Aubrey chuckles to herself, then sighs, “I think my problem is they always want to tame me.”
“You deserve so much more than that. We both do. With Isaac, it was different, like Fourth of July fireworks every single time I saw him. Every. Single. Time. It never faded, never dulled. Hemade me feel like we were the only two people in the universe, but more than that, he believed in me more than I believed in myself at the time. In college, I was so stressed with work, school, all of it. When I was with him, I didn’t have to think; I could just feel. And when he left…” I shut my eyes to quell the tears threatening behind my eyelids. “I was broken.”
“We’re going to see him tomorrow. Are you going to be okay? I know you’ve been lying to me the last few months about him. I can tell when you’re disappointed because maybe you didn’t talk, and you’re always glowing after phone sex.”
“We talk almost every day, but we never had phone sex,” I insist, swiping at the corner of my eye. While I’ll never admit it to her, I absolutely wish we had. “And I am sad when I don’t hear from him.”
“Your Honor, I rest my case.”
“I’m sorry I lied to you. Isaac and I are—I don’t know—we’re just two people drawn to each other. I promise he’s always respected my boundaries, keeping things platonic.” She cocks an eyebrow. “Okay, sure, we’ve flirted from time to time, but we haven’t crossed that line.”
“Yet,” she teases. “So, what, your vibrator is just working overtime? Is it enough? Do I need to buy you a vibration plate for you to sit on?” I ball up a napkin and toss it at her, making us both laugh. “Seriously though, I wish I had a single relationship I could compare to what you had with Isaac when you were younger.”
“I say this with love: maybe it’s because you’re dating the wrong men? Do you really think some investment banker or a guy looking to use you as a stepping stone for his own career is goingto be your big, once-in-a-lifetime love? You know, a boombox over his head confessing his feelings for you through Peter Gabriel? Waiting across the parking lot from the church where your sister is getting married, leaning against his car, beckoning you to him? He’s certainly not going to lift you in the air after a dance number you rehearsed.”
Aubrey purses her lips. Narrowing her eyes, she slouches in the chair. “Life isn’t a movie. We all don’t get an Isaac, Livy.”
“I just mean that you deserve more than you’re settling for. That’s all.”
“You know damn well Isaac would do all of that and more if you gave him a green light.” She huffs a humorless laugh. “I never believed for one second that the two of you are just friends, no matter how much you’ve protested since the election. That man wants you, and it’s only a matter of time before he goes in for the kill.”
“Bree! Nothing’s happened with Isaac. Nothing’s going to happen. I’m sure we won’t even see him tomorrow.”
“Bull. Shit.” She leans forward, offering her hand for me to take it. I do, and she smirks. “I’mliterallygoing to hold your hand as I say this. We both know he’ll find you. Also, check the seating chart.”
“Seating ch—Aubrey,” I scold, pulling my hand back. “You know I don’t like surprises.”
Examining her nails for show, she hums a sigh. “Don’t worry, babe. Because of me, you’re no longer next to him.”
“I was supposed to sit next to him?”
“Yup,” she replies, popping the ‘p.’ “He’s now behind us.”
“Behind us?” I squeak. Isaac never mentioned that he would be next to me, but even seated behind me is too close. It’ll be the first time seeing each other since college, and no matter how comfortable our conversations have been on the phone or video calls, I was hoping I could avoid him.
“Behind us,” she confirms. “We’re kind of off to the side. I tried to have you behind him, but President Taylor wanted your attendance highlighted, so she shifted Isaac back a row. A thank you would be nice.”
Fuck. My. Life.
Aubrey receives a text from someone and excuses herself to the bedroom, leaving me reeling. How the hell am I going to make it through the inauguration knowing he’s mere feet away? I’m tempted to get very, very drunk tonight. I call after her, “You’re doing more than girl dinner, vodka, and blasting EDM in the hotel room tonight. We have plans.”
She stops in her tracks, glancing over her shoulder with a smirk, “I’m listening…”
“Let’s go out. There’s heightened security because of the inauguration, so we can bring minimal security of our own if we leave the hotel and still be safe.” She cocks an eyebrow, unconvinced, so I sweeten the deal. “I’ll even wear makeup.”
“For once,” she chortles.
“I’m serious. You need a night off. So do I. Research places with Wes that are safe, and I’ll get dressed up to the point of being unrecognizable. Like you said a few months ago, who needs men? We deserve a girls’ night out. So, let’s grab a drink downstairs, then find somewhere for dinner that’s more thandippable snacks, and maybe even go dancing. Are we too old for dancing?”
“We’re not, but maybe just somewhere mellow, like a jazz club or something?” Aubrey’s grin is only stopped by her teeth sinking into her bottom lip. “Are you sure about this?”
“Absolutely! We’ll bring Westley once we leave the hotel. While we may not be twenty-one anymore, we haven’t had a moment to properly celebrate everything we’ve accomplished. So, yeah, I’m fucking sure.”
12
Isaac
“The seating arrangements for tomorrow have been adjusted,” Claire hesitantly tells me. I hate how, after all this time, my staff assumes I’ll snap at them like my predecessor. I don’t blame her, but it doesn’t keep me from inwardly cringing each time she approaches with caution.
