“It was,” Ned shouts from the table. “The internet is a glorious thing, Ms. Harris. Unfortunately, nothing is private, and I can confirm where the purchase came from. Please come sit so we can discuss options.”
Aubrey quietly asks me, “What do you need? I’m not going anywhere. I’m here. If you need me to be a cunt, I’ll call Banks myself and tell him to never contact you again.”
What do I want? I don’t know what Isaac is up to, but it’s too late for us. Our paths took us to places that we can’t come back from. I finally look at Aubrey. “No. We keep this professional. I’m not sure why Isaac sent it, but I’m going to need you to handle it if he does anything else.” Lowering my voice to barely a whisper, my voice cracks as I admit, “I can’t do this a second time.”
Without skipping a beat, Aubrey smirks with a wink, then once we’re seated at the table, she recites to the group as she types onher laptop, “Governor-elect Harris will not attend the proposed event by Prime Minister Banks in person, due to scheduling conflicts. If they’d like her input, she’ll be attending remotely.”
8
Isaac
“Scheduling conflicts,” I read aloud, mostly to myself. My sister chuckles, sitting back in the chair across from my desk, typing on her phone with a grin, as if my whole world wasn’t crashing down around me. “What the fuck is so funny, Nikki?”
“Of course she tried to pull out of the conference. Did you really think a single coffee delivery would have the next California Governor prancing to you with open arms in slow motion through a field, like a really bad perfume commercial? We’re playing the long game here. You want her thinking about you when she wakes up, when she goes to yoga, when she’s eating nachos, when she goes to bed… The only way you’re going to woo Olivia is if you put the work in. Every. Single. Day.”
“She’s not coming in person,” I groan, rubbing my hand down my face. “It backfired.”
“Did it? If she didn’t have feelings for you, she’d attend. If the roles were reversed, and she was hosting, I don’t know, a gala or something, would you go?”
“In a heartbeat.”
Nicole finally glances up from her phone. “Because you’re willing to risk your entire political career on a hypothetical chance of winning back the love of your life. But this isn’t one of those made-for-TV movies where she moves to another country to be with her college boyfriend after a five-day summit.”
“That’s… incredibly specific. What movie is it?”
“You’re a fucking idiot. Women in power—and certainly not someone like Olivia who just became the first female Governor of her state—don’t throw their dreams away because of a man. She’s protecting herself, as she should.”
I let out a long sigh, hating how she’s right. “It’s hopeless.”
“No, but if you want her,really want her, you’re going to have to sacrifice everything to make it work. You may have to resign, move to the US, become a citizen… It’s a lot to consider. I’m on board to help you make it happen, but a coffee delivery is only the first step. You want her to come to the summit, you’ll need to personally invite her.”
Without a second thought, I pull up my incoming call log on my cell and click on it. My thumb hovers over the little phone icon, but only for a moment before pressing it. I put it on speaker and Nikki’s eyes are wide as she whisper-shouts, “What are you doing?”
At the second ring, Olivia answers, “Hello?”
My heart swells at hearing her voice. “Hey, Livy, I have an email that there’s a scheduling conflict, and thought it best to reach out myself to see if there would be another week that would work better for you and your team.”
Her voice is muffled as she tells someone, “He wants to know if there’s a better week.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” a woman huffs. Her voice becomes clearer as she greets, “Hello, Prime Minister.” I’d recognize Aubrey’s sass anywhere and should’ve anticipated she’d be there.
“Ms. Raine, it’s been too long.”
“We regret to inform you that due to recent media attention, it’s in the best interest of the Governor-elect to not attend your event.”
“Please let Olivia know that I’ll move the meeting to any week of her choosing.”
“Damn it, Isaac,” she hisses. “I don’t think you understand the gravity of the situation. It’s five in the fucking morning here, and I have an entire team at Olivia’s place doing damage control becausesomeonedecided to internet stalk her.”
“Does he know about the memes?” someone distant asks.
“Fuck the memes,” Aubrey snaps. “Isaac, my best friend was just elected as the first female Governor here. She thought she could still do her volunteer work, and now there’s this international summit which focuses on the very thing she’s been championing throughout her campaign. You have to see how bad this looks. My friend with a fucking heart of gold is now a political pawn. You’re jeopardizing all of the hard work she’s put in.”
“Do you have me on speaker?”
“Yes.”
My jaw tics, but I stuff down my frustration. “Livy, are you still there?”
