Ahh I know, I know I've been gone for so long! Life has a sneaky little habit of getting in the way of things and I've been crazy busy this last month or so. I'm off school and work for the next three days, so I'm hoping that I can get some chapters up this weekend while I'm on break. Thank you to everyone who's left review on the last chapter, I read all of them and they make me so happy! This is getting long so I'll wrap it up, but I hope you guys enjoy chapter five!
ERIN
"Evening my dear," Jay says as I answer his call. I roll my eyes at his new pet name for me, one that I've gotten more than a few times over the past day.
"You know you don't always have to call me that," I says with a laugh as I pull on a pair of Converse, holding the phone between my ear and my shoulder.
"Would you like me to stop?" He teases, knowing very well what I'm going to say.
"Do whatever you'd like Jay Halstead," I tell him, a smirk stretched across my face.
"Well in that case, Toby is waiting outside for you my dear,"
"You know I really can drive myself," I say as I fish my purse out from beneath the seven other purses on the hooks. "I'm an adult,"
"And you also know that it's a security issue," He tells me.
"Fine," I whine, giving up on my 24 hour effort to allow him to let me drive myself. "I'll see you soon, okay?"
"See you soon," He says before hanging up the one.
"Miss Lindsay?" I hear from a very tall man in a black suit at the end of the driveway, standing outside an Escalade with blacked out windows.
"That's me," I say with a smile, "And you must be Toby,"
"Agent Toby Wells, yes," He says with a firm look on his face.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," I say as I hold out my hand to shake his.
"The pleasure is all mine ma'am," He answers as I step into the car.
"You know you don't have to call me that,"
"Sorry, protocol. What would you like me to call you?" He asks.
"I think Erin will be just fine," I say before he nods and closes the heavy door of the black Escalade behind me.
"So do you like your job Toby?" I ask as we roll down the streets of Santa Barbara.
"I serve at the pleasure of the President," He responds, his face stoic and emotions hidden behind those black sunglasses. That's not really an answer but I think it's the best I'm going to get.
"Oh okay," I say as I look out the window, seeming way too high off the ground. It was a step to get in, especially coming from my tiny little sedan I'm used to driving. It's also super weird to be in a car and to not be driving it. I almost always drive. I don't say anything for the rest of the trip, sensing that he may not be up for conversing based on how quickly he shut me down before.
We pull into a parking garage below the hotel and drive further down until we drive past what looks like a blockade of sorts, Toby pulling out what I assume is some sort of ID and showing it to a security guy and he quickly waves us through, Toby parking not long after.
He doesn't say anything to me as he gets out of the car, but I get the gesture and follow him to a row of elevators. Again, we don't say anything as the elevator raises to the top story of the building, Toby again having to insert some card into the side of the elevator for the buttons to even allow themselves to be pressed, though I assume that's just something with the hotel and not a crazy security measure implemented just for them.
"His room is just down the hall," Toby informs me, talking for the first time in about twenty minutes as we walk down the very long hallway at the top of the Canary. He walks behind me silently for a while, before moving in front of me to knock on Jay's door.
"Mr. Halstead, Miss Lindsay is here,"
"Great!" I hear Jay say as his footsteps approach the door. He smiles as he opens the door, dressed more casually than I thought he was capable of in a pair of sweatpants and a Harvard sweatshirt, making me feel much more confidant in my choice of cropped leggings and a blue and grey Bowman tank. "Thanks for getting my girl here safe and sound,"
"Not your girl," I say with a smirk as he lets me in, Toby falling out behind me to what I assume is his own room.
"So did you like Toby?" He asks once the door closes behind us.
"He talked to me once," I say bluntly as I kick my shoes off next to the door, strangely feeling a lot more casual than I probably should.
"He'll warm up don't worry," He assures me.
"You sure? I don't think even my dazzling personality could charm that guy," I say.
"He'll come around and you'll come around to him," He assures me as I follow him into the kitchen.
"I'm going to be around long enough to come around?" I ask, my arms crossed in front of my chest as I follow him.
"That's up to you, but I sure hope so," He tells me with a smile, not even waiting for a response, "You want anything to drink?"
"You got Diet Coke?" I ask before he tosses me one. "My mom got me addicted to the stuff it's so bad,"
"Yeah here," He says as he tosses me the silver can. "So you a hockey fan?'
"Hockey's kind of a big deal in my house," I say as I pop open the can. "My dad played in high school and my little brother plays for his school now,"
"I played in high school, college too. Halsteads' play hockey, then we hang up the skates and run for office,"
"You ever think about making a run? You're eligible to be a Representative in three years,"
"You know how old I am?' He asks, with a raised brow. My face instantly begins to flush, but quickly goes back to normal as I see the smile on his face. He's teasing me.
"You're kind of famous Jay Halstead," I tease right back as I follow him into the living room.
"Don't remind me," He says as he flops down on the couch. I carefully sit down next to him, careful not to disturb anything. It looks and feels expensive. Everything in his suite feels expensive.
"So," I begin as I curl my feet up beneath me, "what are you doing down in Santa Barbara,"
"Well as I'm sure you know, my mom's running for reelection,"
"I do," I say.
"Well we're all campaigning, they think it's charming, having the kids talk to them. They're more likely to donate money to us. Will's holding down the fort in Chicago with Natalie and they're talking to all the big donors there, Nora's in Boston, and I'm filling in the gaps anywhere else, which means a lot of flying between New York, LA, and Washington,"
"Where's home for you?" I ask as I pull a plush blanket over myself.
"Chicago," He tells me with a smile.
"Really?" I say surprised, "I was expecting you to say Washington,"
"I've lived there almost my entire life, but when the Senate was out of session, my mom always took us back to my grandparents house in Chicago. Plus, my brother lives there with his fiancee and their son, so I like being there with them,"
"Will has a kid?" I ask. I don't remember seeing that online, but I'm not going to admit that I even went there.
"Not exactly," He tells me as I wrinkle my brow in confusion. "He's really Natalie's son. She had him when she was 20. I haven't ever asked about the details, but from what I know, alcohol was involved that night and the father isn't involved, he hasn't ever been. Will and Nat have been friends since they were 18, they only started dating when Owen was like two months old, but Will's his dad, just not biologically,"
"Does Owen have your name?" I ask.
"Not yet, he's Owen Conte for now, they're waiting until after the wedding for the name change," He answers.
"When's that?" I ask.
"Sometime this summer, maybe August?" He tells me. "They're both in med school in Chicago, so they have to get it done during the break,"
"Oh makes sense," I say, leading us into yet another one of our awkward silences. "So," I say after a minute, "Are we going to watch hockey or what?"
"I like the way you think Lindsay," He says with a grin as he grabs the remote and flicks on the TV, the familiar sounds of the rink playing over the speakers.
"You know we could go to a real game sometime," He tells me. "The Kings are playing the Blackhawks in a couple weeks,"
"You assume I'll still be talking to you in a couple of weeks," I tease him as the game starts.
"I'm hoping I assume correctly," He says, looking over at me with a grin.
"We'll see Halstead," I tell him as I refocus my attention on the game, keeping my real apprehensions about entering into a relationship with him at bay. He can't ever know about Charlie, it might tear me apart, but I can't go down again for this. And he definitely can't.
JAY
"Alright you win," I admit as the final period ends, her team destroying mine. I look over as my words are met with silence. She would not miss the opportunity to taunt me, she's been doing it all night long. "Erin?"
I look down to see her tiny body curled up and asleep on the couch, a perfect look of serenity on her face as soft snores escaped her. She looks beautiful, even when she's asleep. I've never had to work this hard for a girl, it's always been so easy. But she's worth it. I barely know her and I know that I'm willing to work for this. I'm willing to work for her.
"Erin?" I say, shaking her shoulder slightly.
"Huh?" She says as she flutters her eyes open. "What happened?"
"You fell asleep," I tell her, "Your team won by the way,"
"Of course they did," She says sleepily, not entirely coherent at this point. "I should go home,"
"It's late, just stay over," He says. "I'll take you back to campus tomorrow,"
"I'm not sleeping with you Halstead," She tells me, looking very satisfied with herself.
"I know," I say with a smile as I look down at her, "Just stay,"
"You promise?" She asks, her eyelids lowering with sleep.
"I promise," I assure her.
"Fine," She says as she begins to fall back asleep.
"Alright," I say as I sweep her into my arms, bridal style.
"Put me down," She says halfheartedly, I feel her whack the back of my shoulder softly, before her arm slumps back down.
"Just go back to sleep Erin," I tell her as I feel her head relax onto my shoulder.
"Okay," She tells me before she slips back into sleep.
I smile down at her, carrying her into the bedroom before slipping her underneath the covers and quietly closing the door behind me as I leave. As the image of her resurfaces in my mind, I have a terrifying thought. I think I'm falling for her. I barely know her and she definitely doesn't want anything to do with me, but I can't help it. And I know that there's nothing I can do to stop it. She's beautiful, that's obvious and while that's what initially drew me to her, that's not the most enticing thing anymore. She's curious and intriguing, she's got a sharp tongue and she's the only person I've meet since my mom has been elected that's pushed back. I need that.
"Sir?" I hear as I walk back into the main room.
"Toby, you know you can call me Jay," I tell him again.
"Sorry, Jay," He responds, "Would you like me to take Ms. Lindsay back to her house? It's getting late,"
"We're okay actually, she fell asleep so I'm just going to take her back in the morning," I tell him as I pull open my laptop to catch up on all the emails I know I missed the past couple hours.
"Alright," He says, "I'll see you both in the morning then,"
"Goodnight Toby,"
ERIN
I blink my eyes open to unfamiliar surroundings, the sheets and blankets I'm wrapped in not feeling like my own. I shoot up as I remember where I am. I must have fallen asleep. I vaguely remember him bringing me in here, but not really.
I stretch out, letting my toes touch the cool hard wood floors and walk out the door of the bedroom. It feels strange, walking around here without Jay, like I'm somewhere I shouldn't be.
"Hey stranger," I say as I spot him seated at the kitchen counter, a laptop open in front of him as he types furiously.
"Oh you're awake," He says, looking over at me with a smile as he closes his laptop.
"You just don't give up, do you Jay?" I say as I take the seat next to im at the bar.
"I don't know what you mean?' he responds.
"Well, you could have just taken me home last night," I tell him, secretly happy that he didn't.
"You could have asked," He responds as he grabs a bottle of water from the fridge.
"I could have," I say with a smile as I take a sip of his water bottle. "Anyways, I had a good time last night. Before I fell asleep anyway,"
"You thought anymore about that game in a couple weeks?"
"I'll let you know," I say, again keeping my reasons to myself.
"This would be so much easier if you would just stop playing hard to get," He says as he swipes the bottle back from me.
"But that takes all the fun out of it," I say with a smile.
"Could I possibly tempt you with this?" He says as he slides a flyer across the counter, "maybe this'll win me a first date,"
"A fashion show?" I say as I look over the flyer skeptically.
"A charity fashion show," He points out. "They use the funds they raise to build a school in a developing country. It's Ghana this year. My sisters walk in it every year, so Will and I are always in the audience."
"I don't know," I say, trying to stall but having a really hard time saying no. I want to say yes, but I know that there will be photographers there and if I'm on the arm of the son of the President of the United States, there will definitely be pictures and there will definitely be questions. I just don't know if I'm ready for that.
"C'mon am I really that bad?" He asks.
"No you're not," I respond, as I look down at my lap, "I am,"
"What do you mean Erin?" He asks as I look up at him with tears in my eyes. This is going to be over before it even starts.
"Jay I have to tell you something,"
I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! If you did, let me know in the reviews and I will try to have another chapter up ASAP!
xoxo,
Addie
