“But this isn’t about me,” Ryan objected. “It’s about your campaign. You need all the help you can get. Especially now that Lyle has joined the race.”
“Sure.” His sister gave him a wry smile. “You keep telling yourself that. I hope she comes back.” Susannah’s eyes twinkled. “For the campaign’s sake, of course.” She paused to let her ribbing sink in and then added, “What did you say her name was?”
“Zoe. Hopefully she’ll come back.”
“If she does, we’ll make sure we get all her details. I don’t want her to disappear on you a second time.”
Ryan opened his mouth to deny his interest and sighed instead. “That would be great. I have to get going. Call me if anything new comes up.”
Before he could go, Susannah caught his arm. “I love you, big brother. Thanks for worrying about me even if I don’t really need it.”
He covered her hand with his. “It’s what I do.”
“I know. And I worry about you in turn.” She spoke in a low tone. “I hope your mystery woman comes back and that she’s great because you deserve someone fabulous in your life.”
“I’m fine,” he said automatically.
“Of course you’re fine,” she countered. “But I want you to be fantastic and the right woman could do that for you.”
Susannah had married the first man she’d ever dated and they lived the blissful life of the perfect couple. She and Jefferson had been married for ten years and had two beautiful children, Violet and Casey, ages six and eight. In addition to being a supportive wife and supermom, she was a corporate attorney with the top law firm in the city. Every day she strove to take successful to new levels and did it with grace and ease.
“Jeff is a lucky man to have you,” Ryan said. “I’m afraid you might have set the bar too high for my future wife.”
With a quick wave of her hand, Susannah dismissed his compliment. “We’re a great team. I couldn’t do any of this without him.”
While Ryan wondered if that was true, he gave her a hard hug and took his leave.
Despite his sister’s confidence that she could handle whatever trash Lyle threw at her in the senate race, Ryan didn’t like this new development. It was time for him to pay his buddy downtown a visit. He might have a fresh take on what sort of dirty tricks they could expect in the months between now and election day.
The day after Zoe’s first attempt to join Susannah Dailey-Kirby’s state senate campaign, she returned to the storefront, hoping for less chaos and no Ryan. Although the atmosphere continued to buzz with activity and anticipation, the staffers were no longer in crisis mode. She was greeted as soon as the door closed behind her.
“Hi, I’m Tonya.” A pretty redhead in her midtwenties wearing jeans and a T-shirt emblazoned with Dailey for Senate approached Zoe. “Is there something I can do to help you?”
“Yes, I was here yesterday and—”
Tanya interrupted her. “Are you Zoe?”
That the staffer knew her name sent a shock through Zoe. Had she been found out already? Impossible.
“Yes.”
“Wonderful. We’re so glad you came back. Ryan mentioned that you’d stopped by but left before we could get any of your information.”
“You all looked really busy,” Zoe said, hoping her relief didn’t show. “I just thought I’d try a different time.”
“Well, we’re really glad you did. Have you ever volunteered for a political campaign before?”
Zoe shook her head and Tonya began to describe the various activities volunteers could participate in.
“Why don’t you come sit at my desk and I’ll get some basic information from you.”
While it was easy for Zoe to give Tonya her email and phone number, when it came to her home address, she was cagier. “I’m crashing with a friend at the moment. Can I give you a PO Box?”
Tonya looked doubtful but nodded. “I guess that would be okay. Are you looking for a permanent place?”
“That’s the plan.” Zoe pictured her cot in the back room of the retail space she’d rented a year earlier. That was before legal fees had consumed her divorce settlement and jeopardized her dream of running a consignment store that helped victims of domestic violence get back on their feet financially. “I just need something I can afford.”
“Sure.” Tonya went on to ask questions about what sort of work Zoe did and what she saw herself doing for the campaign.
While Zoe answered Tonya’s questions, her gaze was drawn toward the large glassed-in office at the back of the campaign headquarters. From this angle, Zoe could see Susannah working on her computer. Zoe’s gut tightened. She was dreading her first meeting with Susannah, knowing she was going to do everything she could to cause the woman harm.
Guilt gouged her conscience. She’d been so focused on getting through her divorce and being angry at everything Tristan had done to her that she’d barely considered the damage her bargain with London and Everly would do to an innocent third party. Zoe gave herself a mental shake. She couldn’t start thinking like this or she’d never be able to go through with what she planned. Instead, she focused on Everly’s justification that Ryan deserved to feel the sort of pain and frustration Everly had gone through because of what he’d done to her sister.
While she shied away from dwelling on the ethics of what she and her coconspirators were up to, Zoe heard the front door open behind her and noted how the energy in the room ratcheted up several notches. Tonya’s attention shifted past Zoe and her expression relaxed into a relieved half smile. Alarm bells began to ring in Zoe’s mind. Had she been found out? Was someone coming to haul her away? She balled her hands in her lap and dug her fingernails into her palms to fight down panic. Letting her imagination run amok wasn’t going to make her job any easier.
“Hi, Ryan,” Tonya said, her smile turning supernova. “How are you doing today?”
Learning that Ryan was the person who’d just arrived didn’t calm Zoe’s nerves at all. She’d bolted after meeting him the day before, determining she was too rattled by her sharp reaction to their brief encounter to stick around and pretend she was just an average campaign volunteer.
Now, feeling Ryan’s approach in a rush of tingles over her skin, Zoe contemplated the younger woman and realized that Tonya had a crush on the handsome businessman. This gave Zoe a little breathing room. At least all eyes wouldn’t be on her for now.
“I’m great,” Ryan said in his velvet voice. “How are you doing, Tonya?”
The woman rolled her eyes significantly. “Way better than yesterday. The news about Lyle was such a shock. But of course Susannah calmed everyone down. She’s so amazing.”
The hero worship in Tanya’s eyes might have amused Zoe if her own heart wasn’t pounding so hard in reaction to Ryan Dailey.
“She is that,” Ryan agreed as he stepped into Zoe’s line of sight. “You came back,” he said, a warm smile curving his sculpted lips. “That’s great.”
Zoe’s gaze drifted upward over his light gray suit, white shirt and peach-colored tie. Her mouth was practically watering by the time she noted the faint stubble on his chin that gave him a slightly rakish air.
While preparing to take down Ryan Dailey, Zoe had done extensive online research. Despite his wealth and business success, the man wasn’t much for stepping into the public