Incumbent(13)

My doorbell rang, and an awkward silence fell over us until Mason piped up.

“That must be my dinner. Lucy, I’m going to take the food we ordered to my place since you’re all set.” He leaned over and gave me a chaste peck on the cheek before he turned to Drake, who observed him carefully. “Very pleased to meet you, Drake.”

And just like that, Drake and I were alone once again.





Chapter 4


Drake



Lucy had told me she didn’t have a boyfriend. Did she lie?

Mason took off, leaving us alone, and my chest tightened as I turned to her. “So, you had a good day?” My pulse quickened when her eyes widened.

“Yes, thank you. Did you?”

Dressed casually in sweatpants and a T-shirt, she walked into the kitchen and placed the bag on the table. Today her auburn hair was loose, rather than in the bun she was wearing yesterday, and I wanted to plunge my fingers into its silky softness, then pull her close and . . .

Realizing she’d just asked me a question, I refocused on her. “I did, but I always do when I’m with my family.”

That was the truth. My family loved being together, and our Sunday dinners were something we all looked forward to. None of us missed one if we could help it.

She smiled. “Would you like something to drink?”

“No, thank you.” I paced her living room and a muscle in my jaw ticked as Lucy strolled toward me. “So, he’s a friend?”

“Yes, he’s my best friend, my only friend. We met in college.” She sat on the couch, tucking her legs underneath her like a teenager. Her eyes closed briefly as she continued. “I was alone before I met Mason. Yes, I had a roommate, but we were more acquaintances than friends, which was fine with me.”

She opened her eyes and looked at me. “One day I was heading to the library, and a group of guys were playing soccer in the quad. All of a sudden, the ball whizzed toward me and hit me in the leg. It startled me, so I dropped my books on the sidewalk. One of the soccer players ran up and asked if I was okay before he bent down to help me pick up my books.”

A smile brightened her face when she added, “There was something kind in his eyes. He ended up tossing the ball to his friends and then walked me to the library. That guy was Mason, and the rest is history.”

Relief washed through me, mixed with a twinge of envy. If Lucy and Mason really were just friends, I probably didn’t have anything to worry about. But still, it bothered me that she’d chosen to spend today with him rather than with me.

“I’d like to be your friend. I thought I made that pretty clear yesterday.” I sank into the cushion next to her, wanting to make light of it, but couldn’t help but ask, “Why did you cancel on me today?”

She reached up to twist a strand of her hair as she took a deep breath. “I panicked.” She lowered her gaze, and as I reached out to take her hand in mine, she looked at me with sad eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. But why did you panic?”

She shrugged. “Because you’re you and I’m me.”

“Yes, we’re different, but I still don’t understand.” Squeezing her hand, I added, “That’s the part I like.”

She shook her head and slipped her hand from mine. “You’re Senator Drake Prescott and I’m Lucy Washburn, a high school teacher. Our lives are so completely different. You spend your day reviewing laws and wanting to make our country a better place, and I spend my day teaching teenagers about what you and other politicians do for a living.”

“Exactly,” I said with a grin, “so our worlds aren’t that different, if you think about it. Without people like you reminding our youth about the importance of being politically aware and voting, what I do would be useless.” A smile appeared as she studied me, and I reached out to gently touch her cheek. “I’m no more important than you are, and all I wanted was to spend the day with you today.”

“I’m sorry; I just didn’t know what to do. Your presence is daunting.”

“I hit you with a lot yesterday because I’m attracted to you, and I don’t have a lot of time. But I’m not going to tell you I wasn’t disappointed when you didn’t join me today, because I was.” I leaned a bit closer, and the scent of the strawberry-scented shampoo from her damp hair invaded my senses. “So, about Mason . . .”

A genuine smile stretched across her face at the sound of his name, making my jaw clench. Not because they were best friends, but because the mere mention of his name could evoke such a response. I wasn’t normally a jealous person, but something about this girl made me a little territorial. I wanted her all to myself, and if that made me selfish, then so be it.

“We went to college together. Then we got a job in the same school.” She paused and I nodded, urging her to continue. “There are times I don’t know what I’d do without him, but he’s just a friend.”

“Where did you go to college?”

“JMU.” She smiled. “I loved it there.”

“So you grew up in Virginia?”

Her face paled, which surprised me. It was an innocent, getting-to-know-you type of question. What had made her react so strongly?

“I’m sorry. Did I say something wrong?”