An Irresistible Bachelor(109)

Ross reached over and took her hand in a solid grip.

"And I have you, Callie." Grace paused. "Our father cheated us both and I can't call him on his conduct because he lied until the day he died. I'm not inclined to protect him, certainly not considering how it will affect your life and Jack's. Let it come out. Let the whole godforsaken thing come out. We'll get through the storm together and once we're on the other side, we're free."

"You'd do that?" Callie whispered.

Grace's green eyes were fierce. "For you, I would. I have nothing to hide. I'm proud that you're my sister."

Callie clasped her hands over her mouth and squeezed her eyes shut. The possibility of such acknowledgment, such support, had never occurred to her.

She felt Grace reach out and stroke her hair, but she couldn't meet anyone's eyes at that moment.

"We're family, Callie. Which means we're going to stick together."

Family.

When Callie finally spoke, it was hoarsely. "He was so ashamed of me. He could barely look at me most of the time. While he was alive, I lived in fear of the truth getting out because I was terrified it would drive him further away. And after I met you, I was afraid I would lose you."

Grace's voice was strong. "That's not going to happen. I'm not going anywhere."

Callie slowly opened her eyes and saw her sister's tears through her own.

"Listen to me, Callie. We're not going to let our father rule us from the grave anymore. The time for hidden truths is over."





Chapter 25





Jack parked his car under One Financial Center and took the elevator up to the Walker Fund's offices. As an electronic chime marked the passing floors, he had about as much interest in his candidacy as he did in any other part of his life. There were phone calls to return, documents to be reviewed, the deal with the McKays to finalize—he couldn't have cared less about any of it.

He was worn out and not because he'd stayed up all night.

When he'd walked away from Callie's locked door, he'd figured he was taking his first steps to accepting a life without her and he'd convinced himself that eventually he'd be back to normal. But driving into town, he realized he hadn't banked on the length of the road ahead of him. He wasn't going to get over her in a night, or a day. Or a month. He had an awful suspicion it was going to take a long time.

Like maybe forever.

Which was ridiculous, he told himself. There was no forever with this kind of thing. There were five—no, four steps to grief, right? And he seemed to have zoomed right past denial, given how terrible he felt.

Three more to go and then maybe he'd feel halfway decent again.

The elevator doors opened and he walked up to the receptionist who covered weekends. "There are some ladies and gentlemen coming to see me. An invitation list should have been left for you. Will you please show them down to the big conference room?"

"Of course, Mr. Walker. And I've had breakfast set up for you all."

"Good thinking, Latasha. Thanks. And we'll be in there through lunch, too."

He headed down the hall and waved to a couple of his people who were behind their desks, working in sweaters and khakis. When he got to the conference room, he pushed the double doors open. For confidentiality purposes, the only windows in the room faced out of the building and he went over and looked at the view.

He tried to imagine how he would feel in a year. Would he still be thinking of her?

Gray arrived next and then the members of the committee began to file in.

When everyone was seated around the glossy table, Gray leaned over to him and whispered, "Are you going to make your announcement first?"

Jack looked at the assembled group. The men and women in the room were culled from all sectors of Massachusetts political life and there were, two with national ties to help strategize about the long term. It was a powerful crew and fully capable of helping him get where he wanted to go.

Funny, how he'd been prepared to give it all up and never look back.

"Jack?" Gray prompted. "Are you ready?"'

He nodded, forcing himself to get on with the rest of his life.

He was standing up when there was a commotion out in the hall and the door was cracked open.

"Excuse me! I don't believe you are a part of this meeting!" Latasha hissed.