Page 44 of Ace

She laughed. “We’re a good team.”

Gianna talked to as many people as she could on the way. Lots of them were intrigued to learn who she was and wanted to hear more about it. She left cards in most of their hands, and she hoped, with any luck, they’d found a good number of new donors. People were supportive and everyone wanted to be a part. She stood taller.

She approached the table in the entry and gave them her name.

“Gianna West. You’re sitting up at the front.”

“What’s the table number?”

“One. You’ll find it front and center.”

“Great, thank you.” Wow, Senator Callison had really hooked her up. She made her way to the front. And sure enough, just as she kind of hoped wouldn’t happen, she was seated right next to her father. She circled the table, looking at the names. All military. All highly ranked. And then there was Dex and herself, Dex’s father and mother. This was going to be a military policy discussion. She didn’t see too many in this bunch who’d be interested in nonprofits. Well, that would be fine. They could work on supporting the Oceanic Alliance. That was important too.

Where was Dex? She looked over her shoulder. He had stopped his progress into the ballroom and was going head-to-head with someone. She only saw the other man’s back, but Dex’s face clearly showed he wasn’t backing down. When his fist clenched, she hurried in his direction.

“Spoken like a man who’s never stepped foot in a jet.”

Gianna hurried to Dex’s side. “Hey, you ready?” She turned to whoever he was talking to and then stopped. “Jason.”

“And here she is.”

“What? Here I am, what?”

Dex growled. “He doesn’t think the work we do in the Pacific is worth our time.”

“The work we do? Meaning?”

Jason sneered. “Turns out your boyfriend didn’t like what I had to say.”

“Well, the last thing I heard you say was, ‘If Gianna West had just come home and stopped playing villager, we could have bombed the island and been done with it.’ ”

She clenched her own fist and would have sent it flying into his face if her father hadn’t approached.

“I see you know Jason Fielding.”

Gianna was still not able to speak.

Dex stood closer, his face tight, his eyes staring into Jason’s. “We met in our pilot training.”

“Ah, that’s excellent.”

She turned to her father. “Why is that excellent?”

“He’s the man I’ve just brought on to help me navigate our trouble in the Pacific.”

“But I don’t see why you can’t just ask Dex or I…”

“He’s spent many hours over there. If anyone knows and understands the Pacific Islands, it’s our man, Jason.”

Gianna’s heart thudded. It might have skipped a couple beats. Jason’s overconfident, victorious glint in his eye made her want to punch him all over again. “I see.”

Senator Callison’s campaign manager stepped up to the microphone. “Welcome, everyone. We are so pleased you have come to support Senator Callison!”

People all around them started clapping.

“We’d like to get started. So if you could each take your seats…” He kept talking, but all Gianna wanted to do was leave.

Her father tilted his head toward the front. “Shall we?”

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