“I haven’t sent any gifts,” I lie, but Aubrey’s laugh from the couch outs me. “Okay, I did, but I sent them anonymously.”
“It doesn’t matter that your Christmas and birthday gifts were sent anonymously, there will not be a Valentine’s Day gift.”
Olivia gets up from the couch and makes her way over to us. She takes a seat next to me, and having her this close but not able to touch her is fucking maddening. “Ned, we need your help. I understand that we have to keep everything quiet, and you’re right about Isaac doting on me when there could be a paper trail, but is there any way that we could be together and—I don’t know—keep things a secret?”
“What I think Livy is trying to say is that she wants to have her cake and eat it too,” Aubrey interjects. She stands and brushes her skirt to straighten it, then joins us but remains behind Livy,cupping the back of the chair. “Olivia worked too hard to get where she’s at, we all did. And I also knew both of you in college. Emotions are high right now. We need to think about this rationally. If you two want to have some sort of secret relationship, no one can stop you. But what does that look like in March when we go to this international summit and you two are looking at each other with damn hearts in your eyes? You don’t think the Prime Minister of New Zealand will notice? What about the President of France? Someone. Will. Notice. And I sure as fuck am not going to be your babysitter.”
“Actually, Ms. Raine, that’s exactly what you’ll be doing,” Ned suggests.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” she grumbles, taking a seat next to Livy. “What next? I buy a chastity belt for her and a cock cage for him? These two are fucking grown-ups and just need to keep it in their pants for a few months. I’m not saying go no-contact, but they can’t be playing footsie under the table in March either.”
I’m not going to lose Olivia over this. I don’t care if I have to wait until I’m no longer Prime Minister, or she’s served her term as Governor. I can’t spend years of my life away from her again. With no other option, I offer, “Livy and I are innocent in all of this. You have my word I won’t send anything to her, but I’ve spent the majority of my adult life wanting a woman I couldn’t have. We’ll ensure communication is secure, and nothing between us will be public unless Olivia wants it to be.”
Livy slides her hand onto my thigh, squeezing once. After a deep sigh, I continue, “No one at this table expected this. Maybe Aubrey?” My tease earns me a small smile. “But I’ll step down as Prime Minister before I’ll ever let Olivia’s reputation be compromised.”
“We aren’t there yet,” Ned acknowledges, typing something on his phone. He doesn’t glance up as he adds, “Small, flirtatious greetings are trending, according to Governor Harris’ communications team. My best advice is to have speculation with no confirmation. Aubrey and I will handle it on our end, and if you have an ounce of self-preservation, you’ll follow suit. If you need time to?—”
“Whatever you need,” I interject, not giving a fuck about anything other than Olivia and her reputation. “Do whatever you have to do. However, in the end, all of this is Livy’s decision.”
“I love Isaac, I always have,” she admits softly, and my heart swells. “But Aubrey and Ned are right. It’s fine to have people gossip without proof, but if anyone found out about us, politically this would blow up in both of our faces.”
Aubrey lets out a long sigh. “So, what do we do?”
“I’ve been here before and my advice is to do nothing,” Ned replies evenly. Livy, Aubrey, and I all have brows pinched. “Until something comes to light, you do nothing,” he explains. “Keep a low profile, or my client will be reaching out personally.” He then fixes his cold gaze on me. “No extended embraces, no stolen glances. It ends today. Right now. The majority of Americans approve of tax dollars going toward school lunches, after-school programs, and early childhood education. All of which the Governor plans on expanding in California, in hopes it’ll be adopted nationally. Do not let your romantic relationship overshadow the good she is doing for our country or I’ll have to get the Gallaghers involved.”
“The Gallaghers?” Aubrey asks, eyes wide.
Ned nods and I’ve only heard rumors of the infamous brothers pulling strings in Washington. One of which is married to the American Vice President. If they are the client Ned mentioned, this is bigger than allocating funding to ensure no child goes hungry. I could end up ruining my political relationship with the Taylor-Vasileiou administration.
Olivia slides her hand onto my thigh, squeezing once. “He’s right.”
Even with the threat, I insist, “If anyone dares to question Olivia’s integrity, I’ll destroy them.” I cover her hand with mine, needing the small connection. “I won’t let anything happen to her or her career.”
“It’s not up to you,” Aubrey chimes in. “There are cameras everywhere in this hotel. All it would take is an asshole paying off someone in security to obtain the video of Olivia entering your hotel suite for the story to shift from college sweethearts reuniting to slut-shaming Olivia for using you to advance her political agenda. Ned was able to scrub the original videos of her entering and exiting last night. He’ll also have video deleted of us leaving here and the receipts for your nachos, as well as breakfast. After that, I need your word that you’re not going to jeopardize things by sneaking away to see each other at the gala tonight.”
I’m about to reply when Ned offers, “I can create an emergency in California to force the Governor to leave after the swearing-in.”
“Maybe it’s for the best,” Livy concedes, and all at once, my world crashes down around me.
“No.” The little word spills out of me before I can stop it. “I’ve spent my life chasing a dream that wasn’t mine. All I’ve ever wanted was to leave this world a better place than I found it.” I squeeze Olivia’s hand tighter. “No one, especially the media, will know I never stopped loving Livy. It won’t make it any less true. She is my past, present, and future, so I sure as hell won’t let anyone fuck with that. Need me to keep our interactions to handshakes? Fine. But there’s no reason for her to leave early, and potentially miss out on connecting with people who can help her achieve her goals. If anyone leaves, it’s me.”
“You’re standing on the shoulders of giants as some of the youngest in your positions,” Aubrey gently tells me. “If you fuck this up, it isn’t just your careers on the line, it’s everyone under the age of sixty who have dreams of serving their country.”
“Especially women,” Ned adds.
I fucking hate that they’re right. If we have to keep things quiet for the next few months, I’ll do it, but more than anything, I need an exit plan.
We only get this one life, and if Olivia and I have any chance of being together, I’ll need to do everything in my power to protect her, including possibly stepping away from politics.
17
Olivia
Idon’t think I’ve ever experienced a more tense meal than breakfast this morning. It was all a blur, with everyone working out logistics for the inauguration ceremony to ensure if there’s any speculation about Isaac and me being together, it’ll be squashed immediately. As promised, Ned has video footage of us leaving Isaac’s suite scrubbed from existence. It’s as if last night never happened.
Aubrey keeps insisting it’s for the best, but for who?
Needing to clear my head, Aubrey and I make our way down to the hotel gym. As we walk in, I stop in my tracks, spotting Isaac on one of the treadmills, drenched in sweat with earbuds in. I can’t help wondering if he’s listening to music or an audiobook his sister recommended. I secretly hope it’s the latter.
