Page 24 of A Tempting Seduction

“I don't know what makes me happier,” Fiona said, her voice bubbling with excitement. “Seeing you two spending time together, or me getting the job.”

JR launched himself at his mother with a whoop of joy. “Mommy! We had an adventure with Uncle Ford and Miss Ruby!”

“You got it?” I stood up, pride swelling in my chest.

Fiona frowned. “How’d you know about the job?”

I tilted my head toward JR. “I heard you had a view and you’d get money. I put two-and-two together.”

Fiona laughed. “Yes, I got it! I start Monday morning. Three-month trial period, but if everything goes well, they'll make it permanent. Plus, there’s an on-site daycare.”

“That's incredible, Fi. I'm so proud of you.”

“I couldn't have done it without Ruby.” Fiona turned to beam at the woman who'd made this moment possible. “She helped me find the job, helped me with a resume, and we even practiced doing an interview together.” She turned to Ruby and flung her free arm around her neck. Suzy squealed with delight.

“Now that you’re here, I have something for you,” Ruby said as she untangled herself from the hug. She sidestepped JR and slipped past me. I watched as she pulled out a fancy gift bag from behind some boxes, then handed it to Fiona.

“What’s this?” Fiona asked.

“You have to open it, Mommy.” JR looked at his mother like she was not all that bright and all the adults in the room laughed.

I took Suzy from Fiona’s arms and watched as my sister pulled out a pink rose that was encased in a glass dome.

“It’s called a Forever Rose,” Ruby said. “I wanted you to have something that would remind you that you are always and forever perfect, just like this rose.”

I watched Fiona’s eyes well up, and she threw her arms around Ruby’s shoulders. My sister’s look went far beyond gratitude. “I love you.”

“I love you to, honey. But remember, you did this all by yourself.”

Yeah, Ruby was definitely someone worth fighting for.

Chapter Six

The digital clock on my nightstand glowed 12:47 AM when I threw back the covers for the third time. I padded barefoot across the hardwood floor to the kitchen, my tank top and pajama shorts doing nothing to ward off the chill that had settled over my apartment. The water from the faucet tasted metallic, but I drank it anyway, hoping it might wash away the restless energy buzzing under my skin.

I checked the philodendron on my windowsill. The soil felt damp. I moved to the kitchen herb garden I kept on the counter. Also fine. The snake plant in the corner of the living room that could survive nuclear fallout definitely didn't need attention.

I was stalling, and I knew it.

Ford's words kept circling through my mind like a song stuck on repeat. But I believe in persistence. Especially when I see something worth fighting for. The way he'd looked at me when he said it, those brown eyes steady and sure, like he meant every single word.

I bit my bottom lip. Nobody had ever looked at me like that before. Like I was something precious. Goodness, that had felt good.

I flopped back onto my bed and stared at the ceiling. Sleep wasn't happening. Not with my brain spinning like a hamster wheel, analyzing every moment from this afternoon. The way Ford had shown up at exactly the right moment. How gentle he'd been with Suzy and JR, patient with JR’s endless questions.

I gave up on sleep and walked to the second bedroom I'd converted into an office. The space was small but functional, with a desk I'd bought secondhand and painted sage green, a comfortable chair from the thrift store, and shelves lined with books and a few succulents in red pots that I just loved.

I opened my laptop and waited for it to boot up. The screen's glow felt harsh in the darkness, but I didn't bother turning on the overhead light. I had a routine for this kind of late-night research. I'd learned to be careful about digital footprints.

It was stupid. I knew it was stupid. Why couldn’t I just focus on the good that seemed to be blossoming in front of me? Why did I need to look backward?

I opened an incognito browser window and typed “Lance Leeds California” into the search bar.

The results made my blood run cold.

The headline from the Los Angeles Times was a month old: “State Senate Race Called for Leeds: Political Newcomer Wins by Landslide.” Below it, a photo of Lance behind a podium, arms raised in victory, that familiar politician's smile plastered across his face. The same smile he'd given me the night I'd found him in bed with my sister.

I read the first few paragraphs of the article. Lance had won with sixty-three percent of the vote. The piece mentioned how his campaign had been “generously supported by prominent California political figures.” No names mentioned, but I knew exactly who had backed him.