“What?”
She closed the lid to her laptop and turned her phone face down.
“I’ve been in this business a long time. I’ve seen everything: DUIs, murder, sexual assault, alcoholism, drug abuse. And people lie to me. They think I can somehow help them without the full truth. What they don’t realize is I have radar for lies. It’s the easiest thing to spot, Luke. It’s like a spotlight, beaming right on their lying heads.
“This is one of two things: you either despise Lexi Wilde, or you’re in love with her. I get this feeling you don’t despise her.” Charlie wrinkled her nose. “I just don’t think that’s it. So that leaves me with love. And love I can work with.”
Linc kicked me under the table.
If she wanted fucking shock and awe she got it. Fuck.
27
Alexa
From the window I could see the Capitol. The scaffolding wrapped the rotunda as if it was a brand new building going up in the city. It wasn’t the prettiest view. I picked up my phone to see I had a text from Luke. My stomach floated with the same kind of bubbly feeling it always did when I saw his name.
Change of plans.
I typed back.
What’s going on?
I twisted my lips waiting for his response. I didn’t like that I had been here two hours and we already had a hiccup. I knew this was going to be complicated and risky. But I had to see him.
The past two weeks in Nashville were a whirlwind. Jake had booked me on every radio show. I did morning press. I did afternoon press. I did night press. I was going to have to get my boots re-soled after all the appearances I had made.
He was sure I could get enough votes for a full sweep of the awards if I made the rounds fast and furiously in the beginning.
It was a big popularity contest. I knew that.
Helena was with me on this trip. Jake was willing to let me out of sight because I convinced him it was a good way to have a girls’ trip with a douse of charity. I promised to post our dinners and shopping trips on my social media accounts along with a slew of pictures with the kids.
He hesitated, but I think Helena was the one who wore him down in the end. He was too happy with all my nominations not to give me some wiggle room.
Don’t go to the hospital.
I stared at Luke’s response. That wasn’t possible. I had to be there. This entire trip hinged on the hospital visit.
Why not?
I tapped my boot on the floor. My car would be here in fifteen minutes. It was too late to cancel.
Charlie knows.
My stomach sank. How? I sat on the edge of the bed. I thought we had been careful. I thought we had made sure no one had seen us together. There was no way. This was ridiculous. We needed to talk about this. Not text.
Call me.
I waited for the phone. To hear the deep throaty voice that made me shiver with excitement. Two weeks apart had been agony. The only thing holding me together had been the promise of this trip and right now it felt as if it were falling apart.
I didn’t know if I could take that. I didn’t know if I had the kind of resolve I needed to power through another day without Luke.
A few minutes passed before my phone rang.
“Hey,” I answered on the first ring. “What’s going on?”
“You can’t go to the hospital.”