair, because I don’t think I could handle losing either of them. From the first day I met them, I sensed we were all meant to be together, even though, at the time, I didn’t realize that was going to beliterally.
All because of Carter and his master plan.
Or maybe I should call that hisMasterplan.
Chapter Three
Then
I think I fell in love with Carter first. But he was older, off-limits.
Or, he should’ve been.
