The Winner Takes It All (A Something New Novel) (22 page)

He pulled away, his lips hovering over hers. “It’s time to tell me about this stupid fucking idea of yours.”

Cecilia shifted away, stood abruptly, and began to pace around the room. She wore skinny jeans and a sleeveless flowy top, and ballet flats. The suits hadn’t made an appearance since her first day here.

She took three laps around the room before she finally said, “I idolized my dad growing up. All I ever wanted was for him to be proud of me.” She gave Shane a wry smile. “Mitch was the opposite. He couldn’t care less, so of course everything came easy to him. But I wasn’t that lucky; I had to work. While Mitch didn’t even have to crack a book to get an A, I had to study for hours.”

Cecilia and Mitch barely had a passing acquaintance with each other. It was hard for Shane to picture them young and in the throes of sibling rivalry. He narrowed his eyes as she lapped around the room again. “Go on.”

“There was only one area where I had Mitch beat. I loved politics while he hated them. For as long as I can remember, a career in public service is all I ever wanted.” She sat down on the chair farthest from him and folded her hands in her lap. “Did you know I went to law school too?”

He nodded. It had been a footnote in her file.

Another small smile. “Most people don’t, because I wasn’t close to being a superstar like Mitch. And I didn’t do it to practice. I did it to understand the system. I didn’t even bother taking the bar exam. The day after I graduated, I started working for my father. Most people don’t realize my dad is a self-made man. He’s brilliant in the same way Mitch is. When he met my mom he was a poor scholarship kid.”

Shane didn’t think marrying into old money qualified as “self-made,” but he wasn’t about to debate the semantics. That’s how Cecilia saw him, and that’s what mattered.

She sliced a hand through the air. “Anyway, I might have been his daughter, but he didn’t believe in free rides. I worked my way through the ranks, starting as the coffee girl. And I did it all. Worked my ass off to make sure I was the best at every single task until nobody could dispute my dedication or my brains. I sucked up every single bit of knowledge I could with one motivation.” She held up an index finger. “I wanted to run for office. And every time I’d get discouraged, or upset, this one goal got me through it. Helped me focus.”

Her expression lined with distress, she took a deep breath.

Shane crooked a finger. “Come here, Ce-ce.”

She sucked her bottom lip through her teeth, looking at the seat she’d vacated next to him.

She got up and walked toward him. Just as she was about to sit down she veered off, pacing once again around the room.

On her next lap around he caught her wrist and held her still. “What are you afraid of?”

Her eyes clouded, turning more gray than blue. “I don’t want you to hate me.”

It was an honest, vulnerable answer. So unlike the woman he’d believed her to be, that his chest squeezed. And then it hit him. Under the balls-to-the-walls, take-no-shit career woman—Cecilia Riley craved approval. He stroked a thumb over the soft skin on the underside of her wrist. “That’s not going to happen.”

The fine bones in her hand flexed. “You don’t know that.”

“I do.” He tugged on her wrist. “Now, come sit.”

Skittish as a rabbit, she sat down next to him.

He entwined their fingers and spoke in a calm tone he knew would sooth her. “Go on.”

The muscles in her throat worked as she swallowed hard. “After his scandal, it occurred to me that everything I’d ever achieved was for him. I’d done nothing for myself. Everything I did, my life, my career, my contacts, were all because of him. Every time he skirts responsibility for a mistake it makes him more arrogant. More sloppy. Eventually he’ll screw up and when he goes down, I’ll go down with him. I’d forgotten.”

When she didn’t continue, he nudged. “Forgotten?”

“That I’m weak.”

He scoffed. “That’s not a word I’d ever use to describe you.”

She stared at the floor for a very long time, so closely, as though she studied the grains of wood under her feet. “Nobody knows this, and I’m trusting you.”

“Hey,” he said, taking her chin and turning her face toward him. “You can tell me anything.”

Her brow furrowed, creasing in concentration. “I’m starting to believe that.”

“That’s because it’s true.”

She glanced away, turning her head. He let her go, understanding she needed the illusion of privacy to speak what was on her mind. “I made inquiries, after the scandal. In Washington, I looked . . .” She lowered her voice. “For another job.”

He pressed his lips together to keep from smiling. “I see.”

“I don’t even think I was serious. I did it for reassurance. To gain a sense of security about my future. Only everyone assumes I’m my father’s lackey. He keeps me behind the scenes, so nobody really knows the things I’ve accomplished on his behalf.”

Expression turning hard, she shook her head. “You know how he skated through that whole blackmail fiasco virtually unscathed?”

“Yeah, it was pretty miraculous.”

She pointed to her chest. “That was me. I orchestrated the whole thing. And that’s not all I’ve done. You’d be shocked at the things I’ve handled without anyone being the wiser.”

The senator’s media campaign had been impeccable after the scandal. Anything that could have gone his way did. Within a month everyone had forgiven him, brushing over any indiscretion with the careless ease of a twenty-four-hour news cycle.

It was impressive, but Shane wasn’t sure what it had to do with Cecilia’s running for office.

She exhaled a long, hard breath. “I came back home and spent the weekend holed up in my town house and came face-to-face with the truth: in that world, I’m nothing without my dad.”

“Cecilia,” he said, his voice taking on a sharp edge. “To quote you, ‘that’s bullshit.’”

Her head jerked back as though he’d slapped her. “But it’s not. It’s honest. It forced me to take action. To stop living my life for him. I need to do this. For me. It’s what I’ve always wanted and I’m not going to fail. I refuse.”

He could see the determined tilt of her chin, that spark of defiance in her storm-blue eyes. Arguing the point now would be a fruitless endeavor. He sighed. “And I suppose this is how Miles Fletcher comes in?”

She nodded, squeezing his fingers. “Please don’t think I’m awful.”

How had he missed this? This desire to please and be approved of? “Just tell me what’s happening and we’ll figure out a way to fix it.”

Her expression flashed with gratitude before dimming. “There’s no other way. It doesn’t assure a victory, but it helps. Without marrying him, I’m virtually guaranteed to lose.”

“You don’t know that,” he insisted, having an impossible time understanding how she could even consider it. “This isn’t the eighteen hundreds, Cecilia. For fuck’s sake, there are gays in both the senate and the house.”

“But you know what they’re not?”

Even though he already knew, he shook his head.

She blew out a breath. “Single.”

“I can’t see how an entire campaign could rest on your marital status. That’s ridiculous.”

“It’s not, but the other factors aren’t things I can control. I’m too young, a woman, and I’ve had a hard time garnering support from the party.”

“Why?”

She shrugged, tugged her hand away and studied her nails. “You didn’t think you’re the only person who thinks I’m an ice queen, did you?”

He winced. How many times had he thrown that barb at her—casually, almost cruelly, over the last nine months? In the handful of times he’d seen her, more than a couple.

“But I know,” she said, her voice taking on a plea. “I know I can change their minds, I just need practice. I’ve always been behind the scenes, and that’s where being cool under pressure is what works. In time, given the right opportunity, I’ll gain my footing.”

What a complicated mess. It didn’t make sense to him. But he was sure about one thing: Cecilia believed wholeheartedly she needed to marry Miles Fletcher. In her mind, this guy was the path to fulfilling her lifelong dreams.

Shane thought it was crap, but he was smart enough to know now wasn’t the time to talk her out of it. “How does Miles help? Besides being a warm body?”

She stood up and started pacing again and Shane didn’t even attempt to stop her.

She ran a hand through her hair. “He’s very well respected within the party. He also has deep pockets and relationships with some key lobbyists.”

Shane narrowed his eyes. “What’s in it for him?”

She stopped on a dime. “Excuse me?”

“You said there was nothing physical between you, so what does he gain out of this?”

Her brow furrowed. “What does that matter?”

Shane sat forward, putting his elbows on his knees. Something wasn’t adding up here and it wasn’t like Cecilia to gloss over details. “You don’t even know, do you?”

She bit her lower lip. “I didn’t ask.”

He tilted his head to the side. “Let me get this straight. You have a file on me that includes almost every single detail of my life, but it didn’t occur to you to ask a basic question about the guy you’re supposed to marry?”

Her whole body grew rigid, and while she was dressed casually, she may as well have just slipped into one of her severely tailored business suits. “It doesn’t matter. I didn’t care.”

“Why?” The word held more bark than he’d intended.

“Because I didn’t think about it!” She threw up her hands and flopped down into an armchair across from him. “I was busy coming to terms with the fact that everything I believed was a lie. I’m not special. My father doesn’t care about me, Shane. He thought nothing about marrying me off because Miles would be a good ally. I am a pawn.”

She was hurt, deeply. But he couldn’t help asking the question. “Then why are you playing by his rules?”

She looked at him, her expression hollow, her eyes distant and remote. “Just because he’s a shitty father doesn’t mean he’s not right. Now I’ve got something to prove and I’m not giving up, so don’t even ask me.”

Chapter Sixteen

Cecilia put on a bright face and stepped into the kitchen, where Maddie, her two friends, and Charlotte sat around the kitchen table. “Good morning.”

Four heads swiveled in her direction. Sophie grinned. “Well, well, well, and how do you feel today?”

“Great, actually.” Cecilia pushed her hair from her cheeks, realizing she’d forgotten to clip it back.

“Lucky you,” Sophie said. “Sore?”

Cecilia’s cheeks heated at least fifteen degrees.

Penelope slapped Sophie’s arm, shushing her.

“Ewww!”Maddiesaid, but grinned right along with her friend.

Her mom’s gaze narrowed as she took a sip from one of her grandma’s teacups decorated with little roses and gold trim. “What happened last night?”

“Nothing,” Cecilia said quickly. “Nothing at all.” She cleared her throat. “So what’s on the agenda today? And how can I help?”

Maddie straightened the piles of papers in front of her and flipped over a page in a spiral notebook. “Well, let’s see . . .”

Penelope sighed and picked up her coffee. “On that note, I’ve got to run to a conference call.”

Maddie frowned. “Why?”

“We’re having some issues with the city contract deal, and I’m sorry, but they don’t wait for anyone, not even your wedding.”

That must be the deal Shane mentioned.
Cecilia made a mental note to ask him about it. She knew people, including the mayor, so maybe she could help. Not that it was any of her business, but still, it couldn’t hurt.

“You’re supposed to be on vacation,” Maddie said, huffing.

Penelope patted her friend on the shoulder. “I love you like a sister, but being ordered about by you and your never-ending list is not a vacation.”

Maddie’s lower lip puffed out in a pout. “I know, I’m terrible, aren’t I?”

Sophie threw her head back and laughed. “The worst! I almost miss the old days, when anything wedding-related was a four-letter word.”

“I know,” Maddie said, worrying her hands. “I’m so nervous this time. I want everything to be perfect.”

“It will be, dear,” Charlotte said, the affection so clear in her voice Cecilia’s heart gave a little lurch.

She wanted her mom to sound like that when they talked. She picked up a napkin from the table and wiped at an imaginary spot.

Penelope glanced at the clock, squinting behind her glasses. “I’ll be done in a couple of hours.”

“Can’t Shane do without you?” Maddie asked.

Penelope waved her hand around the room. “You’ve got three people ready to help you. Shane’s only got me.”

A stab of jealousy knifed through Cecilia from out of nowhere and she had to fight an urge to stand and yell
No, you’re wrong. He has me!
She took a deep breath to quell the desire and let logic prevail. Penelope meant work.

There was nothing between them.

Cecilia peered more closely at the other woman.

Her hair was a lush, mink brown, so thick and shiny she could be in a shampoo commercial. Behind those thick, black frames her eyes were a startling blue. Crystal clear and direct. And her face was pretty. Like really pretty. With the no-nonsense, capable demeanor she wore like a second skin, Cecilia hadn’t realized. Did Shane?

Where was this coming from?

Penelope must have sensed her heavy gaze because she frowned. “What? Do I have jelly on my chin?”

“No, nothing like that. You’re quite pretty,” Cecilia blurted. Clearly the Jägerbombs hadn’t left her system yet.

The other woman twitched, as though the statement surprised her. “Oh. Um, thank you.”

Sophie pressed her finger to her lips. “Shhh, don’t say anything nice. Penelope hates to be complimented.”

Cecilia’s chest gave another squeeze.

How wonderful would it be to have friends like this? Friends who understood your idiosyncrasies and patterns? Your strengths and weaknesses? She couldn’t even imagine. Was that bad? To be removed from life? From connections? The song lyrics from that old Simon and Garfunkel song filled her mind. She was an island.