Part 10 (1/2)

Chapter Thirteen.

Controlled chaos normally filled the mayor's office. Today, though, it was filled with a slew of confused staff members who were milling around in slow motion. The junior staff members looked bored out of their minds for the most part, not knowing any better, and the senior staff members were taut with tension.

Jacquelyn was sick of it. Gabe was pacing again, and even though he had been taking Jo's side over hers, she felt badly for him.

”Let's grab some coffee,” she said, reaching out to grab his arm.

”What?” He looked up at Jacquelyn, clearly not having heard a word she said.

”Coffee. Let's go. You are scaring the children.” She jerked her thumb in the direction of one of the office's newest interns, who looked like she might cry.

”Okay,” Gabe conceded, glancing at the intern. ”It's not my fault she picked a c.r.a.ppy week to start working here,” he mumbled.

They walked over to the break room, where Jacquelyn poured them both a cup of coffee.

”Drink up. And tell me why you're so upset.”

”It's just...they said they would be here this morning and they're not.”

”They?” Jacquelyn asked.

”Yes, both Jo and Madeline said that they were coming to work today.”

”Did Madeline email you? Or were you finally able to get her on the phone?”

”She was at Jo's apartment last night,” Gabe admitted, avoiding eye contact. ”I stopped by to check and make sure everything was okay. I wanted to find out how Madeline had been earlier in the day. But apparently, she is still staying with Jo.”

Jacquelyn lifted her coffee mug to her lips, masking her reaction. Inside, she was reeling, but she had made a decision not to show her anger to her co-workers anymore-especially Jo. A covert attack would be much better than one Jo could see coming.

Gabe was rambling, ”I just want things to go back to normal, you know? I'm tired of sitting at my desk with nothing to do. I'm sick of rescheduling events, wondering when Madeline will come back to work. I'm tired of staying up late at night, trying to rethink my career path if for some reason she does not win the election next November. You realize that's just a year away, don't you? If she doesn't snap out of it, this thing could ruin her career.”

”I'm well aware of that, thank you, Gabriel.” Madeline's voice was amused.

Gabe jumped, spilling coffee down the front of his s.h.i.+rt. ”s.h.i.+t!” he yelled. The curse was followed quickly by a mumbled, ”Sorry for my language, ma'am.”

Jo was nowhere to be seen, but the mayor stood confidently before them. Jacquelyn beamed from ear to ear at seeing Madeline without her new friend. ”Good morning, Mayor Stratton. Gabe and I were just talking about how we hoped you would show up this morning. We have sure missed you around here.”

”It's good to be back, even if only for a little bit,” Madeline said.

”Excuse me,” Jacquelyn said, scurrying to pour another cup of coffee. She added a cream and two sugars to it before extending the cup to Madeline.

”Thank you.” Madeline smiled and turned to survey the front office. ”It looks dead in here,” she commented.

”It has been,” Jacquelyn admitted, then, her curiosity getting the best of her, ”Where's Jo this morning?”

Madeline shrugged as she turned back to face them, but the gaze she leveled upon Jacquelyn was piercing. ”I'll be in my office talking to Ian, but if you need anything let me know.” She turned toward her office, but stopped to add, ”I don't think I want to take any calls today, so if you can hold those, that would be great. I'm only staying an hour or so.”

”Yes, ma'am,” Jacquelyn replied.

From the break room, Jacquelyn could hear the front office door swing open and closed, just as she could hear the familiar clacking of high heels on the floor.

”Speak of the devil,” she said snidely to Gabe, who shot her a puzzled look. Jacquelyn couldn't help but notice the way Madeline's hands shook at Jo's entrance. After all, there could be little doubt who it was. Everyone else was in the office, working as they should have been.

All eyes turned to the entrance of the small room, as the footsteps approached. Jo rounded the corner, and Madeline moved to the side to let her enter.

”Good morning, Jo,” Madeline said, nodding in her direction before leaving for her office.

Gabe chimed in, ”When did she stop calling you Josephine? I've been here for years and she still won't call me Gabe.”

”Have you ever asked her to call you Gabe?” Jo asked, lifting an eyebrow.

He considered for a moment. ”No, I guess I haven't. Is that what you did?”

Jo nodded, taking another sip of her coffee.

”Okay, whatever,” Gabe replied. ”So how is she doing? And why is she staying at your place still?”

Jo opened her mouth to respond, but Jacquelyn didn't want to sit around and listen to Jo talk about being Madeline's new best buddy.

”I would love to sit around and chat about the latest gossip with you two, but I think I will get back to work.” Jacquelyn could hear the b.i.t.c.hiness infusing her voice, but she didn't care. ”Gabe?” Ian's voice boomed down the hallway.

”Looks like you won't have time for your idle chitchat anyway,” she said, tossing the words in Gabe's direction and watching his face fall as he realized that he wasn't going to have a chance to be alone with Jo.

An unwilling but well-trained puppy, he headed to Ian's office. She followed close behind him, stopping at her office, which was beside Ian's. She let out a sigh.

”So what's on the agenda today?” her intern asked, looking up from the files he'd been sorting.

”Survival,” Jacquelyn said dryly.

Jo busied herself at her desk. Like other staffers, she was accustomed to the air of chaos that usually engulfed the mayor's office. With the press frenzy being largely handled by Ian and Madeline's appointments all canceled, there was little for her to do aside from write letters for staff members to read on the mayor's behalf. Days that seemed trivial were unsettling. Once she had finished prepping all necessary letters, she hammered away on her computer, outlining some of the speeches that would be needed in the coming months. She needed the distraction.

If she let down her guard for even a few seconds, her thoughts s.h.i.+fted straight back to Madeline. The past few days, she had been riding a roller coaster of emotions. Was it the thought of a forbidden love that had enticed her so completely? Or did she really feel this strongly about her? One way or another, everything that had happened had left her feeling confused and hurt, like a leper or a loser who had made a pa.s.s at someone and been rejected.

Cursing herself under her breath for her stupidity, she tapped her fingers anxiously on the desk. She wanted to see her-to talk to her and smooth things over.

She glanced at the clock on her computer screen. Only forty-five minutes had pa.s.sed since she had arrived. She felt like she was in a cage. Scanning the office, she confirmed what she already knew-everyone was staring at her, trying to figure out the change in her demeanor or how to get a juicy piece of gossip.

”Did you hear that she's staying with Jo?” an intern who had yet to learn how to whisper asked his neighbor in the corner cubicle.

Jo stiffened and, after a deep breath, stood. On her way to Madeline's office, she rehea.r.s.ed what she had to say. When she stood at the door, though, words escaped her. Forcing herself to be strong, she knocked gently on the door.

”It's unlocked,” came Madeline's voice from the other side.

Jo opened the door and stepped inside, closing it behind her. ”We need to talk,” Jo said quietly enough to thwart curious ears-but with enough a.s.sertiveness to let Madeline know that she meant business.

”We have nothing to talk about,” Madeline said. ”Besides, Ian will be in to meet with me shortly.”