Chapter Sixteen

For the second time this week, Sara broke down in tears. Days earlier, Callie had called and asked if she wanted to talk anymore about Christopher or anything else. Almost immediately the tears had started, not as much in reaction to Callie’s question as to Callie’s thoughtfulness. The more she got to know her half sister, the worse she felt about the way she treated her in the beginning.

This time a picture on the cover of Today magazine set her waterworks off. The picture showed Christopher and her together the night of Mom’s birthday bash. The headline beneath it read “No Happily Ever After For This Sherbrooke.”

“I think it’s a great picture of you at least,” Hannah said. She’d stopped by to return the few things Sara left behind in her office and brought the magazine with her. “The article says you broke up with him after you found him in bed with another woman. Did that really happen?”

Sara bit down on her lip and wiped a tear away with a tissue. The media printed whatever got the most sales. “No, Hannah, you can’t believe everything you read. Remember that.” She’d told the younger woman that on countless occasions, yet it still failed to sink in.

“I’m glad. He seems like a nice guy. Did you hear about what he did?”

Sara shook her head.

“He established a new grant program for elementary schools. It’s similar to the Reading First Grant currently in place, but rather than provide money for reading intervention, it will focus on math. He’s urging other large corporations to contribute. So far two more are on board.”

The words slowly sank in. She’d already reached the conclusion she’d been wrong about Christopher, but this latest news really drove it home. Sara pushed back her chair. She needed a few minutes to regroup. “I’ll be back.”

Turning on the bathroom sink, Sara splashed cold water on her face. She couldn’t go on like this much longer. Either she needed to bury her feelings or confront Christopher and attempt to salvage their relationship.

“You’ve become a chicken,” she said to the reflection gazing back at her in the mirror. “How did you let that happen?” The how didn’t matter. Getting past it did.

Sara reapplied her mascara. What had Callie said to her about love? It lets you do things you never thought you could do. Maybe Callie was right. Straightening her back, Sara stared at her reflection and finally made her decision. She’d make the first move. A wave of nausea rolled through her as she thought about confronting Christopher. Even with it, her confidence in the decision grew. She couldn’t spend her life wondering what if. She needed closure one way or the other.

“Hannah, thank you for bringing my things by. I appreciate it,” Sara gripped the back of a kitchen chair. “Let’s get together soon.”

“Any time. Just call me.”

Once alone, Sara reached for her cell phone, but held back from dialing. It’s the right thing.

Hitting the contact icon on her cell phone, she scrolled through the list of names until she came to Caroline, Christopher’s executive assistant. Before she hopped a plane and flew to California, she needed to make sure he was around.

“I’m not at liberty to discuss Mr. Hall’s schedule,” Caroline answered after Sara asked about his plans.

Sara knew this was a standard practice, but in the past Caroline had been forthcoming with such information. Obviously their breakup caused her to have a change of heart. “Please, Caroline. I have to talk to him, and I can’t do it over the phone. I need to see him.”

“It’s against—”

“I know all about company policy. But please, I want to set things right between us, Caroline,” Sara pleaded, infusing all her emotions into her voice.

Caroline remained silent for what seemed like an eternity. “He’ll be home tonight. Tomorrow he’s attending the Literacy Across America Charity event and Sunday afternoon he’s playing golf with Congressman Stuart,” Caroline answered with reluctance.

His schedule didn’t give her much time, but she’d take what she could get. “I’ll be there tonight. Please don’t tell him.” She waited, unsure whether or not Caroline would agree.

“Okay.”

“One battle down,” Sara said after ending her conversation. Now she just had convince Christopher to forgive her.

***

Sara swallowed the bile rising in her throat as the wheels of the jet touched down. Releasing her death grip on the armrests, she stood and took a few deep breaths. For once her fear of flying wasn’t the reason her nerves were working on overdrive but rather the thought of confronting Christopher.

“We’re headed straight to the hotel correct, Ms. Sherbrooke?” the secret service agent asked as they walked from the plane to the waiting car.

“No, Colin. I need to stop at Christopher’s house first.”

With a simple nod, Colin opened Sara’s door for her. Once she was inside, he closed the door and got behind the steering wheel.

I can do this. Sara wiped her sweaty palms against her jeans. She’d dressed casually tonight in jeans and a dark purple T-shirt. She’d even opted for a simple ponytail and just lip gloss. On several occasions, Christopher commented how much he liked it when she dressed in jeans and skipped the heavier makeup. Would he notice she’d dressed with him in mind? Or would he be so annoyed at seeing her after all this time that her efforts went unnoticed? Only one way to find out.

When the car pulled up to the security gate at Christopher’s house, she held her breath for half a minute. Caroline had promised to alert security prior to Sara’s arrival, but she feared Christopher’s sister might have had a change of heart. Tonight, like so many times before though, security opened the gate leading up to Christopher’s property.

“Christopher went straight to his office when he came home,” Caroline informed her when she greeted Sara in the two-storied foyer. “I’m just warning you, he looked miserable, so don’t be surprised if he’s in a bad mood.”

Sara sighed inwardly. Convincing him to give them another chance might be difficult, but with him in a bad mood, the task may be next to impossible.

“You know where his office is, right?”

“Yes.” Sara took a step forward then stopped. “Thanks for your help, Caroline.”

Caroline held her gaze for a moment. Sara sensed she wanted to say something but nothing ever came. Instead, she nodded and headed off toward another part of the house.

Blood pounded in her ears as she followed the marble hallway toward Christopher’s office. On the plane, she’d rehearsed several apologies, but none sounded quite right, so she’d have to wing it now. Assuming of course he didn’t ask her to leave the minute she walked in. Stopping in front of the door, Sara readjusted her ponytail, wiped her sweaty hands on her jeans, and knocked.

“I told you, Caroline, I don’t want to talk,” Christopher’s voice called through the door.

The sound of his voice brought tears to her eyes. Blinking them away, she turned the doorknob and entered without saying a word. At first she remained silent. Her eyes soaked up the sight of him after so many weeks apart. Seated behind a sleek ebony desk, he faced his computer screen. He’d rolled up the sleeves of his light blue dress shirt and a tie hung over the back of his chair. From the doorway, she could only see his profile, but his voice told her plenty about his current mood.

“Caroline, if you came in here to…” Christopher’s voice trailed off when he turned and discovered her standing there instead of his sister. In the blink of an eye, his expression changed from annoyance to confusion. “Sara, I thought... What are you doing here?” Christopher stood but remained behind his desk.

Being so close yet unable to touch him made her heart ache. More than anything she wanted to press her body against his, wrap her arms around him, and tell him how much he meant to her. Thanks to her insecurities, she’d lost the right. If she was lucky though, she’d earn it back.

Sara took a tentative step forward, her hands clasped behind her back. “I came to talk to you.” The rehearsed speeches went straight out of her head. “All you need to do is listen, okay?” Sara closed the gap between her and the desk, her fingernails biting into her hands behind her back.

Nodding, Christopher sat back down, his expression changing from confused to curious.

“Before you, my last relationship was with Phillip Young. You met him at the fundraiser in Providence.”

“I remember he was giving you a hard time that night.” Christopher’s eyes met hers, and for a moment she felt like he could read her thoughts.

“We met right before Dad received the party’s official nomination. Things got serious very fast. I actually thought he might propose. Anyway, several months before the election, I learned the truth about Phillip. He worked for Governor Richardson. His goal was to dig up anything he could to use against Dad. I don’t know if Richardson hired him directly or if someone in Richardson’s camp hired him, but it meant the same thing. He had no real interest in me. He was using me to get close to the family.”

Sara paused. Talking about the past and how gullible she’d been brought on a rush of anger. “Around the time our relationship ended, Dad learned about Callie. For a long time, I didn’t trust her. I figured she must want something too.”

“You’ve known me for a long time. How could—”

She knew what he was about to say. “I didn’t at first. Then I saw Miriam Walker on The Brown Report and the things she said got me thinking. Everything sort of went downhill fast after that.” Sara shifted her weight from one foot to the other. So far he’d given no indication how he felt about her and her explanation. “I admit, when I get emotional, I’m not the most logical person.”

“When we were together, it was always about us. I’d never do anything to hurt you.” The affection in his voice sent hope through her heart.

“I know, and I’m sorry. If I could go back and change the things I said to you, I would.” Sara choked.

Christopher stood and came around the front of his desk. “Since you can’t change the past, where does that leave us now?”

Sara fought to hold back a smile. He hadn’t agreed to anything yet. “I hope we can go back to the way we were before I screwed up.” She moved closer to him. “I’ve missed you so much,” she said softly, reaching for his hand.

With one sharp tug, he pulled her against him, his body solid and warm next to hers. Burying her face against his shoulder, she took a deep breath, inhaling the combination of his cologne and soap. “I love you. I’m so sorry I hurt you.” Sara managed to get the words out around the lump in her throat.

“I love you too.” With his lips pressed against the top of her head, the words were a little muffled, but she could easily understand them.

Christopher feared his chest might burst with happiness. Not only was Sara in his arms again, but she’d told him she loved him. He tilted her face toward his and kissed her, keeping the kiss gentle and short. If he gave in to the desire surging through his body now, he’d never say what he needed to.

Ending their kiss, he pulled back to look at her, his arms still wrapped around her waist. “Before we move forward, I need you to promise me something. The next time anything bothers you, talk to me, okay? No matter what it is. Even if you think I’ll consider it ridiculous, talk to me.” Christopher paused, giving his words a chance to sink in. “I don’t want something like this happening again between us.”

Sara’s tear-filled eyes looked back at him and his throat tightened with emotion.

“I can do that,” she said.

Satisfied with her answer, he captured her lips for another kiss. This one was more urgent and demanding as he allowed all his pent-up emotions free reign. Digging his hands into her hair, he used his mouth to show her how much he’d missed her.

Sara pulled back when his hands slipped under the hem of her T-shirt and settled on her back. “Maybe we should continue this reunion upstairs,” she said.

Christopher kissed her again. “I like the way you think.” With lightning speed, he grabbed her hand and tugged her out of the room toward the staircase.

***

Christopher propped himself up on one elbow and studied the woman sleeping next to him. When he first woke up, he thought he dreamed it all, but here she was sound asleep in his bed. Even with the proof next to him, it seemed like a dream. When he turned around in his office earlier and saw her standing there, he’d wondered if he’d started imagining things. Dressed so casually in jeans and no makeup, she’d looked the way she did in his dreams.

Reaching out, he ran his fingers down her arm, her skin warm and solid against his. Definitely not an image his mind conjured up. Yet even with all the evidence pointing toward the truth, it almost seemed too good to be true. He not only had Sara back, but she loved him. She’d told him that multiple times tonight. Unable to stop himself, he leaned down and kissed her. Slowly, Sara’s eyes fluttered open, and she smiled at him.

“Hey,” she said, her voice still groggy with sleep.

“Hey yourself,” he said, joining their hands.

“For a second there, I thought I was dreaming.” Sara brought their joined hands toward her lips and kissed his knuckles.

“Trust me, we’re both wide awake, sweetheart.

Epilogue Sara dropped her bag on the floor next to the full-sized bed pushed against the wall. She could picture Christopher growing up in this room, sitting at the desk near the window studying or playing on the braided rug in the middle of the room. Unzipping the bag, she started unpacking while she waited for Christopher to come upstairs. When she’d left the kitchen, he’d still been deep in conversation with his mom about the preparations for his sister’s birthday party. He wanted to have Kristen’s party catered, but his mom insisted on preparing all the food. After seeing their disagreement, Sara knew where his stubbornness came from.

Since getting back together four months earlier, she’d seen that side of him on numerous occasions. Not that she was complaining. After all, she had a stubborn streak of her own, a fact that occasionally caused them to butt heads. In the end though, they always managed to reach some kind of compromise no matter the issue.

In search of some clothes hangers, Sara walked to the closet door and pulled it open. A few long-sleeved shirts and a winter jacket hung in the closet, items she guessed Christopher left for when he visited his parents. The shelf above the clothing rod was stacked high with old board games and science kits as well as models of space shuttles and science fair trophies. From the looks of it, Gail Hall had held on to many mementos from Christopher’s past.

Careful not to knock anything down, she reached up and lifted one of the models from the shelf. The name Discovery was painted on the side of the shuttle and it was an exact replica of the real thing. How many hours had he spent constructing this? She smiled at the image of a young Christopher carefully gluing together the pieces. Before any damage could come to it, Sara replaced the model and grabbed a handful of empty clothes hangers.

Behind her, the bedroom door opened and closed as she hung up her robe. “She won,” Christopher said, sounding like a little boy who’d just been told he couldn’t go out and play with his friends.

Sara closed the closet door and turned around. For some reason, she wasn’t surprised by his comment. “Your mom has to do all the work. If she doesn’t mind, neither should you.”

Christopher frowned. “I guess. I just wanted to make it easier for her. There’s no need for her to do it all.”

“I was going to wait to tell you, but since you look like you need some cheering up, I’ll tell you now.” Sara moved closer to him. “Last week, Governor Campbell contacted me about coming to work for his administration.” Sara continued, referring to the governor of California. “I accepted the position on Monday. Starting next month, I’ll be a California resident.” As much as Sara loved living in D.C., she hated being so far away from Christopher. So far they’d managed to make things work by visiting each other on weekends, but every week it got harder and harder to part again.

Instantly, Christopher’s face lit up. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I wanted to surprise you.” She brushed a light, gentle kiss across his cheek.

“Goal accomplished,” he said with a laugh. “I guess this means you’ll be looking for a place to live.”

“Any suggestions?” She wanted to move in with him, but she didn’t want to ask.

Christopher wrapped his arms around her. “How about with me?”

“I hoped you’d ask,” Sara admitted, wrapping her arms around his neck and showing him just how much she loved him.

The End Thank you for visiting with the Sherbrookes again. Catch up with Lauren, Callie’s best friend, in book 4 of the series.

Other Books By Christina *Loving The Billionaire, a novella *The Teacher's Billionaire *The Billionaire Playboy *The Billionaire Princess *The Billionaire's Best Friend *Redeeming The Billionaire *More Than A Billionaire *Protecting The Billionaire *Bidding On The Billionaire *Falling For The Billionaire *The Billionaire Next Door *The Billionaire’s Homecoming *The Billionaire Heart *Temtping The Billionaire *The Billionaire’s Kiss *A Billionaire’s Love, a novella +The Courage To Love +Hometown Love +The Playboy Next Door +In His Kiss +A Promise To Keep +When Love Strikes ^Born To Protect ^His To Protect *The Sherbrookes of Newport Series +Love On The North Shore Series ^Elite Force Security