All They Ever Wanted (24 page)

She felt his chest rumble beneath the palm she had flattened over his pectoral muscles. “Another place, another
time,” he murmured before his lips found hers for one last thorough kiss that had her toes curling and her body quivering. She pulled away before she did something reckless like reconsidering her plan. Wrapping her arms around her middle, she tried to appear resolute. Miles swore under his breath. Without looking back, he left the sheriff's office.

Lori sank down on the sofa and let the tears silently fall, knowing another place or another time could never be.

T
he nightly newscasts were all abuzz with the details that Leonard Dykstrom had been arrested while in bed with his child's nanny.

“The man who orchestrated one of the nation's largest Ponzi schemes was captured today, in a Caribbean villa where he and his family were hiding,” one network news anchor reported. “When agents stormed the home, they found Dykstrom's wife, Carole, recovering from plastic surgery she claimed was to disguise her appearance. Her husband was enjoying some extracurricular activities with the nanny charged with caring for the couple's special-needs son. Dykstrom's arrest comes after his daughter, Mallory, was detained in Chances Inlet, North Carolina, last evening.”

Lori's image filled the screen for a second day, but this time the video wasn't of the glamorous socialite, but rather the woman who'd been hiding out in his mother's B and B for the past six months. At Miles' request, Greer had helped prep Lori for the interview with Tanya, not that she needed any assistance. It turned out Lori was adept at handling the media all on her own.

“No one in the McAlister family knew who I was until last night when Special Agent Kovaluk arrived,” Lori told the world. “I never intended for them to find out. Their family is very caring and community driven and I in no way wanted to diminish their reputation by associating with me. They're good people. The best people, in fact.”

Tanya pasted on one of her snarky smiles. “But you did have a relationship with Miles McAlister, the candidate for United States Congress.”

Lori matched her smile. “I'm not going to sit here and kiss and tell, Tanya. But what I will say is that Miles McAlister is an incredible person with an abundance of integrity. His compassion for others is boundless. Whatever did or did not go on between Miles and myself is private and has no bearing on his campaign.”

Tanya pulled no punches. “Do you love him?”

Miles choked on the sip he'd just taken from his bottle of beer. Cassidy reached over and slapped him on the back while Bernice muttered a “bless her heart” at the television propped in the corner of the campaign office.
Damn it, what was it with women and love?
Lori had pushed him away all because she claimed to love him. He'd been up front with her, telling her at the beginning that his heart was not in play and it never would be again. She'd been more than okay with that; at least that's what she'd said.

The camera zoomed in and Lori licked her lips. Miles' throat wasn't the only body part constricting at the image.

“I have the utmost respect for Miles as a person and as a politician,” Lori declared. “Voters should, too. That's all that's really important here, Tanya.”

Greer was sending Miles glowing texts about how Lori's confession was a boon to his campaign, but Miles ignored them. His body still ached in the region where his heart used to be every time he saw Lori through the lens of a camera and not his own eyes.
She'd said she couldn't leave without her grandmother's ring yet she walked away and wasn't coming back all because she loved him. How mixed up was that?
He took another pull from the beer in hopes of washing the sting away.

The screen changed to a video of Lori being reunited with
her brother, Ian, as the news anchor spoke. “Ms. Dykstrom has not been indicted on any charges and she cooperated fully with federal officials once she was assured her younger half brother would be safe.”

Matt Kovaluk mugged for the cameras next. “Mallory Dykstrom spent the past few months living in fear for her younger brother,” he told reporters. “She was invaluable in bringing Leonard and Carole Dykstrom to justice. There is no evidence linking her to the crimes committed by her father and stepmother. She was as much a victim as the thousands of people Leonard Dykstrom conned money from.”

“Well, that's quite a different tune than they were singing last night.” Bernice clapped her hands. “Greer is a miracle worker at image makeovers.”

Miles nearly choked on his beer again. Bernice was only half right; Greer and Lori both had one common goal and that was to make over
his
image. The fact that Lori came out smelling better than she had yesterday was just a happy coincidence. Still, Miles was relieved Lori wouldn't be tainted by her father's crimes. He'd hated the way she wanted to take on the media in defense of him. Knowing she'd done so out of some misguided love for him only made it worse.

“I'm glad she has a family to help her,” Cassidy said from her place on the sofa beside Miles. Her tone was a bit melancholy, however.

“I'm sure you'll see her again,” he tried to reassure her.

Cassidy's face brightened. “I know I will. She said she'd fly me out for fall break so I can see Oregon. I've never even been on a plane. Isn't that cool?”

“Oh, sure, desert us during crunch time in the campaign for a sightseeing trip across country,” Bernice said, crossing her arms beneath her bosom.

“Ever since you kicked Coy out, she's acting like she's in charge,” Cassidy groaned.

“She is in charge,” Miles said as he gave Bernice a wink. “Of the office and the staff.” He'd already hired a campaign coordinator who didn't have a connection to Governor Rossi. Despite the negative publicity of the past few days, Miles had
people jumping at the chance to right his campaign. There were still three months left in the race and he was grateful that the man he'd hired had already sweet-talked Bernice and charmed Greer. Miles wasn't out of the woods yet, but at least his integrity was still in one piece.

“While I don't agree with the adage that any publicity is good publicity, I'm glad Greer was able to turn things around for you today, son,” Governor Rossi said from the doorway of Miles' office. “Although it looks like you're a little light on campaign staff.” He gestured at the empty outer office.

Miles worked to unclench his jaw. Bob Rossi was the last person he expected to see today. Or any day from here on out, for that matter.

“The office is closed for the day,” Bernice informed the governor in an indignant tone. “But we are certainly not ‘light' on campaign staff.”

She wasn't lying. Bernice and Cassidy had spent a good portion of the day wrangling up locals to work the phones and pass out campaign literature. Some were leery at first, still angry at Miles' association with Lori, thinking she was a part of her father's scheme. But Bernice could be persuasive and Miles had no doubt he'd have the manpower to help get out the vote when the time came.

Respect had been ingrained into Miles' personality at a young age, and he stood reflexively when the governor entered the room. Bernice shot the man an evil look from behind his back before clicking off the television. “Come on, Cassidy. They're serving shrimp and grits at the diner tonight and I'm buying. I doubt you'll get anything decent to eat with Ginger in the kitchen at the B and B.”

“Ugh, she made tofu hotdogs for lunch,” Cassidy groaned as she followed Bernice to the door.

“Look at it this way, the cafeteria food in college won't look so bad after a few weeks of Ginger's cooking,” Bernice said. She lifted an eyebrow at Miles as if to ask if he'd be all right with the governor. Miles gave her a confident grin and waved them both out the door. Truth be told, he might need her to come back and mop up the mess after their conversation was over.

Governor Rossi slipped into his father's chair as if he owned it. Miles' throat burned at the sight. “What can I do for you, Governor?”

“You can zip up your pants and calm down, for one thing.”

Miles clenched his fingers into fists, but he wisely kept his mouth shut.

“Just because you showed some indiscretion with a notorious woman doesn't mean you throw out half your staff. Coy's family is miffed at you and frankly, son, so am I.”

“Let's get one thing straight here, Governor. I'm not, nor will I ever be, your
son
. There are only two people in the world who call me that and you are not one of them.”

“I think you're forgetting who you're talking to, McAlister. I made you who you are today.”

“Actually, Governor, the man whose chair you're sitting in made me who I am today. So did my mother, my family, and the people of Chances Inlet.”

The governor shot to his feet. “I gave you a job and inroads to some of the most powerful people in this state—in the country, in fact.”

“Yes, sir, you did, and I worked my ass off to do the job justice. I didn't do it so that I can be your puppet on a string, however.”

Governor Rossi actually laughed. “Oh, so now you think you're better than me, is that it? You're so rich with integrity? We all start out that way, McAlister, before politics jades us. Then we learn to play the game. Politics isn't pretty and even squeaky clean Boy Scouts like you will have to wallow in the muck to get anything accomplished.”

“There's ‘wallowing in the muck' and there's playing dirty, Governor. I can do one, but I refuse to do the other.”

The governor narrowed his eyes at Miles. “You're playing with fire, McAlister. I can destroy you just as easily as I made you. Don't ask me for any more political favors. You're on your own in this election. And should you find yourself actually winning, you're going to discover you crossed the wrong man.” He stalked over to the door.

“One more thing, Governor,” Miles said quietly as he unlocked the top drawer of his desk and pulled out a file
folder. “I have to ask you if you have any knowledge into the case against my former opponent?”

Governor Rossi stopped in his tracks, his face dark red as he turned to face Miles. “Just what the hell are you accusing me of?”

Miles studied his former boss carefully. Bob Rossi knew exactly what he had done.

“I have sworn testimony from two individuals stating you orchestrated the entire thing, including the man's indictment.”

“You son of a bitch!”

“I can ‘wallow in the muck' with the best of them, Governor. After all, I had an adept teacher.”

“What are you going to do with that?”

Miles sucked in a deep breath. “Leave me alone and these will never see the light of day.” He meant it, too. While Bob Rossi would use the evidence to curry political favor, Miles just wanted the man out of his life.

The governor swore under his breath before turning to leave.

“One more thing,” Miles called after him. “I'm giving a copy of this to Greer. Treat her right or this goes public. Understand?”

“You two would have had it all.” He shook his head in frustration. “You're both ungrateful and I'm glad to be rid of you.”

The slamming door shook the small office. Miles sank down into his father's chair and rested his head back against the soft leather. Closing his eyes, he said a silent prayer of thanks for everything his father had taught him.

*   *   *

“She'll be okay, won't she?” Patricia asked. Her head was nestled on Lamar's bare shoulder. The two of them were lying in her bed watching the late-night newscast with details of Leonard Dykstrom's arrest.

Lamar gave her shoulders a squeeze. “Lori's pretty tough. Agent Kovaluk was very protective of her, though. I don't think he'll let anything happen to her.”

“He did seem to care about her to some extent.”

“Mmm. He's got a decent reputation and his mother is a federal judge, so there's always some help there.”

Patricia rolled onto his chest. “You checked the agent out?”

He arched an eyebrow at her. “I wasn't just going to let her go with anybody.”

Smiling, she leaned down to press her lips to his.

“You don't think Lori and Agent Kovaluk were ever, you know, an item?”

Lamar's rich laugh bubbled up from his chest. “Your son already covered that this morning. I thought I might have to break up a fight between an armed federal agent and a congressional candidate. I'm telling you, Tricia, I don't think this town could take any more publicity this summer.”

Patricia rested her head on his chest. “I must have been very preoccupied not to have seen Miles and Lori's affair. I never saw that one coming.”

“I doubt they did, either.” Lamar chuckled. “I'm sure neither one of them counted on falling in love.”

She straightened her arms so she was looking down on him from above. “In love? Lori admitted to me she had feelings for him, but what made you suspect she loved him?”

He sobered up and traced a finger over her shoulder. “Lori told him so, right there in my office. Right before she demanded the interview with Tanya to set the record straight.”

Stunned, Patricia rolled on her back and propped herself up against the headboard. “She did it for him. Oh, the poor girl. Miles is determined never to love again.”

“Someone should tell him that love doesn't work that way,” he murmured as his hand found her breast beneath the sheet.