Now that was a sticky situation. “Actually, I’m here to work.”
“For Gray.”
“Sort of.”
“So you’re still free to go out with me.” He gave her the kind of easygoing smile that would be nearly impossible to resist, if she were looking for a hot guy to spend an evening with. Which she wasn’t.
“I’m sorry, I really can’t.” She laid her hand on his arm. “But if I was going to go out with someone, Cal, it would definitely be you.”
He smiled at her, so he took the rejection well. “I guess I’ll take that as a decent enough consolation.”
She laughed. “I hope so. And I do appreciate the offer. Believe me, today was the perfect day to receive it.”
“Rough one?”
“Yes. So thank you.”
“What the hell are you doing, Evelyn?”
She spun around to see Gray barreling down on them. As was his typical demeanor since last night, he looked angry. She’d had just about enough of him being angry for no reason, so she gave him a laid-back stare and didn’t move. There was no reason for her to feel guilty for spending time with Cal. She might work for his father, but she didn’t work for him. He didn’t own her.
“As a matter of fact, I was spending time with Cal.”
Gray gave Cal what could only be described as a death glare, the kind she’d seen many times when two political opponents faced off. “What are you doing with Evelyn?”
“I was giving her some car lessons.”
“Why?”
Evelyn decided she could handle this. “Because I asked him and he was gracious enough to give me some of his time, something you couldn’t be bothered with today.”
Cal crossed his arms and smirked at Gray.
“I was goddamn busy today.”
“Only takes a few minutes to explain the physical and mechanical aspects of your race car, Gray,” Cal said. “Especially to a smart woman like Evelyn. What bug crawled up your ass today?”
“None of your f**king business, McClusky. Let’s go, Evelyn.”
He was treating her like she was his property, and she didn’t like it. Instead, she turned her back to Gray and faced Cal. “I’ve changed my mind. I’d love to go out with you tonight, Cal.”
Cal grinned. “Great. Are you staying nearby?”
“Yes.” She gave him her hotel information and her cell phone number, feeling Gray’s gaze burn into her the entire time.
“I’ll pick you up at seven?” Cal asked.
“Sounds perfect. Thank you again for the tour today. I really appreciate it.”
“Anytime. See you tonight, darlin’.”
With a wink to Gray, Cal walked off, leaving her alone with Gray.
“You can’t really mean to go out with him.”
“Last time I checked, I’m over the age of twenty-one and you are not related to me.
In fact, this is the first time today you’ve even spoken to me. Besides, you made it pretty clear last night you want nothing to do with me, so butt out of my personal life.” She pivoted and headed toward the parking lot, knowing she was acting like a hurt girlfriend, but these were her emotions and she was going with it.
Gray followed, his long strides easily staying in step with her short, angry ones.
“Don’t trust him. He may seem like a nice guy, but he’s got issues.”
And Gray didn’t? She waved her hand in dismissal at him. “I think I can handle myself just fine.”
When she got to her car, she unlocked her door and started to open it. Gray shut it and leaned against it, commandeering her attention. “I’m serious about Cal McClusky, Evelyn. His only goal is to win, and he knows there’s something going on between you and me. That’s the only reason he wants to go out with you.”
Could he be more insulting? “So you’re saying I have nothing to offer a man?”
He rolled his eyes. “That’s not what I said at all.”
“Get out of my way, Gray. And stay out of my personal life.”
Anger flared in his eyes. “Why? You’re in mine. Shouldn’t that give me the same right to be in yours?”
“No. Now move.”
He hesitated, then took a step back. She slid in her seat, started the car, and drove off, a vision of Gray standing in the parking lot firmly planted in her rearview mirror.
NINE
THIS HAD BEEN SUCH A STUPID IDEA. SHE WAS ABOUT as interested in going out with Cal McClusky tonight as she was in switching political affiliations. But she’d had to be stubborn and show Gray that he couldn’t boss her around.
Since when did she get so reactive? She’d always been so calm and unruffled, the perfect demeanor for a career in politics. A few days around Gray Preston and she was acting like a fourteen-year-old.
And now she was going out on a date with a guy she wasn’t even attracted to. A nice enough guy, but still, a man she normally would have given a polite no to. In fact, she had said no, until Gray had gone all caveman on her and started issuing commands, as if she were some stuffing-brained Barbie Doll. That had set her off, and now here she stood, in front of her closet, wondering what the hell she was going to wear, when instead she could be curled up in bed reading her favorite Maya Banks romance, or unwinding by watching reality TV, her guiltiest pleasure. Or she could go over her boss’s agenda for the next month. You know, performing the functions of her damn job like she should be doing.
Ugh.
She chose a basic black dress with a covered neckline and short sleeves, finishing off the outfit with a bland pair of black pumps. Conservative, not sexy, and would in no way lead Cal to believe she was giving him any signals. In fact, it was the perfect outfit for attending a funeral, or an appearance on the congressional floor.
What a boring outfit. She wouldn’t be caught dead wearing this thing on a date— not typically, anyway.
The poor guy. He’d been so nice to her, too.
When he knocked on her hotel room door, she grabbed her purse and her phone, noting the time.
He was punctual, too. She pasted on a smile. “Cal.”
“Evelyn.”
He wore jeans, a button-down shirt, boots, and a cowboy hat. Even in her funeral dress, she was overdressed.
“Am I overdressed?”
“No. You look gorgeous.”
He had to be lying. She looked like a freakin’ pilgrim.