Page 28 of Overstaying His Welcome

Lately, it felt like all we did was try. I stared at the screen before me, seeing next to nothing of the presentation. When it wrapped up, I nodded along and thanked them for their time. The only good thing about being in charge, despite not having the title, was how I always told people I wouldn’t make a snap decision. They’d learned it enough to know I had to think things over rather than jumping in headfirst.

I was a thinker, much to my family's frustrations. It took time for me to think about each variable in a situation. That time frame could be hours, or it could be days. Typically for work stuff, I could come up with an answer pretty quickly.

My private life was a different matter.

As I left the meeting, I pulled out my phone to see if there were any new updates. My inbox was full of emails, per usual, and my private texts were also adding up. My mother alone had sent ten messages.

I ignored everything in favor of getting to my office. I needed a moment of peace. Needed time to get myself back together into the Chance the people needed me to be.

If only I could run away for a while. Maybe take a vacation somewhere people wouldn’t see me and know who I was. Living in my father’s shadow meant most places in the U.S. were hard to hide out in. And going overseas during an election season wasn’t possible.

Gritting my teeth, I dropped into my chair. I powered up my computer to start digging through my emails. It was much easier to do it here than to work from the tiny phone screen. Besides, maybe it I had time away from my phone, then I wouldn’t obsess over the man currently avoiding me.

The afternoon moved at a snail’s pace as I shuffled through request after request. Most of them were forwarded to me from Emmett, my new political advisor, with his own personal notes added in. Instead of one email, I’d have two of the same thing. It took me far too long to realize that was why my inbox looked particularly thick.

Emmett was already on my shit list. First for being hired by my father. Second because he clearly didn’t understand this inbox was shared. And third was his attitude towards Tank. They’d only crossed paths once, but it was enough to have my hackles rising.

Ugh!

I knew I was overreacting. Not seeing Tank had me crankier than ever. On top of it all, my worry over the Diestro Lune situation wasn’t helping.

The way Tank spoke of the man had me thinking the worst. I’d long ago given up wondering what my partner did in his role. Protection detail was vague enough to give it less power than it really had.

But since things started with this special project of his, I’d found myself growing increasingly worried about what he was doing. How much danger was he really in? And what happened if something did go down?

No one would even know to contact me.

As night fell, my mood had become completely abysmal. There was no fake smile at the ready or easygoing manner about me. I was frustrated, far too horny, and scared.

It was the last emotion that choked me up the most. Frustrated at my work and horny were things I dealt with on a regular basis. I had to if I wanted to stay sane.

But being scared was new to me.

I didn’t have a reason to be fearful before now. Loving someone who put themselves in danger gave me that reason.

On my way home, I decided enough was enough. I dialed Tank’s number while I raised the partition between me and the driver. He would probably think I’m taking a work call of some kind, not that I was calling my secret boyfriend to ask if he’d risk coming to see me.

As the phone rang, I considered how to handle this. I could frame my need to see him as a sex related thing. Then again, if I did that, he might not take me seriously and push it off again.

I could also be honest with him. Say I miss him. Tell him I need to know he’s ok. Maybe be vulnerable in a way I so rarely am.

He answered before I could decide. “Hey,” he said softly.

I replied much the same with my own whispered, “Hey.”

“Everything ok? You don’t usually?—”

“Yeah. I’m not in any trouble. It’s just… I miss you. I want to see you.”

There was silence on the other end of the line before I heard him sigh. “I miss you too. It’s been too long. I’m sorry I haven’t come by.”

I shook my head even though he wasn’t there to see me. This call wasn’t about making him feel bad.

“Things are hectic right now for both of us. I just wanted to reach out while I had a moment alone. I wish – I wish I could see you. I hate that you can’t just walk up to my front door and that I can’t come to you.”

“Would you, though?” His tone shifted, moving from soft to curious.

“Would I what? Come to you? If I could without it reaching the papers, absolutely.”

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