RAKE
: Thanks.
• • •
My bow tie felt like a noose around my neck; I must have retied it ten times. Gretchen was meeting me at the event, and we were already late. It had started forty-five minutes ago, and I was still at home. Frustrated and not caring anymore, I left my tie as it was and headed out.
The ballroom was packed with people from all walks of life. There were civilians, men and women in uniform, and since this was a bipartisan event, the politicians were out in full force.
Scanning the crowd, I spotted my beautiful sister in a navy cocktail dress talking to a man. I didn’t know who he was, but she looked happy.
Wait—did she just do a hair flip?
As soon as she spotted me, she said something to him and walked in my direction, leaving him behind. Thank God.
“Hey, big brother, you look like hell.” She kissed me on the cheek.
“Thanks,” I said wryly. “I was going to tell you I thought you looked stunning tonight, but forget it.” I chuckled.
“Aww, you think I’m stunning?” She batted her eyes at me. “Let’s get a drink, and you can tell me why you look like you lost your ability to shave.”
If there was one person in this world who could make me smile, it was my baby sister. We headed toward the bar, where I got a Woodford straight while Gretchen ordered champagne. Once we had our drinks, we moved to a cocktail table just past the bar and sat down.
“Okay, spill it. Not only do you look like a mountain man, but you’re drinking bourbon.”
“I just got back from seeing Lucy.”
Gretchen’s face lit up. “That’s fantastic.” Then her brows lowered. “Wait, why am I here and not her?”
“I’m going to tell you something, and you can’t repeat it. This is Lucy’s story to tell, but I need to talk to someone about it.”
She nodded solemnly and lifted three fingers in the air, just like we did when we were kids and swore each other to secrecy. Scout’s honor.
I took a deep breath. “When Lucy was in high school, she got pregnant.” When Gretchen’s hand immediately covered her mouth, I added, “It’s a long story.”
“Okay. I’m sorry, I’m listening.”
I went on to spill the details, including how she changed her name from Abbi to Lucy.
“To me, she’s Lucy,” Gretchen said, waving a hand in the air, “and that’s all that matters.”
I shouldn’t have been surprised that Gretchen’s feelings mirrored mine. My sister was wise beyond her years.
“Her parents sound awful,” she added, and I couldn’t disagree with her. “So, when you went to Georgia, you went to find her high school boyfriend?”
“Yes.”
Gretchen’s eyes widened. “Wow, Drake. You really do love her, don’t you?”
“More than I ever thought possible.”
The band started playing, so I took my sister for a spin around the dance floor. As we swayed to the music, I counted my blessings, thankful to have such a great family. I had wanted to make Lucy a part of it one day.
Then I heard Gretchen groan, and glanced down to see her rolling her eyes.
“What is it?” I turned to follow Gretchen’s pointed gaze, and saw my ex-girlfriend Emily in the arms of Grissett’s campaign manager.
“Holy shit,” I said, then lowered my voice. “She was using me the other night. I knew she was a bitch, but this takes it to a different level.”
“Who is he?” Gretchen asked.
We froze on the dance floor next to the pair, and when Emily spotted me, she stopped dancing and a sly smile transformed her face.
“Hello, Drake. Do you know my fiancé, Charles?” Her hand went to her hip, which was cocked to the side. “What? No kiss hello?”
“Prescott.”
Charles extended his hand to me, so I shook it. I felt like warning the man that his fiancée was a horrible person, but he deserved her. He was as dirty as they came, the perfect sidekick for a worm like Grissett.
“We were just about to head out.” I put my hand on the middle of Gretchen’s back.
“Hello, Gretchen.”
My sister grimaced, crinkling her nose. “Emily.”
Emily leaned toward my ear and whispered, “Tell Abbi I said hello.” She winked, and her lips twisted into a malicious grin.
How the hell did she know? Then understanding hit me and I briefly closed my eyes. She must have heard me tell Gretchen the story. Was she standing behind us? Son of a bitch!
When Gretchen looked at me, confused, I said, “She heard us.”
Gretchen gasped and looked into Emily’s eyes. “The best thing my brother ever did was break up with you. You’re a wretched woman.”
Emily shrugged. “Once Grissett gets elected, Charles will be right behind him. I’ll be the one in the White House one day while your brother hangs out with a phony. I’m sure the tabloids will love to get their hands on this story.”
“Emily, even you aren’t that cruel,” I practically growled.
She fanned her nails forward and disregarded my comment. Charles was pulled away by someone, but Emily didn’t budge. “I’m just doing my civic duty. She works for Northridge School, right? Do they know what she did?”
My blood boiled. I would never strike a woman, nor had the thought ever crossed my mind, but I knew Gretchen would and might. The best thing to do was walk away, so that was what we did.
“How could you not say anything?” Gretchen asked as I tugged on her arm. She kept looking back to the spot we had just left.
“Because that’s what she wants. I’m not going to add fuel to that fire. It’s time to go home.”
Gretchen had taken a cab to the event, so I gave her a ride home. On the drive to her place, I could feel her gaze on me.
Finally, she said, “Drake, you can’t let her get to you.”
“Get to me? It’s not me I’m worried about. If I drop out, this ends.”
“You can’t do that.”
I rubbed the back of my neck. “I can’t have Lucy’s story get out. She could lose everything that she’s worked for.”
I couldn’t believe this. Lucy had kept her secret safe for over a decade, and once I’d learned it, it was in danger of hitting the tabloids within a few weeks.
“Do you think Lucy would want you to drop out?” Gretchen shook her head. “You don’t need to answer that because the answer is no. She didn’t even do anything wrong.”
Pulling up to a stop at a red light, I glanced over at her. “I know that and you know that, but there are people out there who don’t care what circumstances lead up to an event, just that the event happened. That’s what’s wrong with our society. Everyone is so quick to judge and label people without even knowing them.”
Gretchen nodded in agreement, and I went on. “When I spoke in Lucy’s classroom, there was a student who was concerned about same-sex marriage. Some of the kids snickered at her question, and I know they’re just teenagers, but it’s unacceptable. This girl was smart and genuinely concerned about it because she had two dads. So many things happen to teens because of outside influences.”
Just like Lucy.
“Gee, it’s a shame you aren’t in a position to make a change.” My sister didn’t try to camouflage her sarcasm, but she was right.
“The thing is, I don’t know what happened when she spoke to Greg. They looked so happy, sis.”
My mind spun with scenarios. Were they together? Did they say good-bye? Was she moving to Georgia? Was he moving here?
Those thoughts tore at my insides, but if she was happy, that was what mattered. At least, that was what I kept telling myself.
Gretchen reached out to pat my arm. “She loves you; I know that for a fact. You didn’t mean for her secret to get out, and if you let Emily force your hand, then you’re not as smart as I’ve always thought you were. She just can’t blackmail you and get away with it. If you drop out, you won’t be able to make the changes you talk about. You need to fight, Drake. Lucy will understand; I know she will.”