Jamila scanned the pictures and nodded.

“I think you look great. I mean, I see what you’re saying about the smile, but it’s fine, don’t worry about it. And your outfit is great.” She held up the phone to Olivia. “And that one? It’s perfect. The way Max is looking at you? Every woman in America will be jealous of you.”

Olivia took the phone back to see what Jamila was talking about. She’d concentrated on how she looked in all of the photos; she hadn’t stopped to look at Max. But Jamila was right—in the third picture, she was smiling that weird smile and looking straight ahead, while Max was looking straight at her and just … beaming.

That look on his face made her fall in love with him all over again.

“Wow,” she said. “This might have all been worth it, just for that picture.”

Jamila handed her the cake.

“I wonder how long it’ll take the press to find out who you are.”

Olivia clicked on the picture to save it to her phone.

“Hopefully weeks. Maybe months.”

Chapter Fifteen

It took until 10:25 Monday morning. Olivia was at her desk at work, her gossip with Ellie over, her third coffee in her hand, when she got the first call.

“Is this Olivia Monroe?” the caller asked.

“Speaking,” she said. “How can I help you?”

Olivia hoped it was about that potential pitch to Clementine, a huge local biotech company. Bruce had introduced her to someone in their legal department, and she’d had coffee with him the week before in the hopes that she and Ellie could get some of their vast amount of legal work. If Monroe & Spencer could get some Clementine business, maybe she could finally take a deep breath.

“Can you answer some questions for me about your relationship with senator Max Powell?”

She froze. She’d expected some warning before this happened. From Max, or his office, or something. She didn’t even know what she was supposed to say.

“Um, no comment,” she said finally, and hung up the phone. Then she texted Max.

I just got a call from a reporter—is there something I’m supposed to do?

“Ellie!” Ellie came running into her office.

“Was that a good call?”

Olivia made a face.

“The opposite. It was from a reporter. I texted Max, but during the day he’s usually so busy I don’t hear back from him for hours. I don’t …” She picked up her coffee, then put it down. “What am I supposed to do? They didn’t prepare me for this.”

Ellie sat down.

“What did you say?”

Olivia stared at her phone, willing Max to respond.

“ ‘No comment,’ which made me feel like I was on TV or something. Is that what people actually say?”

Ellie got up.