Angel in Disguise (22 page)

“What are we doing?” Pete murmured close to her ear.

“Waiting for one of my dad’s aides to spot us and…”

“Sunny! What’s jammin’, girl?” The senator’s youngest aide bore down on them.

“Are you the point man tonight, Al?” she teased.

He grinned, acknowledging she knew Keegan strategy. “They thought they needed my young, 20-20 eyes to spot you, but they didn’t know what you’d be wearing. Girl, you’re lookin’ hot!”

Beside her, Pete bristled.

Quickly she said, “Al, this is my guy, Pete Maguire. We met on
Dream Date.
”

“You were on that TV show?” Al asked, a curl on his lip.

“Her ball team set it up,” Pete said, extending his hand.

Al took it and visibly winced at the pressure Pete must have applied. Sunny hid a smile. Shamus’s grandson was on duty tonight.

Al flexed his hand, giving Pete a sideways glance. “Does the senator know about that show?”

“I think you’ll have the pleasure of telling him, Al.”

“Oh, no. Not me. Not tonight.”

They both knew how the senator took bad news.

“Your dad’s going to be ticked off enough that
you brought a date. No offense,” he added quickly to Pete before drifting away to make that initial report.

Another familiar voice sounded behind her. “Sunny! How’ve you been, hon?”

“Never better,” she said, hugging George, her father’s senior aide. “George, meet my friend, Pete Maguire.”

“Pete, glad you could make it.”

She knew he wasn’t, but George’s faded blue eyes under bushy gray brows seemed just as sincerely good-humored as Al’s. These guys were good at their jobs. A third aide ought to show up….

“Sunny baby! Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.”

“Hello, Clive.” She had Clive to thank for the media stories about her and Bruce, but he could sink lower than that.

The two men shuffled positions, Clive engaging Pete in conversation, so George could isolate her, a tactic smoothly orchestrated, but obvious to her.

“What’s with the extra baggage?” George said, nodding toward Pete. “There’s only one place reserved for you at the head table.”

“Let me guess, between Daddy and Bruce,” she said cynically.

“It’s time to forgive and forget, hon.”

“That’s why I’m here, but Pete and I have our own tickets.”

“Hon, you don’t want to embarrass your dad. You’ve had a nice furlough, but it’s time to get back in the ranks.”

“Sorry, George. I’m just a civilian these days.”

“You can’t be, hon. You’re Sam’s only child.
Don’t hold his relationship with Bruce against him, Sunny. You’re his daughter, but Bruce is his legacy.”

“I don’t begrudge their relationship. Not at all. I just can’t be part of it.”

“Sure you can. You were always a tough little squirt who took whatever came your way and came back for more. I know you, Sunny. You are exactly what this country needs, and this is the right thing to do for your dad. You’ve got what it takes to be a real winner.”

George should have been a coach. It was as fine a pep talk as she’d ever heard. Too bad she wasn’t in the game.

“I see such a future for you, hon,” he said, waving his hand in a rainbow. “The honesty, courage and wisdom of First Lady Sunny Keegan Daniels will be known all over the world. Children will read books about you. Women will wear their hair like you. People will select you as their Most Admired Woman. Hon, tonight is just the beginning.”

All George needed was an orchestra swelling behind him, she thought, trying to hide a smile.

“Bruce loves you, Sunny. He’s learned his lesson, and he’ll be faithful to you from now on.”

“C’mon, George. We both know I was lucky to get out when I did. I love my father, but I’m not getting back with Bruce.”

George looked genuinely puzzled.

“But your dad said he could count on you, Sunny.”

She was here, wasn’t she? “He can, as far as—”

“That’s my girl!” he interrupted, his radiant
smile all wrong. “I knew you wouldn’t let your dad down. He’s going to be so proud of you. I can’t wait to see his face. Let’s get you inside.” He put his arm around her, shepherding her away.

She dug in her heels. “Hold it, George! I came with a date.”

“That’s all right. Clive will take care of him.”

“Not a chance!” She shrugged his arm off. “I want a relationship with my parents, but they take me as I am, and they accept the man of my choice.”

George’s craggy brows drew together in shocked disappointment. “This is going to break your dad’s heart.”

She rolled her eyes. “I don’t think so, George. Daddy’s not that fragile.”

His eyes shifted ever so slightly, a dead giveaway that he hadn’t been honest with her. That was all right. She didn’t expect more from a professional spinmeister.

“Let me talk to Daddy, George. I’ll try to make things right with him though I won’t budge about Bruce.”

Nodding, his face a mask, George signaled for Clive to take them inside.

Reproach blazed from Clive’s weasel eyes as he guided them to the front corner of the ballroom near the side steps to the dais. “You might think of somebody besides yourself for once, Sunny,” he snarled and walked off.

Pete started after him, but she grabbed his arm. “It’s okay. Clive’s just doing his job. We’re supposed to be intimidated.”

Sucking in a deep settling breath, Pete murmured,
“I don’t know, but it could be he’s just miffed because we didn’t bring him some of your cheese-cake.”

Bruce slipped into the projectionist’s room overlooking the ballroom. He ought to be working this crowd who’d paid megabucks a plate to honor Sam. After tonight, he’d need to tap every one of their checkbooks. More important for the moment, however, was a place to hide. His aide said Margo Price was drunk and looking for Brucey. If there was one man Bruce chose not to annoy tonight, it was her husband, that monster Clive.

His aide also said Sam wanted him down by the stage to hook up with Sunny and ease her date out of the picture. He peered out the projection room window, trying to spot her, but the people were practically ant-size at this distance.

“Looking for somebody?” one of the techs asked. “Try these.” He handed over a set of binoculars.

From the pirated
Dream Date
episode he’d been shown, Bruce recognized Pete Maguire right away, but the babe with her backside to him couldn’t be Sunny…though she had Sunny’s bright hair. The woman turned and he got a frontal look. Whoa! He’d seriously underestimated the girl’s potential.

His instincts about women seldom failed him, and, for the most part, he’d been right about Sunny when they were engaged. He’d known she wouldn’t tolerate him fooling around. He just hadn’t counted on getting caught.

Now instinct said they ought to give up on her,
but Sam was obsessed these days, ordering him to “pour on the charm,” as if that would make a difference. He’d like to see Sam charm a woman who hated his guts and clung to the arm of a guy like Pete Maguire.

No, he’d sit this one out. If Sunny came through, Sam could take the credit. If she didn’t, he didn’t want the blame. He’d done his part, providing a stand-in.

Pete watched the large crowd move about the ballroom. “There must be at least two thousand people here,” he murmured.

“Daddy packs them in.” Her eyes flitted about apprehensively.

If she was nervous, he wasn’t doing his job. “What did that guy George say to you?”

“Just the same old stuff about me getting back with Bruce. Now we’ll see if I’m welcome on my terms.”

Outraged at the position they’d put her in, he said, “If you have to wonder, do you actually care if you’re welcome?”

“I care. If my parents can respect me, I want them in my life. The love’s not all gone, at least not on my side.”

“And if they won’t accept you without Bruce?”

“I guess it is just on my side.”

Pete laced his fingers in hers. He didn’t know how she managed the calm in those butternut eyes. Her parents and Daniels had betrayed her, deceived her and still wanted to manage her life. Yet, here she
was, turning the other cheek, going the extra mile, wanting to love them.

Someone or something behind him had her attention. “Heads up,” she muttered. “Blonde at two o’clock.”

From the corner of his eye, he saw who she meant and felt his blood pressure rise. “Ah, no,” he groaned, “it’s my ex.”

She grinned. “Don’t worry. I can handle blondes with one hand tied behind my back.” She tugged him toward Lisa.

Resisting, he growled, “What are you doing?”

“It’s high time that woman knew what she’s been missing.”

“This is not a good idea, Sunny.”

“Trust me. It’s a great idea!”

Lisa glanced his way, did a double take as if something about him were familiar, then looked away without recognition.

“Say something,” Sunny muttered. “Talk to her.”

He sighed. “I don’t want to talk to her.”

Lisa whipped her head toward him. “What did you say?”

She’d recognized his voice. There was no escape now. “Hello, Lisa.”

She stared at him as if she were seeing a ghost.

“Don’t you recognize me?”

“Pete?” She scanned his face, taking in all the changes.

“I was in an accident,” he blurted, not wanting her to think he’d had plastic surgery for cosmetic reasons. “Like the caps?” He showed off his teeth,
letting her see the gap between his front teeth wasn’t there anymore. It had always bugged her.

Speechless, she looked at him as if he weren’t quite human. It wasn’t like Lisa to be at a loss for words. He smiled, realizing how altogether satisfying that was.

“Pete, you look…fabulous,” she said breathily.

He’d like to say the same back, and Lisa did look more sophisticated, but older and harder, especially compared to his sweet Sunny.

“Isn’t he a hunk?” Sunny interjected, wrapping herself around him, undoubtedly for Lisa’s benefit, though it felt great.

But Lisa had no time for Sunny. “Pete, what are you doing here?” she asked, glancing at their surroundings, silently questioning his presence at a high-ticket, high-society party.

She hadn’t changed. He ignored the question and smiled down at Sunny. “Lisa, I’d like you to meet Sunny Keegan.”

“The senator’s daughter?” Lisa said, obviously impressed.

“It’s lovely to meet you.” Sunny extended her hand. “Any ex of Pete’s is a friend of mine.”

Coughing, he tried to cover wild laughter.

Lisa’s eyes narrowed. “How do you two know each other?”

Sunny drew his arm around her. “Actually, you can see for yourself. Tune in to the TV show
Dream Date,
next Wednesday. We were the winners when the show was taped several weeks ago. It’s been a whirlwind romance, hasn’t it, darling?”

Darling? He kind of liked that. “Love at first
sight,” he said, snuggling his girl. Thanks to Brad and his camera, he was an old hand at this.

Sunny batted her big brown eyes at him. “You know, Pete, I think Lisa should be the first to know.”

Know what? He passed the ball. “You tell her, sweetheart.”

“Love to. Tonight, as we drove in from Pete’s lovely beach house in Malibu Colony…”

Lisa’s shocked expression said that was a three-point shot.

“Oh, you didn’t know,” Sunny said sympathetically. “Pete must have come into his money after you left.”

Lisa deserved a little torture, didn’t she? He added, “It happened the day we signed our divorce papers.”

Technically only the accident happened that day. The money had come later, but it was more dramatic, stated that way. Maybe Lisa would think twice about upgrading again.

“On the drive in tonight,” Sunny continued, “Pete proposed!”

Lisa gasped. “I thought you were engaged to Bruce Daniels.”

“Oh, that. Just a media story, Lisa. We parted last summer, thank goodness, or I’d never have met Pete. Pete’s the most wonderful, kind, generous man I’ve ever met.”

Leave it to Lisa to pick up on “generous” and glance at Sunny’s naked ring finger. His sweetheart had laid it on a little too thick. How would she get out of this one?

“Pete, darling, now I wish we hadn’t left my ring in the car. It needs to be sized,” she explained. “I didn’t want to risk losing a three-carat marquis.”

“Three carats?” Lisa repeated in a strangled voice.

Pete wasn’t sure what kind of ring that was, but for a reaction like that, he’d buy Sunny two of them.

“Pete, I think Daddy wants us,” Sunny said, providing their escape. “Lovely to meet you, Lisa.”

Strolling back toward the dais, he glanced back and caught Lisa watching them, openmouthed. How sweet it was, this gentle revenge.

Judging from the glow in Sunny’s beautiful eyes, she agreed wholeheartedly. “You liked that, didn’t you?” he said, teasing his girl.

“It was perfect! Lisa won’t sleep a wink tonight.”

“I’m going to get you that ring,” he vowed, “first thing Monday morning.”

She protested, “Oh, no! Please! I just had to say something that would really zap her. And don’t worry about people thinking we’re really engaged, not even if Lisa tells it.” The words peppered out of her like nails from a gun. “With my reputation for leaving a guy at the altar, we can say I called it off. People will just think I’m a flake. Maybe I am. It doesn’t matter.”

He couldn’t take it, not those words, not that reproach of herself. He tipped her chin up and said sternly. “Don’t ever talk that way again. I love you just the way you are.”

Those big brown eyes melted. “You love me?”

“Like I never thought I’d love anyone.”

“I love you, too.”

It was the most precious moment of his life, but that’s all it would be, for he saw Sunny’s dad bearing down on them. He’d never met the man in person, but that was him, all right.

Chapter Fourteen

S
enator Sam Keegan, professional mover and shaker, approached with his arms opened wide, his face wreathed in smiles. Cameras flashed as he embraced his daughter. Something about it turned Pete’s stomach. He knew what it felt like to love Sunny, and this wasn’t it.

Flash after flash, the media snapped father and daughter standing side by side, their likeness unmistakable. She beckoned him near and said, “Daddy, I’d like you to meet my special friend, Pete Maguire.”