Aced (Blocked #2) (22 page)

“He’s very thorough,” Maddie said with a smirk.

I hid a smile. How the hell was I supposed to focus on cards when she sat right across from me, her sweet mouth enticing me with every word she spoke?

Somehow I played the right cards despite her distracting presence, and Maddie and I won the second game.

“Okay, rubber game, baby,” Dane said. “Whoever wins the next game is the supreme champion of the universe.”

I just shook my head.

“Team Nerd will conquer all,” Maddie said.

China materialized by our table. “Just an FYI, the media’s showing video of Maddie arriving tonight.”

Maddie stiffened.

“Do you want to watch it?” Lucia asked.

She chewed on her lip. “I don’t know, do I?”

Please, don’t
, I thought.
Publicity and girlfriends don’t mix
. Our first night together might be our only night together.

“Face the music,” Dane said. “Better to know what they’re saying about you so you can defend yourself.”

Maddie nodded and stood to follow China. My consternation must have been apparent because Lucia patted my arm.

“I know. It sucks being famous.” She gestured to the TV room. “C’mon, let’s go watch.”

“Here’s a sweet story for Valentine’s Day,”
the reporter said as I entered.
“Looks like the president’s kids have themselves a double date.”

Maddie perched next to Dane on the sofa. Lucia circled around to plop down next to him, but I was too nervous to sit by Maddie. I wouldn’t blame her for wanting to ditch me. My hands balled into fists as I paced near China and Allison behind the sofa.

“Earlier tonight, Senator Monroe’s son, Dane, arrived at his former residence, where President Ramirez’s daughter, Lucia, currently lives.”
Video rolled of Dane jogging from the SUV to the greenhouse, with Frank following him in.

“Looks like the bipartisan romance between Lucia Ramirez and Dane Monroe is still sizzling.”

“Whatever.” Dane grunted. Then he groaned as the broadcast cut to footage of him and Lucia from election night four months ago.

We watched as Dane stared at the camera and proclaimed, “I love Lucia Ramirez.”

The Lucia on the screen gasped as she looked up at him. “And I love Dane Monroe.” Her smile reddened her pink cheeks as she smothered Dane with a kiss.

I noticed her squirming on the sofa now, her current blush much deeper than the one on the screen.

Allison sighed as her hand covered her heart. “That kiss gets me every time.”

“Maybe there’s another romance in progress tonight.”
The reporter’s voice drew my attention back to the TV, where Maddie pulled up to the greenhouse in a small silver car.

When I watched the media mob her vehicle, my teeth clenched.
Get away from her, ¡cabrones!

“Madison Brooks is a senior at Highbanks University. She’s a star volleyball player whose four-fifty hitting percentage ranked third in the NCAA last season. Ms. Brooks is teammate to Lucia Ramirez, but who is she to Alejandro Ramirez?”

I glared at the TV.
She’s none of your damn business
.

Maddie’s lips parted as she watched, spellbound. I knew the sickening feeling of witnessing your life played out on screen, with no idea how deep the excavation would dig. My world was spinning out of control, and there was nothing I could do about it.

They cut away from Maddie’s luminous face inside her car at the gate to a shot of us heading for the SUV outside the restaurant. The camera zoomed in on my hand grasping hers as we weaved through pesky reporters.

“Is there love in the air, heating up this cold February night?”

“Hello, cheesy,” Dane scoffed.

Then an image of a modest white, two-story home flashed on the screen, and Maddie sat up straight.

“Madison Brooks grew up in this Cleveland Heights home owned by her grandparents, Darius and Neliah Brooks.”

“Oh my God,” she said. “Nana and Gramps…”

Now her grandparents were in the public eye, too. What an invasion of privacy! She hadn’t asked for this.

I suddenly remembered my ex-girlfriend Charlotte marching over to me after baseball practice at TCU, her eyes flaring. She’d thrust her phone in my face.

“Look what they’re saying about me!”

The headline read
Ramirez Dates a Party Girl
. “Nobody reads this. It’s just a local Ft. Worth magazine,” I’d said.

“That’s all you have to say?” she’d screeched.

I’d scanned down the article; the reporter had discovered an Instagram photo of Charlotte drinking beer at a party.

“You’re not twenty-one,” I’d said. “Why were you drinking?”

“Everybody does it! But not everyone has the freaking media breathing down their necks. Now I’m in trouble with my coach, thanks to you.”

“I’m sorry, Char—” But she’d already stormed away.

She’d broken up with me the next day.

“Madison’s father and brother also live in the home,”
the reporter continued. My stomach flipped. I had a sense where this story headed.
“Friends of the family report that Madison’s mother abandoned them when she was only two years old.”

Dios, no
. Maddie’s mouth quivered as she looked down into her lap.

Lucia leaned across Dane. “That’s not true, right, Maddie?” When she didn’t answer, Lucia pressed on. “How dare they make up lies? I’ll get my dad’s people to retract that.”

“Don’t, Rez.” Maddie’s voice was soft.

“But why?” Lucia asked. “Don’t let them make up stuff about you.”

I didn’t want my sister to keep badgering her. “Lucia!” I said sharply. “Leave it alone.”

Lucia gawked at me over her shoulder. After a moment her face changed. “Oh…I didn’t know.” She looked at Maddie. “I’m so sorry.”

Dane glanced back at me and dipped his head toward Maddie to tell me I should comfort her. I knew he was right. But I was glued to the floor. She would never sign up for this now. We’d only shared two kisses, so why did the end of our relationship depress me so much?

“That’s awful, Maddie.” Dane draped his arm over her shoulders when I didn’t move. She kept her eyes on the floor.

I’d missed the end of that dreadful story, and now the reporter blabbed on about yet another state legalizing marijuana. Maybe that’s what I needed: a big, fat blunt. Not that I’d know how to smoke it. Let the media get ahold of that story:
President’s Son Caught Toking it Up
.

Maddie raised her head and looked at me.

No
.

Tears glistened in her eyes, and for the first time, she didn’t look beautiful when she cried. I just saw pain—pain that I’d caused. I did this. I’d made her life worse by bringing her into mine.

Thoughts ping-ponged in my mind, racing faster than my heartbeat, and I had no idea what to do. I needed to get the hell out of there. My feet swept me away from the TV room, and I found myself in the guest bedroom before I realized I’d left. My breaths came shallow and quick as I looked around.

Now what?
It was probably time to pack my duffle bag. We were scheduled to fly back to Baltimore early tomorrow for my class, but I wondered if Brad and China could find a way for us to leave tonight. Lucy was fine—much better than myself at the moment, anyway. So now there was nothing for me here.

Dane filled the doorway. “Hey. Luz is talking to Maddie, but she sent me in to check on you.”

I hid my shaking hands behind my back.

He stepped forward. “You okay, man?”

“I’m good.”
Breathe. Help me, God. Help Maddie.

He studied me for a moment, then looked around the bedroom. “This used to be my room.” He brushed his hand across the sage green duvet. “Before the election.”

I waited for a snide comment, but none came. Actually, Dane hadn’t said one word to me about his mother losing in November. The more I thought about it, the more I marveled. “How do you do it?”

“What?”

I slid my hands into my pockets. “You’re handling the election results a lot better than I would’ve, had the shoe been on the other foot.”

Dane smirked. “I kind of surprise myself, actually. It’s probably that damn therapy.” He closed his eyes and held his hands out to the side like a praying Buddha. He breathed in. “Everything is…” He exhaled. “As it should be.” He grinned at me. “My mom losing isn’t all bad. At least I don’t have Secret Service up my ass, or the media in my face.”

“True that.”

Dane assessed me for a long moment. His hand skimmed his jaw. “And it gave me my parents back.”

My confusion showed on my face.

“You don’t know what went down in my family?” he asked.

I shrugged. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I love that girl.” He smiled fondly. “I love Luz for keeping things secret.” He crossed the room in two strides and fiddled with a book on the shelf. A few moments passed. “My dad had an affair last year.”

I wasn’t sure how to reply.

“And my parents were considering divorce.” He looked over his shoulder at me, probably trying to gauge my reaction.

“That sounds horrible.”

He frowned as he turned. He pressed his hands against the desk chair, his long arms bent at the elbow as he leaned back. “But now they’re going to couples counseling, trying to save their marriage. No way that would’ve happened with the pressures of the White House.”

I nodded. “I’m glad for you and your sister then.”

“Yeah.” He blew out a breath. “It would kill Jessica if they split.” After a moment he tapped his fingers on the chair. “That sure sucks about Maddie’s mom leaving.”

My mouth pressed in a grim line. It seemed my parents’ happy marriage was an anomaly.

“You knew about her mom, huh?” Dane asked.

“I sort of figured it out, and Maddie confirmed it.” I ran my hands through my hair. “It rips her up inside, and she didn’t want anyone to know. But now everyone knows.” My shoulders slumped. “They really violated her, and just because she was seen with me. She won’t want any part of being with me.”

“She trusted you,” Dane said. “That means something.”

I paused.

“I think Luz is bummed that Maddie never told her,” he continued. “She thought Maddie’s mom just didn’t like coming to volleyball games or something. But I get it. Maddie kept it quiet because she probably blames herself for her mom leaving.”

“What?” I recoiled. “That’s ridiculous.”

Dane shrugged. “My mom says kids blame themselves when things go wrong in their families.”

Interesting.

“Mom won’t shut up about how her problems with my dad aren’t my fault.” He rolled his eyes. “But I know it’s my dad’s issues, mostly. He’s got that crazy narcissist artist thing going on.”

I liked this open, introspective side of Dane.
Wait a minute
—were we
bonding?
I’d never expected to have such a deep conversation with him, let alone on the heels of a tumultuous evening with Maddie. Maybe my sister hadn’t been as foolish as I thought when she’d fallen for Dane.

“Thanks for your help with Lucy earlier—after she discovered Maddie and me together,” I said.

“No problem. She’ll be fine with it once she realizes Maddie will still be there for her. It’s just been hard for her to find friends, you know, with Secret Service and all.”

I could relate to that. Jake was far away, and it was tough to get close to med school classmates with two agents shadowing my every move. I tossed my running shoes into my duffle bag, then pressed them into the sides to make room for my clothes. “I hope Maddie will stay close to Lucy, even if she doesn’t want to be with me.”

Dane’s eyebrows pulled together. “What’re you smoking, man?”

My hands stilled.

“Maddie’s into you, and one crappy news story isn’t going to change that. You’ve got this sophisticated Latin vibe going on. Drives all the ladies crazy, right?”

“I’d hardly say that.”

“Aw, come on. I bet you’ve got lots of notches on your bedpost.”

My chest seized. Was he mocking me? Had Lucia told him I was a virgin? But he kept smiling like he believed I was some ladies’ man. Maybe Lucia had kept my secret too.

“Maddie’s not talking about ditching you.” Dane gestured to the door. “She thinks
you’re
leaving
her
because you’re embarrassed to be with her or some nonsense. Luz is trying to convince her she’s wrong.”

I bolted out the door.

Dane followed me back to the TV room where Lucia huddled next to Maddie on the sofa. They looked up when we arrived, and I let out a breath when I saw Maddie had stopped crying.

Lucia patted Maddie’s arm, then stood and nodded at me. An awkward silence stretched between us.

“Luz, weren’t you going to show me something in your room?” Dane asked.

“Umm…” Her gaze bounced from Maddie to me to Dane. “Oh! Yeah, I was.” She walked around the sofa.

“
Oye
.” I touched her shoulder as she passed. “Did I ever tell you you’re a great sister?”

Her eyes widened. That surprise told me I should praise her more often. Then she smirked. “You don’t have to. I already know I’m an awesome sister.”

I shook my head and gave her a hug. When she and Dane disappeared down the hallway, I looked at Maddie. Despite her height, she seemed small on the expansive sofa. I took a risk to sit down next to her and pointed at the now-silent TV. “I’m sorry.”

She sighed. “It’s not your fault.”

“It’s not yours, either.” I looked into her eyes. “You know that, right? It’s not your fault your mom left.”

She bit her bottom lip for a moment, leaving it full, wet, and pouty.
Kissable
. It would be awful never to kiss her again, but I had to know if she could deal with this. “You don’t have to sign up for this, you know. The spotlight. I don’t have a choice, but you do.”

“Hey.” She sat up. “I’m not the TCU tennis player, okay? I won’t leave just because of stupid reporters. I can take it. I’m stronger than her.”

Happiness warmed my chest. She was definitely a strong woman. I exhaled. “Okay.” We kept looking at each other. I wanted to ask her more about her mother and the rest of her family, but she seemed overwhelmed as it was. Not knowing what else to say, I asked, “How are you?”