Chapter 31
thirty-one
. . .
Jess
“So, you’re telling me that you voluntarily chose to stay with Lucas at Grant’s instead of here with us?” Blair raises an eyebrow as she tosses another bottle of sunscreen into our shopping basket.
I roll my eyes but can’t quite suppress my smile. “It’s more convenient. The party runs late.”
“Mm-hmm,” Sophia hums knowingly, examining a display of local honey. “Convenient. That’s what we’re calling it.”
Blair, Sophia, Stella, and I have escaped the testosterone-heavy atmosphere of Brandon’s beach house for a grocery run. The house is gorgeous, all weathered shingles and panoramic ocean views, but with Brandon, Wyatt, and Jake debating the merits of various grilling techniques, we needed a break.
“I don’t know why you’re both looking at me like that,” I protest, grabbing a box of crackers. “Lucas and I are married. Staying together shouldn’t be news.” I look back to make sure Stella isn’t in earshot. The guilt creeps up my neck. I feel terrible lying to her.
“Let’s not forget that she’s wearing his college hoodie,” Sophia points out. “Voluntary husband clothes stealing is a critical relationship milestone.”
I glance down at the faded USC Baseball sweatshirt I’d thrown on this morning. “It’s comfortable,” I mutter. “And he doesn’t mind.”
“I can’t believe you won’t be staying with us this trip!” Stella pouts as she lingers behind us, oblivious to our conversation. “Next year, maybe you and Lucas can stay with us at Brandon’s house.”
“You two are actually working out,” Blair says as we walk a few more steps ahead of Stella as Sophia slows to hang back with her. “Can’t say I’m surprised. Which is actually surprising.”
I start to object, but as we turn the corner into the wine section, I freeze so suddenly that Sophia bumps into me from behind.
“Jess, what—” she starts to say and then follows my gaze.
Senator Logan Carmichael stands by the premium cabernets, his hand resting on the lower back of a woman who is decidedly not his wife.
She’s younger, maybe early forties, with sleek blonde hair in an elegant twist. They’re standing close, too close for a professional relationship, and the intimacy in their body language makes my instincts ping loudly.
“Is that…?” Blair whispers.
“Lucas’s father,” I confirm as a protective anger flares in my chest. I think of Katherine Carmichael, and something hardens in my resolve.
“Jess, maybe we should…” Sophia begins, but I’m already moving forward.
“Senator Carmichael!” I call out, my voice bright with false warmth. “What a surprise!”
The pair jumps apart slightly, and Logan’s politician mask slides into place so quickly that it would be impressive if it weren’t so practiced.
“Jessica,” he says, recovering smoothly, though I don’t miss the momentary panic in his eyes. “What a pleasant surprise. I didn’t realize you’d be in the Hamptons this weekend.”
“I could say the same,” I reply, extending my hand to the woman beside him. “I’m Jess Lexington-Carmichael, Logan’s daughter-in-law. And you are…?”
The woman takes my hand, and her grip is firm. “Diane Mercer. I work with the senator on his education initiative.”
“Diane is my director of legislative affairs,” Logan adds, his tone perfectly calibrated between professional and friendly. “We’re preparing for a donor meeting tomorrow about Katherine’s scholarship foundation.”
It sounds legitimate. It probably is legitimate. But something in the way the woman won’t quite meet my eyes sets off every warning bell I possess.
“How wonderful,” I say, matching his political smoothness. “Katherine’s foundation does such important work. Is she here with you this weekend?”
A flicker of discomfort crosses his face. “Unfortunately, no. She’s at a conference in Chicago.”
“Such a shame that we’ll miss her,” I reply, letting my gaze linger on Diane. “Lucas didn’t mention you’d be in town, Senator.”
“I didn’t realize Lucas would be here, either,” he says with a slight edge in his voice. “He tends to make decisions without consulting the family calendar these days.”
The implication is clear. Logan blames me for the distance with his son. I smile wider.
“Grant Hall’s summer party,” I explain. “Lucas never misses it. We’re staying at Grant’s guesthouse.”
“Interesting,” Logan says, his smile not reaching his eyes. “I thought these industry parties weren’t your usual scene, given your…journalistic integrity concerns.”
It’s a subtle dig, but I don’t rise to the bait.
“I go where the stories are, Senator. Speaking of which, I’m working on a piece about political families maintaining authentic connections in the public eye.
Perhaps you’d be willing to comment? Your family presents such a united front despite different career paths. ”
Logan’s smile tightens. “I’m afraid I’m rather busy this weekend, Jessica. Perhaps another time.”
“Of course.” I nod understandingly. “Well, I won’t keep you and Diane from your…preparations. I’ll be sure to tell Lucas that I ran into you. I’m sure he’ll want to find time to see his father while you’re both here.”
The barely concealed alarm in Logan’s eyes gives me a petty satisfaction.
“That’s not neces—”
“It’s no trouble at all,” I interrupt sweetly. “Family is so important, don’t you think?”
Blair clears her throat beside me. “Jess, we should probably finish up. We’ve got that thing…”
“Right,” I agree, never breaking eye contact with Logan. “Senator, Diane, enjoy your weekend. I’m sure we’ll cross paths again soon.”
As we walk away, I can feel Logan’s eyes burning into my back. The moment we’re out of earshot, Stella explodes in a whispered frenzy.
“Oh, my God, was he having an affair? Did we just witness—”
“We don’t know that,” Sophia cuts in diplomatically, though her expression is troubled.
“We don’t,” I agree, though everything in me suggests otherwise. “But I know what I saw.”
“Are you going to tell Lucas?” Blair asks quietly.
I nod without hesitation. “Of course. He should know his father is here.”
“It could just be work,” Sophia offers, but her tone lacks conviction.
“Maybe,” I concede, though I’m already mentally replaying the body language, the guilty start when I called out, the way Diane’s hand had lingered on Logan’s arm. My reporter’s instinct rarely steers me wrong, and right now, it’s screaming that there’s more to this story.
“What are you thinking?” Blair asks, studying my face. She knows me too well.
“I’m thinking,” I say slowly, “that I’ll tell Lucas I saw his father with a colleague and let him decide what to make of it.”
“Just the facts?” Stella asks, sounding disappointed by my restraint.
“Just the facts,” I confirm. “It’s not my place to make accusations or start digging into his family without his permission.”
As we’re checking out with our groceries, my phone buzzes with a text.
LUCAS
Can’t wait to see you tonight.
I stare at the message, with warmth and dread coiling together in my stomach. Four months ago, I wouldn’t have hesitated to pursue this story, to expose Logan Carmichael’s hypocrisy. Now, with Lucas in my life, the boundaries have shifted.
“You’re really not going to investigate?” Sophia asks gently as we load bags into the car, knowing me well enough to read my internal struggle.
“I’m going to tell him what I saw,” I say firmly. “Just the facts, that I ran into his father and a legislative staffer. What happens after that is Lucas’s call, not mine.”
“That’s surprisingly restrained for you,” Blair observes, her eyebrows raised.
“He’s my husband,” I say simply; the word still feels strange on my tongue. “His family, his decision.”
As we drive back to Brandon’s, I can’t shake the image of Logan’s face when I mentioned telling Lucas about our encounter. For a man who’s spent his career controlling narratives, he’d looked genuinely afraid.
I respond to Lucas.
JESS
I’ll be there soon
His response comes quickly.
LUCAS
Whenever you want. Door’s always open for you.
I smile at his message, even as I’m wrestling with what to say when I see him. Just the facts, I remind myself. No accusations, no journalist digging. Not unless he asks.
But something deep inside me, the part that’s grown increasingly protective of Lucas over these past months, hopes he doesn’t ask. Some truths are better left uncovered, at least for now.