“Ah, but who am I, if not dedicated?”
Sutton let out a begrudging laugh. “Fine, this is very true.”
Charlotte looked down at her watch before frowning. “Not that I don’t enjoy a phone call from you”—she really, really did—“but weren’t you going to attend your coworker’s engagement party this evening?”
“Your mind is really a steel trap.”
“It’s my finest quality.”
“One of them.” Sutton seemed to catch herself, if the sharp intake of breath was anything to go by, and Charlotte smiled as pleasure swept through her. “I mean, you have many wonderful qualities, and so you should never just have to pick one, but… your mind is a good one.”
God, she wanted to pursue this. She wanted to tease and banter andflirt. So, so badly.
She swallowed a handful of remarks that wanted to escape, though, only letting out a little laugh. “I will use that as my next campaign slogan.”
“Ha,” Sutton breathed before clearing her throat. “Iwasgoing to go to go. It’s just… I wound up not having anyone to watch Lucy tonight. I had a really great girl before, but she moved, and Regan and Emma are on their trip.”
“Oh, right, the France vacation.”
“Exactly.” There was a frustration marring Sutton’s tone, along with a tinge of disappointment, and Charlotte found herself saying the words before she even realized it.
“I can do it.”
There was a resounding silence as both Charlotte and Sutton took in what she said. Then Sutton cautiously asked, “Um… do what, exactly?”
What in the hell was she offering? Charlotte’s heart pounded in uncertainty even as she spoke again. “I…” She cleared her throat and nodded at herself as she sat up straight in her chair before speaking again. “I can watch Lucy for you tonight.”
Charlotte stared across her empty office, chewing at the inside of her lip for a moment before she caught herself and made herselfstop.
She and Sutton were friends.
Lucy was Sutton’s child.
Shehadto spend more time with her, especially if they were going to see one another more frequently.
Charlotte had gone toe to toe with some of the biggest names in politics, on camera and on national news. How hard could this be in comparison?
“Sutton?” she prompted after thirty seconds had passed with no sound on the other end of the line.
Sutton cleared her throat. “I—sorry… did you just offer to watch my daughter?”
“Yes.” She sat up straight at her desk, nodding and allowing the words she spoke to strengthen her tone and conviction. “Yes, I did. What time did you need to leave by?”
“Um. Well. I, um, I mean, if you’re… serious? I should leave within the hour, but you don’t have to.”
“I’m serious,” she confirmed, drawing in a deep breath. “I’ll be there as soon as possible. Go, get ready.”
By the time she arrived, it was forty minutes later, and she’d mostly calmed her nerves—which, she shouldn’t have had any. Lucy wassix, and Charlotte had had a good time with her when they’d had dinner. Granted, she’d felt a little out of her depth, in a very unfamiliar way, but… taking care of her for one night should be fine. Completely and totally fine.
She readjusted the grip she had on the bag in her hand; she’d sent Autumn to the closest mall on an emergency trip as she’d finished up her loose ends in the office, texting her a shopping list she’d received from Caleb. In a conversation that she’d wished she could have had with Dean, whohadn’tanswered her.
“What was that game Ricky is obsessed with?” she’d demanded as soon as her brother picked up the phone, referencing their brother William’s son. He had three, but Ricky was the one closest to Lucy’s age. “The one you played with him for hours the last time he stayed with you for the weekend?”
“Uhhhh… Mario Kart?” Caleb’s obviously confused answer came only seconds later.
Right. Charlotte quickly texted that, along with her other ideas, to Autumn. Who’d immediately responded with?—
Autumn Alton—5:26 p.m.
