Various States of Undress (26 page)

When he moved, she strained toward the window, a smile curving her lips.

It wasn’t Jake.

And why would it be? Jake wasn’t on duty. If Jake showed up tonight, it would be completely voluntary.

Courtney murmured into her microphone. A few seconds later, she gave Carolina a bright smile. “Ready?”

No.

Her face must have betrayed her panic because Courtney patted her shoulder. “Your mom and sisters will have your back.”

“Do they know? About . . .”

Courtney shook her head. “No way. Regina’s pretty pushy, but she wouldn’t go that far.”

Carolina nodded. “Keep telling me stuff like that, okay?”

“My pleasure.”

After waiting for a hand signal, Courtney opened the door and slid to the ground. She helped Carolina out and a second later, she was surrounded. She walked with the agents in a clump toward the back door, knowing that there was no turning back. It wasn’t as if she could bolt and run.

And it wasn’t as if she could change her mind, either. Not with her mother, Virginia, and Georgia on the other side of that door. Which was opening. Oh, God.

She didn’t even have to time to prepare, time to give herself a probably useless pep talk, time to make herself look convincingly happy because—

“Carolina!”

Slim arms and a cloud of Chanel enveloped Carolina and she hugged Virginia, squeezing her eyes shut for a second. “Hey.”

“I can’t wait to hear what’s really going on and you better not try to lie about it,” Virginia muttered in her husky voice.

“I don’t lie,” Carolina retorted. She pulled away from her sister and looked around the dim store room. “Where’s Mom?”

“Yakking it up with Regina, where else? Poor Georgia is caught in the crossfire. Me? I escaped.” Virginia pursed her red lips. “What the hell are you wearing?”

Carolina looked down at her cream cashmere sweater and simple silver necklace. “What’s wrong with this?”

“You’re wearing jeans.” Virginia frowned. “And
flat
shoes.”

“They’re hiking boots.”

Virginia gasped.

“Well, look at you. You’re totally overdressed.” Carolina took in her sister’s black satin sheath and strappy pumps. Virginia wasn’t much taller, but in those shoes, she towered over Carolina like a runway model. “This is just amateur night at a small-town art gallery. Didn’t anyone tell you that?”

“Of course.” Virginia tried to put on her haughty face, but within seconds she was giggling. “Hey, I’m chic. That’s what
Cosmopolitan
says.”

“You keep telling yourself that,” Carolina said, linking arms with her sister. “Now let’s go get this unadulterated hell over with.”

“Oh, it’s going to be fun. Aren’t you glad we flew out and surprised you?”

“Yes. Yes, of course. I didn’t mean to be bitchy . . . it’s just that I’m kind of tense.”

“I can understand why.” Virginia’s perfect lips curved up in a knowing grin and she put her head close to Carolina’s. “If I had been stuck up at the cabin with Mr. Hot Body for two weeks, I’d be a little bit
more
than tense.”

Carolina’s jaw dropped.

“Don’t worry,” Virginia went on. “He’s not back
here
. Probably out front or something. All I can say is . . . lucky. You’re a lucky, lucky girl.”

“Uh, okay.” Carolina put on her best smile. “So where are Georgia and Mom?”

“In the meeting room. It’s over there.” Virginia flapped her hand toward the end of the room, where a door stood slightly open, light spilling through the crack.

Pulling on Virginia’s arm, Carolina walked toward the door, but before she could pull it open, Georgia pushed it out. She stood there, cute and petite with a head full of curly dark blond hair and scowled. Like Virginia, she was in a dress—but Georgia’s was a simple wool shift.

“What crawled up your butt?” Virginia asked.

Georgia shoved at her glasses. “You left me back there. Just disappeared and left me in a room full of agents, hors d’oeuvres, and truly
weird
conversation. Mom and Regina are talking about the many uses for hemorrhoid cream.”

“Why?” Virginia started to laugh.

“Who knows? It’s not funny.” Georgia shook her head and then turned to Carolina. “I’m so glad to see you.”

“Because you won’t have to talk about Preparation H?” Carolina grinned and then held her arms out for her sister.

Georgia hugged her fiercely. “No. I’m just glad to see you.”

Unexpected tears pricked at Carolina’s eyes. “You too,” she whispered. With a final squeeze, she pushed Georgia back and held her shoulders. “How’s college?”

“It’s great. Still have a 4.0.”

“Of course you do,” Virginia said dryly. She started down the hall. “Come on.”

“I’m not sure I can maintain that perfect average.” Georgia lowered her voice as they walked down the hall. “I just found out that one of my new agents after spring break is The Terminator.”

“Who?” Carolina asked.

“You know, the one who’s like a creepy shadow you can’t shake. Or at least that’s what I’ve heard.” She paused, thinking. “Baxter. That’s his name.”

Carolina went into a sudden coughing fit, and her mind tunneled. He’d told her he was going to ask for reassignment, hadn’t he? And now that he had, it was a pretty good indication that he wouldn’t be here tonight. But
why
was he still in town, then? She sucked in a wheezing breath and then let it out, half-groan and half-whimper.

Virginia groaned. “Oh. My. God. He’s totally wasted on you, Georgia, do you know that? I’d kill to get him.” She looked down at Carolina. “Frog in your throat?”

“No.” Carolina coughed. “Maybe.”

It was more like panic had narrowed her throat to the diameter of a straw. And her strained nerves were making her whole body vibrate. She had no control over herself anymore—two seconds from now she might be laughing hysterically. Or she might start sobbing. Who knew?

“Let’s get you some water. You’re just nervous.” Virginia wrapped her arm around Carolina’s shoulders and led her to the conference room. “Look who I found, Mom.”

Carolina looked up, met her mother’s concerned gaze, and promptly began to cry.

“Oh. Okay,” said Virginia. “Why don’t—”

Marie held up a hand. “I’m using your office, Regina.”

From across the room, Regina smiled at Carolina. It was a sweet smile, an encouraging smile, and it only served to make things worse.

A sob ripped out of Carolina’s throat. “I have a bone to pick with you, old woman,” she wheezed.

“Carolina,” Marie said in a hiss. She smoothed the front of her pantsuit, crossed the room, and nudged Carolina toward the door.

“You sound like you’ve got a bone in your throat,” Regina retorted.

Georgia laughed.

Marie looked at her. “Stay here.” She looked at Virginia. “You, too.”

A few seconds later, Carolina was propelled down the hallway and into a small, windowless office. Just as her mother pushed her into the room, Carolina threw a pleading look over her shoulder at Courtney, who had positioned herself in front of the door.

Courtney gave her a thumbs-up and shut the door in her face.

“Shit,” Carolina muttered.

“Sit?” Marie said. “I’m going to assume that’s what you said, so I will.” With a tight smile, she sat in a chair in front of the desk and crossed her ankles. “You too, honey.” She gestured to the chair opposite.

Carolina sat down automatically and looking at the ceiling, took a deep breath. “Mom . . .”

“Just a minute. Close your eyes.”

Carolina did, and felt her mother’s cool, smooth fingers gently wipe at the hot skin under her eyes.

“Your mascara is running,” Marie murmured.

“That’s the least of my worries.”

“I kind of gathered that.”

Opening her eyes, Carolina forced herself to look at her mother. “There’s a chance I might do something tonight that will make the Roger incident look like a church picnic.”

Alarm passed over Marie’s face briefly, but she nodded. “What would that be?”

“All my photos tonight are of my agent, Jake. I’m in love with him.”

It was tough, but Carolina didn’t look away. She held Marie’s gaze, and after a minute Marie nodded again, but she didn’t betray any other emotion. She wore her First Lady face, and it was frightening. Marie only wore that face around her own family when she was upset.

“I did not know that.” With a light sigh, she looked around the desk and reached out to grab a box of tissues. “Here.”

Carolina took the box and held it on her lap as words came tumbling out. “After I quit school, I thought that probably set off some alarm bells.” Her mother raised an eyebrow and nodded. “So . . . my imagination ran away with me and I thought you might have guessed. About Jake. I thought that maybe . . . maybe that’s why you came out here.”

“I came out here to support you, sweetie. You love photography. This is a big deal, and if your father wasn’t overseas, he would have tried to be here too.”

He was overseas? A pang of guilt stabbed at Carolina. She usually kept up with her father’s schedule, but she’d been so wrapped up in the mess of her own making that she’d barely given him—or her mom—much thought the past two weeks. Other than to agonize over what they would say if they found out that she’d fallen in love with Jake. If the media found out that she was in love with him . . .

Oh, God. It was all going to come out anyway. Even if he didn’t show up tonight.

She took a tissue from the box and blew her nose. “So, that thing I mentioned.”

“Yes?”

“I’m in love with Jake Baxter. That’s all there is to it.”

Marie closed her eyes. “Oh, Carolina.”

“It’s true.”

“Honey, you may think it’s true, but you just broke up with Roger. And Jake is . . . well, he’s terribly good looking, isn’t he?”

Carolina sniffed. “That’s an understatement. But I spent a long time with Roger not standing up for myself, and sick as it was, I think he liked it that way. Jake . . . Jake’s the complete opposite. He wants me to be who I am. He wants it so much that’s he’s willing to sacrifice his own feelings to let me lead the life I want. But what he’s not getting through that thick, thick head of his, is that the life I want is with
him
.” She looked at her mom. “I know that sounds melodramatic, but I also know that you’d do the same thing. You’d fight for dad.”

“Of course I would. I’ve stood behind him for years, and he’s done the same for me.” Marie laced her fingers together. “But it’s not that simple, Carolina, with the entire world watching your every move. Have you thought about the media?”

“Only every two minutes or so.” Carolina rolled her eyes. “And I apologize in advance for making heads explode in the White House communications office.”

“Perhaps it won’t be that bad,” Marie murmured. “You can’t wait and let the news get released more slowly? The communications office isn’t announcing the fact that you’re leaving the education program for another week. I thought that after your photography showing, it would be natural to combine
that
announcement with your switch to a Fine Arts major. What if—”

“Mom, I’m showing those photos in about ten minutes. I can’t very well change them at this point. And I don’t want to. I want to go after what I want without holding myself back.”

Marie was silent for a moment. “What are you planning to do, exactly?”

Exactly? Carolina didn’t know. She was going to show the photos, read from her notecards, hopefully not take any questions and then . . .? Well. It all depended on Jake.

“I can’t predict anything at this point.”

Marie sighed. “Now I’m worried.”

“Me too.” Carolina gave her mother a weak smile. “I love him, though. And it’s real. That’s all I know.”

There was a knock at the door and Marie looked up. “Just a moment.” She turned to Carolina. “Please just be careful with your heart. If it breaks, mine will too.”

“I know, Mom.” She reached across and squeezed her mother’s hand. “Ready to see some great photos?”

“Of course.” Marie rose and opened the door to Regina, who looked straight at Carolina.

“Chickening out?” Regina asked.

“No.”

“You still have a bone in your throat?”

“Yes. It’s got your name written all over it.” Carolina grinned at her. “I’m serious.”

“I know you are,” Regina said, but she laughed. “Everyone’s here. Your slides are ready to go. You have your speech?”

Carolina fumbled in the pocket of her jeans for the notecards. “Yes.”

“Let’s go.” Regina shuffled down the hallway to another door.

As they got closer, Carolina heard the sound of muffled voices and her stomach flipped over. When Regina opened the door, it was to a spacious room with gleaming wood floors. The walls were covered with several large framed photographs, and a small crowd sat in folding chairs in front of a blank wall.

Carolina glanced at the people, her heart in her throat. Jake wasn’t among them. He hadn’t come. He hadn’t . . .

There was a gentle hand at her back, and she walked forward, smiling automatically at the applause. As she went farther into the room, flashes of light outside the large window at the end of the room caught her attention. There was a wall of people on the sidewalk outside the gallery. The media. Yay. Many of them had cameras, which was too ironic not to be funny.

So she laughed. And when she did, her shoulders loosened a bit. In the front row, Virginia caught her eye and grinned. Georgia glanced back at the crowd and then winked. Carolina stood there, waiting for the clapping to die down.

She took the opportunity to scan the crowd again. Many of the people still had on their coats, and several wore hats, but she’d know Jake anywhere—his body language, the shape of his head, the breadth of his shoulders. He just wasn’t there . . . he—

“I’m going to introduce you,” Regina said near her ear.

And before she had a chance to even take a deep breath, Regina walked to the middle of the room.

“Ladies and gentleman. Thanks for attending tonight. As many of you know, I host an informal gallery talk the second Saturday of every month for non-professional photographers. Anyone can sign up, and if you want more information, just let me know.”