Eternally Yours - Brenda Jackson [107]
Braxter didn’t respond for the longest moment, then nodding his head, he turned and walked out of the office.
The snow was coming down in light flakes, the first for D.C. this winter. It took all of Braxter’s concentration to operate the car and not think about Celeste. He had not gotten a lot of work done today for thinking about her.
Suddenly his mind became filled with what the senator had said to him earlier that day…“It takes a big person to say I’m sorry, but it takes an even bigger person to say I accept your apology and you’re forgiven.”
He took a long, deep breath. For so long he had not allowed himself the time to get interested in anyone. He had been too busy to include a woman in his life, at least not seriously.
Not until he’d met Celeste.
When the car came to a stop at a traffic light, he shifted his weight in the seat and massaged the tightness at the base of his neck. No matter how much he tried, he couldn’t stop thinking of her. And no matter how much he tried he couldn’t stop loving her.
When the light signaled it was time to go, he found himself heading in the direction of Celeste’s apartment.
Celeste answered the knock at her door and was surprised to find Braxter’s tall figure filling the doorway.
“May I come in?”
Numb, she simply nodded and stepped aside.
For the longest time Braxter didn’t say anything to her, he just stood looking at her.
“Braxter, why are you here?”
He shook his head as if to clear it. “I asked myself a similar question while driving over here. I wasn’t completely sure until you opened the door. Now I know.”
He took her hand in his and led her over to the sofa where they sat down. “There’s a lot of things I don’t understand, but I want you to talk to me. Let’s get things out in the open. I want you to help me to understand your connection with Senator Harris, and why you did what you did.”
Celeste met his gaze, not believing he had actually come and was giving her an opportunity to explain things to him. She really couldn’t ask for any more than that.
At least it was a start.
Chapter 25
“You’re pretty good at flying this thing,” Syneda said, watching Clayton at the controls of the Cessna 310. She glanced around the cockpit of the small plane before returning her eyes to him. Although she disliked small planes, she couldn’t help admiring his abilities as a pilot. He handled the controls with both ease and competency. They had been in the air fifteen minutes, and she had not experienced even the tiniest bit of queasiness.
“Thanks,” Clayton replied, casting her a smile. “And thanks again for taking this trip with me.”
“I didn’t mind. In fact, I’m looking forward to it.” Her lips twitched in amusement. “You evidently made a darn good impression on S. T. Remington when representing Caitlin in that land deal for the two of you to have gotten so chummy. I’m sure not too many people get invited to his ranch for the weekend. Anyone who keeps up with the lives of the rich and famous knows S. T. Remington is a very private person. I understand he’s very selective when choosing his friends and associates.”
Clayton grinned. “Remington and I aren’t chummy. I told you, you’re the reason for the invitation. He wanted to meet you.”
Syneda rolled her eyes upward. “Yeah, right.”
He smiled. He knew Syneda didn’t believe him. She thought he was getting together with Syntel Remington on business and had merely invited her along.
Syntel had contacted him yesterday to make sure they were still coming. He had also advised Clayton that after making a few phone calls, he’d been able to track down the investigator who had handled his search for Janeda years ago. Now retired, the man had remembered the assignment well, and what he’d told Syntel was no longer hard for him to believe. He had been paid a hefty sum by Syntel’s father to omit certain information in his report. Specifically, any information regarding Janeda’s child.
“Tighten up. It’s time to take this baby down,” Clayton said to Syneda moments later.
Clayton smoothly landed the small aircraft. “Syntel has sent someone