Page 23 of Something Just Like This

There was no time for anything else. People swept in immediately, separating them, chattering about nonsense and politics and fundraising and a bunch of other subjects that meant nothing to her. At least, not now.

She drifted away, needing space, and headed toward the ladies’ room. It took her a while to get there since she made sure to chat like nothing monumental had occurred while dancing with her boss, and finally reached the cool, darker space of a temporary sanctuary.

Locking herself in a stall, she calmed down and pulled herself together. Smoothed her dress and tugged down her skirt. When she walked back to the sinks, she looked less ruffled and rummaged in her purse to reapply her gloss.

Heels tapped on the floor. Her gaze met Whitney’s in the mirror, the woman’s cold green eyes hinting at the unpleasantness about to come. Alyssa held back a groan. Now? She had to deal with this woman when she was at her most vulnerable, trying to pretend she wasn’t half in love with the mayor, the most eligible bachelor of New York?

Fantabulous.

Using a word that wasn’t really a word soothed her. She forced herself to pretend they were about to have a normal conversation. “Hello, Whitney. So nice to see you.”

“You, too, Alyssa. Did you enjoy the dance?”

She tried not to stiffen. Yep, this was going to be bad. Whitney had been after Jonathan for a while, and his disinterest only made her more rabid to change his mind. Her silver dress sparkled and clung to her curvy body, finished off with a pair of metallic stilettos that probably cost more than Alyssa’s entire wardrobe. Hip cocked out, lips pursed like she’d scented something bad, the woman’s gaze raked over Alyssa in scorching dismissal.

Good thing it didn’t bother her. She already knew what Whitney saw since she looked at her reflection in the mirror every morning. Honestly, she didn’t care. She wouldn’t want to look like Whitney or be her anyway. The only time she’d stumbled was at the restaurant when the thought of Jonathan preferring someone like her crumbled her heart into tiny pieces.

“The dance? With Jonathan. Yes, he’s a good dancer,” she said blandly.

A sparkly laugh escaped the woman’s cherry-red lips. “Oh, you’re good. I think I may have underestimated you, after all. But though Jonathan may enjoy a roll on the desk, please don’t be mistaken about his true intentions. He’s running for governor. A scandal with his secretary would ruin him.”

She arched a brow. “Assistant. And I agree. Therefore, I’m not sure what you’re trying to say.”

Surprise skittered across Whitney’s features. Then her green eyes hardened. “You know exactly what I’m saying. Jonathan and I have been dating secretly for a while. I’m not about to stand around while you try to destroy a burgeoning career and relationship that actually means something.” Whitney washed her hands, dried them, and checked her hair in the mirror. “Now, let’s put this unpleasantness behind us, shall we? I’d be happy to offer you another employment opportunity running the Stoker Foundation. They’re looking for a new director, and they always listen to my recommendations.”

Shock barreled through her. Not that Whitney wasn’t above bribery to keep Jonathan to herself, but that she felt that threatened by Alyssa. Had she seen something in Jonathan’s eyes that tipped her off?

“That’s a top-rate position,” she said. “I’m impressed.”

“Good. Women need to stick together, Alyssa, not tear each other down. I’ll arrange a call for an interview on Monday.” She flashed a charming, shark-like smile and nodded as if they’d just completed a business meeting. “I knew you were smart. You’ll do well with the company, and deserve a higher salary than a public servant.”

A group of women came in, laughing, and Whitney disappeared like a silent serpent.

Alyssa smiled pleasantly at the women and headed back to the ballroom, her thoughts spinning. Whitney deemed her dangerous enough to offer her an extremely good position to leave City Hall. Had she missed something deeper between Whitney and Jonathan? He had stated a few times that he wasn’t interested, but was Whitney desperate enough to lie?

Either way, she couldn’t keep playing this dangerous game. She needed to commit to exploring a relationship with Jonathan, or close and lock the door forever. It wasn’t fair to lead him on, especially if he had the opportunity to meet a woman who’d fit into his life and help his run for governor.

Her throat tightened with emotion, and a hard knot settled in her chest. She didn’t want to lose him, but she didn’t want to risk him losing the governor seat either. Sure, there were worse scandals that broke with officials still being elected. Lord knew Trump had made affairs and mistakes like a television drama with high ratings, and Jonathan was widowed—not married. He was free to date whomever he chose.

It was her current work role in the #metoo movement that concerned her. He’d open himself up for questions about being inappropriate in the office, and she’d be endlessly grilled about the personal and professional lines they’d agreed on. It might cause doubt, and enough bad press for the opposing candidate to step right through the door, especially since he was married with a solid family behind him.

Alyssa made sure to keep her distance for the rest of the evening. Eventually, she’d have to deal with Whitney because there was no way she was taking a job that woman offered—no matter how good it was. But if she stayed, she needed to be clear it was strictly business between Jonathan and her from now on. Or take the plunge and see how the pieces fell.

The hours dragged by, and she caught Jonathan’s puzzled looks when he tried to talk to her, and she deliberately disappeared or stepped right into a busy crowd to jump into a new conversation. By the end of the night, it was obvious that she was avoiding him, and even more clear that he was pissed.

When they got back into the car, they both kept their silence. No need for Tim to bear witness to the feud brewing between them. With each mile closer to her apartment, Alyssa felt her stomach lurch with nausea, but she’d made her decision.

Tonight, she had to tell him.

Then she had to live with it.

seven

He was losing her.

The silence in the car screamed with tension, and poor Tim had turned on the radio to keep from hearing it. Something had changed after their dance. The connection between them had buzzed so strongly, his confidence had risen to almost inhuman levels at the certainty that she was ready to take a leap with him. The emotions twisted his insides and throbbed beneath the surface, desperate to live in the light. He believed they both deserved a shot at happiness. But when she’d returned later, there had been a distance, and a tension carved out in her feminine features that he couldn’t break through. The way she’d avoided him the rest of the night had sent him into a panic.

Had someone confronted her?