Loving the Secret Billionaire (Love at Last #1)(27)

Tears rushed to my eyes. I pushed them back and nodded. “No. You’re really good at it.”

“Being emotional?” She giggled. “I’m the ice queen, remember?”

“Only according to the guys you date. The guys you sleep with.” O’Neal Jones was allergic to commitment.

“Sleep?”

“Have sex with.”

“Whatever. I don’t remember the last time I cried.”

“I cry all the time.”

“Seriously, V? You’re so together.”

“Me?” That she’d see me that way truly surprised me, gave me a little bolster of something. “No. I’m a mess.”

“Again, I call bullshit on your ass. You’re the strongest, most together person I know. You’re little and driven and you take no nonsense from anyone. You run your world like you run your classroom.”

“With a hug and a board book?”

She snuffled and grinned at me from behind her hands. “Exactly. With compassion, love, and kindness. You’re the strongest person I know, V. And you’re the best person for the job.” She grabbed her glass and sat back onto the sofa, leaning into me, shoulder to shoulder. “I sure hope you don’t let us all down.” She gave me a wink. “No pressure.”





11





Veronica



* * *



City Council agreed to postpone the election for three months, which gave the opposing party time to locate a new candidate. It also drew an enormous positive response from the city’s residents, who came out on Election Day to support me in droves. I beat the opposition with a very respectable margin.

Fair and square.

But I still felt like crap. Through the celebrations, the swearing in ceremony, and the first city council meeting, I had to work to muster a smile.

I missed Zach. So much. I didn’t see him, but he was with me all the time—a ball in my throat, an ache in my chest, a cramp in my belly. Then of course, I spent way too much time googling him in my downtime, which was almost never, thank goodness. But the things I discovered made me miss him even more.

Horde, it turned out, was legendary in a Robin Hood way. He’d taken down numerous corrupt politicians, had outed corporate bigwigs who’d cheated their employees and shareholders out of billions of dollars, and that was just the tip of the iceberg. Horde—Zach—was a hero.

I’d picked up my phone to call him more times than I could count. But what would say? I forgive you? Keep being you and I’ll pretend it doesn’t exist?

It was a Wednesday, halfway through the school’s summer preschool camp and I was out on the playground with the kids. We were wrapping up afternoon recess when O’Neal turned up on the playground, wearing a visitor’s badge. She called me over with a lift of her chin.

“What are you doing here?”

“Press conference.” She gave me a mysterious look from under her lashes.

“During school hours?”

“Whole school’s invited, I hear.”

The Vice Principal stuck her head out the door. “We’re calling an all-school meeting.”

I glanced at O’Neal. Okay. This was weird.

“What’s up?” I asked the Vice Principal.

“Can you get these guys over to the auditorium?”

“The auditorium?” I frowned at her, no clue what was going on, and then gathered the kids into their single-file line.

“Big announcement,” O’Neal whispered.

“You’re seriously not gonna tell me?”

Her lips tightened into a knowing smirk. “Nope.”

The buzz, when we got there, was huge. Kids shrieking, adults murmuring. Beyond the usual throng of children, I spotted the mayor up on the stage, a few cameras, people in suits, and in the middle of the stage—

“Oh my God.”

“Way hotter than his picture.” O’Neal leaned in to say into my ear.

I nodded, incapable of more. I was frantic. What was he about to do? And, at the same time, I could see he looked good in a suit. Better than good, he looked like home. It made me want to cry and hug him. It made me wish I could take it all back.

By the time the principal quieted everything down, I could barely hear for the pounding heartbeat in my ears.

“We are here with some great news. As part of a larger donation to the city and the entire school system, our school has received a generous gift. This summer, we will be closing down the TJ Elementary School Library in order to perform some much-needed renovations and an expansion. This is only a small part of the donation, which you’ll be hearing more about in an official communication from the school board. All thanks to Mr. Zach Hubler, who has asked to say a few words today.” She stepped away from the podium. “Mr. Hubler.”

Carefully, Zach took the two steps to the podium, where he slid one hand over the wood to the mike. He leaned forward. “Th—” He cleared his throat and started over. He was shaking—I could see it from here—and I wanted him to stop. You don’t have to do this! I wanted to scream. Instead, I waited, breath held.

“Thank you, Principal Walker.”

His voice, oh God I’d missed that voice, a little gravelly and low, but also calming, despite the nerves he must have, being in front of an audience. When he talked, it settled me. I closed my eyes and wished us away from the crowd.