Her sister raised one eyebrow and waved for Hillary to keep talking.
“But the real person underneath it all is infinitely more fascinating.” So much so, she didn’t know how she would ever get over him.
“You’re in love with him.”
“Completely,” she answered without hesitation.
“Then why isn’t he here?”
Such a simple question.
He wasn’t with her because…?
She’d pushed him away. Yes, he’d lied to her. He wasn’t a perfect man. God knows, she wasn’t perfect, either. Just because he’d screwed up, that didn’t mean everything about their week together had been false.
Life wasn’t all or nothing for either of them. They would need time together to build a relationship, to learn to trust each other. She understood that now.
But would Troy understand it, as well—if she got a second chance to tell him?
* * *
“You owe me for this, Colonel.” Troy rocked back on his heels, jamming his fists in his tuxedo pockets to keep from punching a wall in frustration over having to hang out at a black-tie fundraiser.
Less than two weeks had passed since he and the colonel had come to Chicago, and already the man was calling again, asking him to show his face at this dinner dance for some reason he’d yet to disclose.
In D.C.
Which happened to be the last place on earth Troy wanted to be since it reminded him of Hillary. He just wanted to go back to Costa Rica and lock himself in his man cave for some serious alone time. Except he couldn’t go back to Costa Rica, not when he’d made love to her in every corner of the place, his home so full of memories he’d been climbing the walls without her.
Salvatore clapped him on the back as the jazz band fired up a Broadway show tune. “Actually, I don’t owe you a thing. The way I remember it, you owe me.”
“Our agreement didn’t include back-to-back gigs.” Even if this one was a good cause, hosted by Senator Landis to raise money for the area Big Brother program for at-risk and foster kids. “In spite of my playboy rep, I do have to work.”
“Just pretend for a couple of hours, then your time will be your own for at least…oh, let’s say six months.” Salvatore held up his hand. “I promise.”
Troy angled to the side for a waiter carrying a silver tray of appetizers to pass before saying to the colonel, “With all due respect, you lie.”
Salvatore adjusted his red tie. “I take offense at that. Lying is a very dishonorable trait.”
Troy ground his teeth. Had the colonel been hired by Hillary to call attention to all his flaws?
Then as if conjured from his thoughts, he saw her across the room. Hillary. She wore a simple black dress with complete elegance, outshining every other woman in the room. His fist clenched the diamond pendant tighter—her necklace—that he’d been carrying around in his pocket since she left him on the island. What were the odds he would see her at the first place he went after leaving Costa Rica?
The odds were off the charts, in fact.
“Damn it, Colonel.” He glared at Salvatore. “Did you set this up? You want me to crawl back to her? She made it clear she doesn’t want me. She doesn’t trust me. That’s all there is to it.”
“Bull.”
His head snapped back. “What did you just say?”
“You heard me. You’re a smart man. A genius, actually, part of why I work with you. But you’re also manipulative. You use that brain to trick people into doing what you want, while making them think it was their idea. Another reason you’re a great asset to my team. But that kind of game playing does not go over well in relationships.”
“I have friends.”
“Who play by your same convoluted—sometimes sketchy—rules.” Salvatore gripped him on the shoulder in a move that was almost…fatherly? “Here with Hillary, you had a chance at a normal, healthy relationship, and you blew it. Any clue why?”
“You seem to have all the answers today. You tell me.” And God, he actually meant it. He wanted help, to find a way to get her back because the past days without her had been pure hell.
“I can’t give you all the answers. If you want her bad enough, you’ll figure this one out on your own. Which you can do if you use that genius brain of yours and think.” He tapped Troy’s temple. “Why are you here when she’s here?”
“Because you set us up.”
Salvatore shook his head. “Think again.”
With a final pat on Troy’s shoulder, the colonel faded into the crowd.
Could Hillary have actually called the colonel and asked for his help? Why would she have reached out to Salvatore rather than him?
That answer was easy enough. He’d made himself inaccessible to everyone except Salvatore. He’d hidden away in his cave and used all his techie toys to make himself unreachable.
Hillary had told him from the start she had trust issues and he’d pushed that one inexcusable button. It was almost like his subconscious had self-destructed the relationship. For a man of reason, that was tough to swallow.
But love wasn’t about logic. Hell, his feelings for Hillary were definitely not anything rational. He just loved her, and he wanted her. And he intended to do everything in his power to win her back.
Click.
The cool metal wrapped around his wrist. He barely had time to register the sensation before he looked up and found Hillary standing beside him.
Click.
She locked the other handcuff around her wrist.
* * *
Hillary hoped the smile on Troy’s face was for real and not an act for the crowd. A spotlight focused on them as she led him across the ballroom floor. The partiers applauded while the senator took the mic from the lead singer in the band to thank Troy Donavan for his very generous donation.
That part had been Salvatore’s idea—when she’d contacted him begging for help in finding Troy. She’d been surprised to learn from Salvatore that he and Troy actually worked together on a more regular basis—but it made sense. She’d already realized there was more to the man she loved than the superficial. And even as a teen, he hadn’t cared what the world thought of him. He’d been out there crusading in his own way. She was glad now that she hadn’t known before about his work with Interpol. That would have made it too easy to trust him. She wouldn’t have had to search her heart and open her eyes.
Salvatore had even made her a job offer she found more than a little tempting…leave her D.C. position and sign on to freelance with Interpol. She and Troy had a lot to talk about. Thank goodness Salvatore had worked out a plan for her to speak to him. Granted, something a little less high profile would have been easier on her nerves. But Salvatore had insisted this would work best.