Our eyes lock and he smiles. And I mean with teeth. He smiles with beautiful perfectly white teeth and I’m a goner. That’s the last nail in my coffin. I’ve done my best to keep all these inappropriate feelings at bay but I failed. This man who speaks little but cares so much has officially claimed my heart.
Damn it. What do I do with these feelings now?
“I’ll be right back,” I tell him before I fall apart in front of everyone.
Walking away, I go in search of a ladies’ room. We’ve been on the road for hours and hours and with everything that’s happened, my body just remembered that it has needs.
One of the cocktail waitresses sends me in the direction of the Polo Club house. I’m about to enter a stall when Joan comes out of another.
Of course. Just my luck. Any good feelings I was holding onto after meeting Beau and Jordan’s father fades like a retro Polaroid picture.
“Riley.”
“Congresswoman West.”
No joke, she insists on making me call her that. She called my iPhone once, looking for Jordan, and I called her Mrs. West and she corrected me. So here we are.
Joan looks around, pushes all the doors of the stalls open very obviously making sure no one is within earshot. Then she gives me her full attention.
“Look, sweetie,” she starts, hands clasp in front, “you’re a really nice girl and you seem to have your head on straight. You have a lot going for you…”
“Thanks Joan.”
She makes a face. I probably shouldn’t push her buttons but I can’t help myself right now.
“Whatever you think you feel for my son––it’s sweet but…” A sigh. “…it’s never going to work.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“I was young once too,” she continues as if she didn’t hear me. “I was a hopeless romantic. I know what you’re feeling… And then I woke up and realized the world is a ruthless place.” She steps closer. “What I’m getting at is that my son is a brilliant man. He will make history. Change the course of humanity. In some ways he already has––”
Take a break from the helium hits, lady, I want to say. I can’t though. I have to let her say her piece and hope it ends here.
“I think you’re getting the wrong impression.”
The last thing I need is for her to tell Jordan I have a crush on him. I don’t think I could survive that kind of humiliation.
She gives me a fake sympathetic smile. “I see the way you look at him. He’s not for you Riley. He’s meant for bigger, better things. His children will be senators one day––maybe even president of the United States.”
Overlords of the Galaxy!
“Ma’am, with all due respect. I’m only the childcare provider. I don’t know where all this is coming from but I need to get back to Maisie. Are you done?”
Her eyes narrow; her dark-red-painted lips press into a straight line. “I’m done.”
I leave without using the toilet. Because having my bladder explode is more appealing than having to stand here and listen to her rant for another second.
12
Chapter Twelve
Riley
“Wait a hot second…” Veronica’s eyes widen. “I know that guy from Tinder.” She jerks her chin toward someone at the end of the bar…a guy with his wife. Yeah, it’s definitely his wife. He’s clearly wearing a wedding band.
“He’s married?” She makes a face of utter disgust. “Men are pigs.”
“You’re in a good mood tonight.” Hiding my amusement, I take a sip of my Dr. Pepper.
She sucks in a breath, “I know that guy too,” pointing to someone across the room. “Motherfuuu…” The word fades away as the cute bartender looks her way and winks. Veronica immediately flashes him her best smile.
I promised I would meet her for a drink after she got out of work. The location was her choice: Monkey Bar on 54th. Time was my choice: after Maisie went to bed. For Jordan’s sake; he’s been working long hours lately.
“Wait, you’re on Tinder?”
“Purely for research,” she tells me. “Like recon, I need to know what’s on the market.” I laugh. “So what happened at the polo thing?”
The polo thing…
Otherwise known as the day I found out Jordan had cancer. I’ve been living with that dark cloud hanging over me for the past five days and I’m pretty sure he’s noticed.
“His mother happened. It was straight out of a Spanish telenovela. She cornered me in the bathroom and went full-on Cersei.”
“You never go full Cersei.”
“She thinks Jordan’s a cross between Thomas Edison, Elon Musk, and a unicorn all rolled into one hot package.”
“At least you didn’t get slapped in the face,” she points out and takes a sip of her cosmo. “That usually happens in telenovelas.”
“There’s something to be grateful for. I’m sure she’s saving it for next time…I met his brother and father. They live in the Keys. Probably thanks in part to his mother.”