Disclosure of the Heart (The Heart Series) (16 page)

“True, but when you two decided to move in together, you knew that would be the situation.”

“That’s what he said. He said something has changed with me. He asked if it had anything to do with my spending time with Adam.”

“And what did you say?”

“I said I’m having a great time in DC and working my ass off. I’m not sure that I want to settle down right now.”

“Nicki…”

“Well, it’s true. Nothing may come of Adam and me.”

“True, but you did make out with him last night.”

“You’re crazy if you think I’m telling Juan Carlos that,” I said, shaking my head furiously.

“So you lied to him.”

“Not really.” I cringed. “And I’m going to try not to.”

“But as of today, you are officially stringing him along. You can’t be
in
love with one person while making out with another.”

“I don’t think it’s so black and white,” I said, trying to reason my way out of what was a very good point. “As I said—”

She let out a low laugh and put her hand on my arm. “It’s okay. I’m not the press. You don’t need to spin me. Remember, I’m on your side, whatever you do. You could commit murder and I’d be right there with you.”

“But you think I’m a bad person, right?”

“Nah,” she said, reaching over to her nightstand for her wine. She took a sip and declared, “You’re just confused.”

“Yup. I am.”

Throughout the next few weeks at work, I tried to be cooler with Adam, but it was like he could tell I was overcompensating. He had this permanent smirk whenever our eyes met. I’d have to turn away so I didn’t smile.

On a Friday, he cornered me with his reporter’s notepad, a very handy prop for our ruse. “Good morning, Nicki.”

“Good morning,” I said, clutching my own prop, my cell phone.

“So your big date is tomorrow?”

“You mean the Correspondents’ Dinner?”

“Yes. Are you still going with Juan Carlos?”

“Of course. I told you I was.”

“What makes him so special that he has to have two names?”

I snorted. Two could play at this little game. “What about Felicity? What kind of name is that anyway? It’s not a name. Happiness is a state of being. Are
you
still taking her to the dinner?”

“Yes.” The smirk vanished, and he waved his notebook like he was fending me off. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

I glared at his back as he walked away, but his fast pace tipped me off that I shouldn’t be annoyed with him. The guy was jealous, and I knew exactly how he felt.

When Juan Carlos picked me up for the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, he couldn’t have been the more perfect date. He looked scorching hot in his tux, and he presented me with a lovely little bouquet. Finally, he dipped me for a kiss, which made me giggle, but before he went in for it he said, “You’re right. We should enjoy ourselves more.”

I touched my finger to his nose. “When we’re together, and when we’re apart.”

I’d meant for it to be lighthearted, but he frowned and said, “If you say so.” There was no sweeping kiss after that, just a peck and a grouchy date.

Walking into the giant hotel ballroom, I looked around for Adam. As much as I didn’t want to see him with Felicity, I was curious about her. At such a big event, though, it was impossible for me to find them.

I suppose I could’ve hunted down the BBC table, but while the event was all fun and games for everyone else in the room, I was working. Luckily, President Logan was a hit that evening as he roasted his friends and foes, and they did the same to him. I was pleased because we’d rehearsed his jokes, and they all came off naturally.

After the dinner, I had to work the room, but Juan Carlos didn’t seem to mind. I left him with one of his big clients and made my rounds with the reporters and celebrities. It took me a bit before I saw Adam staring at me. I patted the arm of a congresswoman I’d been talking to and headed straight toward him.

“Good evening,” he said. He gave me a blatant up-and-down appraisal. Nearly sixteen years later, I still didn’t have any cleavage, but at least I’d found some curves along the way. I was also still thin enough to wear something slinky. The dress had a halter-top that forgivingly hid my flat chest, but the silver silk charmeuse clung to the rest of me. “You look ravishing.”

“Thanks.” Somehow his compliment meant more than when Juan Carlos had said it, and I got shy. “You look dashing…as ever.”

“Thanks.” He grinned. “Think you can control yourself this time?”

“You’re such a fucking arse,” I said, swatting his arm.

Holding up his hands, he pretended to protect himself. “I always loved it when you cursed.”

Then a woman’s voice with a posh British accent came from behind. “What’s this? Attacking the press?”

Felicity.
Filled with fear and curiosity, I turned to finally see her. In stilettos, she was as tall as Adam and wore a strapless blue dress that her breasts spilled out of. She had one of those long, narrow English faces and perfect skin. I tried to find a flaw, but I couldn’t.

As she placed her hand on Adam’s shoulder, he stiffened, but his perfect aristocratic manners took over. “Hello, Felicity. This is Nicole Johnson.” He turned to me. “Nicole, this is Felicity Chambers.”

Felicity side-eyed him, and he scratched his temple for a second. “Lady Felicity Chambers, I should say.”

“I normally don’t use the title,” she said with a smile.

Though you don’t mind throwing it around,
I thought. I extended my hand. “It’s nice to meet you. I’ve seen some of your work on TV.”

“Yes,” she said, barely shaking my hand. I hated wimpy handshakes. I saw it as a sign of insincerity or timidity, neither of which I liked. “As I’ve seen you,” she said and then smiled at Adam. “Of course, Adam has mentioned you before.”

“We’ve known each other for a while,” I said, gripping my clutch.
Dear God, get me out of here.

“So he’s said.” She removed her hand from his shoulder and clasped her hands. “He told me of your upbringing. I think it’s such an endearing story about how you came from nothing, and now look at you. You’re at the height of government. Truly amazing.”

Huh?
Rarely did my facial expressions betray my feelings—I was a cool cucumber—but at that moment, I leaned back and my face spoke for me.
What the fuck?
My parents were both lawyers; I had an upper-middle class upbringing in embarrassingly bourgeois Bellaire, Texas. Did she speak for Adam? It was what I’d always expected his father thought of me, but Adam had never been that way. I flashed him a look and saw he had the same expression as me.

“Fel, I never said that. Nicki’s family is highly educated and somewhat well-to-do.”

“Oh, you know what I mean,” she said with a wave of her hand.

“I suppose our notions of class are different in the US.” I should’ve left it at that, but my sharp tongue lashed out. “We’re a meritocracy and don’t look down on the middle class.”

“Oh, I’m not looking down on you. I think it’s a rather heartwarming story.”

“I actually think it’s pretty boring.” I laughed with no mirth at all. “But maybe it’s similar to how Americans admire British royalty though we would never want any ourselves.”

“Wouldn’t you now? I think Americans are obsessed with the monarchy.”

“Obsessed? Only in a celebrity-gossip way.” I arched a brow and couldn’t let it go. “You have to admit picking the firstborn kid of the firstborn kid of the firstborn kid of an inbred family is a lousy way to choose a head of state.”

“Now, Nicole,” she said with a simpering look. “You’re smart enough to know we have a constitutional monarchy.”

My head snapped to Adam, whose eyes were wide in horror whereas I was ticked. “Actually,” I said turning my attention back to her. “I’m even smart enough to know that despite your constitutional monarchy, the Queen is still the head of state.”

“I suppose you are trained in protocol in your position.”

Adam clapped his hands. “Felicity, pardon me. I need to speak to Nicole alone for a moment about a story I’m working on.”

“But of course.” She gave me one more haughty smile. “It was a pleasure to meet you.”

“And you,” I said.

Adam waited until she’d walked a few feet away and began talking with a Greek shipping magnate, Gus Papadopoulos, before he led me to a corner.

I looked over his shoulder to see her throwing her head back in laughter. I doubted the old Greek dude was that funny. “That was interesting,” I muttered.

“I’m so sorry,” he said.

“Did you think you had a cat fight on your hands?”

“More like the start of an international incident.” He wiped his brow. “She must feel incredibly threatened by you to speak that way.”

“And she’s otherwise charming?”

“Maybe not charming.” He laughed. “But she’s a smart reporter. She knows you don’t piss off someone who has the ear of the president of the United States.”

“You have horrible taste in women, you know. Always have.”

“Only when I’m biding my time waiting for you to come around.”

I craned my neck again to see Felicity continuing her flirty chat with the Greek. I was nothing like that woman. “Clearly, I was an anomaly.”

“In the best way.”

I met Adam’s eyes again and remarked, “Her breasts are certainly on display for you and everyone else in the room.”

“Are you jealous, Nicki Johnson?”

“No!” I scrunched my face. “Maybe.”

“Good. Now you know how I feel about fucking Juan Carlos.”

“Remember I spent a good part of my junior year of high school jealous as hell because you were with Meredith Daniels.”

“Was that her name? I’d forgotten.”

My eyes wandered around the room. “If we weren’t under the surveillance of stupid Dan Roark right now, I’d punch you in the arm for that.”

“Sorry. I’d deserve it if you did.” He leaned in closer to me. “You know, you’re the one I’ve remembered.”

I exhaled and smiled but didn’t reply. I just wanted to soak in the moment.

After a while, he cleared his throat. “Are you going home with him?”

“Juan Carlos?”

“
Si
,
Juan Carlos
,” he said in an exaggerated Spanish accent. “Who else?”

“There’s no one else. You know that.”

“So then, Juan Carlos, or JC. Are you taking him home?”

I touched my neck in emotional panic. “He usually stays with me, but I don’t know. He’s not too happy with me right now. We could very well end up in another fight.” I returned his deadpan stare. “Are you going home with her?”

“She usually stays with me.” He shook his head. “After her little run-in with you, I’d say we’re guaranteed to have a fight.”

“Good.” My hand flew to my mouth. I couldn’t believe I’d said it aloud, but I still smiled.

Before I could cover up my faux pas, he grinned. “I feel the same way.”

As soon as I walked away from him, I found Juan Carlos, who gave me the silent treatment. It was my own damn fault. I’d talked to Adam for too long.