Page 7 of Second Chance Savior

My dad sputtered. “It’s just been a while since you and Jud broke up. The two of you were such a good match. So much in common. That’s hard to find.”

Oh, wow. I glanced at Cleo, and she gazed cooly back at me. On this subject, we were in perfect agreement.

Unfortunately, my parents adored Jud Hale.

Jud was from Hartley, a town not far from where I grew up. I’d met him when we were both representatives. He’d been older, confident, oh so charming. On paper, he was the kind of man my parents should’ve hated. My dad had always been skeptical of authority figures, especially politicians. Yet Jud had talked fishing with him. He’d tipped his cowboy hat at my mom.

He’d charmed me too. Until I’d finally seen through it.

“I haven’t seen Jud in months,” I said. “He left Denver. I don’t have a clue where he is or what he’s doing.”

“He sent Megan a baby gift after he saw the birth announcement on Instagram!” Mom added. “Wasn’t that thoughtful?”

I closed my eyes, praying for patience. “Jud was always great about those kinds of gestures. Not much else.”

“I didn’t mean you have to date him. That’s not why I brought it up. Just want you to be open to meeting someone new.”

“I have no interest in datinganyoneright now. In fact, I’m officially on hiatus for the next six months as far as men are concerned. You can tell Ralph and his son that.”

“No need to be dramatic,” my mother said. “We want to see you happy, that’s all.”

“I have a great life. I’m the lieutenant governor! I think that’s pretty impressive for thirty-four years old.”

“So do we,” Mom said soothingly.

I probably could’ve ranted for longer. But I was tired, and my parents didn’t deserve it. They meant well. They were amazing ninety-five percent of the time. “I gotta go. I should eat and get to bed. Give my love to everyone? I miss you all.”

After my parents hung up, I finished putting together my makeshift dinner and went to eat in the living room, propping up my feet while I read news on my laptop. Such a glamorous life.

I really was happy, though. Wasn’t I? This was the political career I’d been dreaming of since high school. The chance to make a real difference. No one had said it would be easy.

I’d been ad-libbing the whole hiatus-on-dating thing. But it was a good idea. A chance to focus entirely on my job and detox from the men I didn’t need in my life. The kind who showed up for me only when it was convenient.

“Only you can get away with being that obnoxious,” I said to Cleo. She was tucked into her favorite spot on the window sill, cleaning her paws. She continued to ignore me. Which, let’s be honest, was the way we both liked it.

I returned to perusing the latest news. I looked for anything new from Genevieve Blake, but aside from a handful of freelance pieces, she hadn’t published another story since her exposé on a group called Stillwater a couple of months ago. I’d paid very close attention to the Stillwater story as soon as I’d heard about it.

Suddenly a pop-up window appeared on my screen, blotting out my view of what I’d been reading. I was mildly annoyed for a split second. Until my brain actually processed what this new window said.

Answer your phone Charlie

I gasped and reared back from the computer. The movement jostled my laptop, making it tip over the side of my couch. I dove to grab it.

At the same moment, my cell rang again.

Another burst of shock jolted me. Immediately, my heart started to race. I stared at the tilted screen in my hands. Someone had hacked my computer. The same someone who must be calling.

Charlie…

Very few people had ever called me that nickname. And only one had an uncanny ability with computers. But that wasn’t possible. Didn’t make any kind of sense.

I hadn’t spoken to him in… How long had it been? Five years?

The phone was still ringing. Numbly, I reached for it. Pressed accept. Both hands cradled the device against my ear.

“Hello?”

“About damn time.”

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