Brian

7

The day was only half-over and Lily was completely exhausted. She sat in her office, her shoes off, her feet tucked beneath her, staring out the window at a gloomy sky. Lightning flashed in the west, signaling the approach of a summer storm. If she were home right now, she'd have called in sick, curled up in bed, and had a nice little pity party for herself.

Her mind wandered back to Friday night and then to the last week she'd spent with Brian Quinn. When she'd first learned who he really was, Lily had known any contact with him would be dangerous. But she couldn't seem to resist him, no matter how hard she tried. He was sweet and sexy and charming and he made her feel like she was the only woman in the world.

But things were different between them now. Since running into Mrs. Wilburn, Lily couldn't think about Brian as the man she desired. He was the enemy again-an enemy responsible for ruining her professional reputation. Whatever happened, Lily was ready for it.

At least the confusion would finally come to an end. She'd know exactly where she stood. Lily had even pushed the issue with Brian, telling him about the ground-breaking, taunting him into running his story. From a business standpoint, it hadn't been the best move, especially if she managed to keep her job. But she was sick and tired of having his story hanging over her head. Sometimes it was better to face a problem head-on than try to figure out how to handle it if and when it came.

"It is all for the best," she murmured, rubbing her temples with her fingers. "Whatever happens." With a soft curse, Lily reached for her phone and punched in a familiar number.

"DeLay Scoville Public Relations," the receptionist said.

"Emma Carsten," Lily said, deepening her voice so that the woman wouldn't recognize her. She waited for her friend to answer. "Hi, Em. What's going on in Chicago?"

"Lily! I've been hoping you'd call. I went over to your house and watered your plants and picked up your mail. Everything is fine, but someone stole the pot of geraniums you had on the front stoop. What do you want me to do with the mail? There's a ton of junk and lots of magazines. And a card from your mother."

"I don't know," Lily said. "Hold on to it for now."

"All right." A long silence spanned the distance between them. "What's wrong, Lily? You sound a little bit upset."

Lily bit her bottom lip. Normally, she wouldn't hesitate to confide in Emma. But now that she found herself in a tangle of personal and professional troubles, maybe Emma wasn't the best person to tell. After all, she was a loyal employee of DeLay Scoville and wasn't the most objective observer. "I don't know. I'm starting to think I shouldn't have taken this job."

"Are you crazy? How could you refuse? DeLay almost wet his pants when he saw that retainer check. He's been talking about you ever since you left, how great you are, what a bright future you have at the agency. He's about to crown you 'Consultant of the Year' and put your name on a damn plaque in the lobby."

"But I'm not sure I can handle this, Em."

"Is it that bad? What did Patterson do? Is he in big trouble? He didn't give anyone a cement overcoat, did her?"

"No!" Lily cried. "He's not a mobster, at least I don't think he is. It's not even Patterson. It's…" Lily gnawed on her bottom lip. "You know, if I had a family emergency, maybe I could convince DeLay to send you out here. You'd love Boston."

"Lily, what's going on? You can tell me."

Now that she was ready to confide, Lily wasn't sure how to explain what had been happening to her. When she'd come to Boston, she'd been determined to change her life, to quit dreaming of romance and avoid unavailable men. The problem was, she'd had a one-night stand with a man who was perfectly available. That had been her big mistake.

Still, there were a whole host of problems beyond that. They were too much alike, too driven, too single-minded when it came to their careers. Though their passions made for an incredible fire between them, it also spelled disaster for a lasting relationship. And there was always his rather long and colorful history with women.

"I'm just… I don't know. Maybe I'm homesick."

"For Chicago? Then why don't you come home? You can spend next weekend here and fly back on Sunday evening. I could use your help."

"With work?" Lily asked.

"No, I'm sanding the floors of my apartment and it's turning into a nightmare. I've been walking around for the last week covered in a thin coating of dust."

"I think I'll do that," Lily said. "I need to be in familiar surroundings for just a little while…" She hesitated, knowing that the conversation was winding down. "I-I met this man, Em. His name is Brian Quinn. He's a reporter. An investigative reporter for a television station."

"And?"

"And nothing. I'm just a little confused."

"Wait," Emma said. "Oh, Lily, don't tell me this. He's working on a story about Patterson, right?" Her friend groaned. "I don't know how you manage to pick the worst guy in the world to fall in love with."

Lily squirmed in her chair. Trying to explain her attraction to Brian Quinn over the phone was impossible. Emma needed to see him to know what Lily was up against. "I didn't know who he was when I met him. I should have broken it off as soon as I found out. I knew it was doomed, but I couldn't seem to let it go. He just… does something for me. And I was curious to know how long it would last." She swallowed hard. "And now, I think I may have to give up this job. I have a serious conflict of interest here."

"What is this 'it' you're talking about? Are you having a relationship? Are you having sex?"

"Kind of," Lily said.

"The way I see it, you have two choices," Emma said. "One, you can dump the guy and focus on your work and come back here and have the job of your dreams. Or two, you can call DeLay, tell him you want out, he'll fire you and you'll lose your house and your car and never be able to buy another pair of designer shoes in your entire life. What's it going to be?"

Now that Emma laid the options out so clearly, Lily could see the choice should be quite easy. "There is one other option. Richard Patterson finds out I'm dating Brian Quinn and he fires me and then Don DeLay fires me. And then my life falls apart."

"Do you honestly think that's a possibility?"

"If I get fired, we could always start a firm of our own, like we've talked about. Wouldn't that be a great idea? Carsten Gallagher Public Relations. I'll even give you top billing."

"Lily, don't bother coming home this weekend. I'm going to come visit you. We'll shop, we'll have lunch and we'll get this straightened out."

A knock sounded on Lily's office door and she turned away from the window. "I have to go," she said. "I'll call you tonight and we'll talk more. Bye, Em." She hung up the phone and drew a deep breath, fully expecting to see Richard Patterson on the other side. "Come in."

Marie opened the door and stepped inside. "There's a delivery for you, Miss Gallagher. Do you want it in here?"

"Of course. Is it that media report I sent for?" Lily asked, rearranging the folders on her desk.

But when Marie reappeared in the door, she held a huge bouquet of flowers, a beautiful mix of pink and cream-colored roses. "It's really pretty. There's a card. Would you like me to read it?"

"No, I know who they're from."

Lily stood, took the flowers from Marie and set the vase in the middle of her desk. "They are pretty." She took the card and slid it out of the envelope. Scrawled in a masculine hand was a message from Brian. Missing you, he wrote. Dinner tonight? She forced a smile, then slowly sat down, her view of the door completely obscured by the size of the bouquet.

They hadn't spoken since the night of the fireworks and Lily had almost hoped he'd stay away. She'd spent the entire weekend trying to focus on anything that would take her mind off Brian Quinn and her impending termination. And she'd nearly convinced herself that whatever happened, she'd deal with it-alone.

If she only knew how she really felt about Brian, then she might have considered a future with him. But her history with men made it hard for her to trust her own feelings, much less the feelings of a man she barely knew. Yes, there was an undeniable attraction between them, but it wasn't love!

"Mr. Patterson's secretary just called," Marie said. "He wants to see you as soon as possible."

A knot tightened in Lily's stomach and she suddenly felt nauseous. "Fine, Marie. Tell her that I'm on my way."

Mrs. Wilburn was a loyal employee. It wasn't a surprise that she couldn't keep something like this to herself. Patterson would fire her and then DeLay would fire her and her life, as she knew it, would be over. Lily's heart slammed in her chest. She'd never been fired before. She wasn't sure what to expect.

Lily hurried to the elevator, but then noticed the Out Of Order sign. As she trudged up the steps, she wondered if she should make a preemptive strike. If she quit before Richard Patterson had a chance to fire her, then at least she could say she'd resigned. She wouldn't have a black mark on her résumé.

She approached Patterson's office and Mrs. Wilburn gave her a haughty look, then nodded. "He's ready for you," she murmured. "You can go in."

Lily knocked softly on the door then stepped inside, preparing herself for the worst. But when she saw Richard sitting behind his desk, he was grinning. Lily returned his smile hesitantly. "Good morning."

"Sit," Richard said. "I just wanted to catch up with you and tell you what an outstanding job you're doing."

Lily stifled a gasp. "Thank you," she murmured, trying to hide her complete astonishment.

"Mrs. Wilburn told me that she saw you with Brian Quinn, Friday night. She was quite bothered, but I've always said 'Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.' I'm glad to see that you're willing to do what's necessary to keep an eye on him."

"Of-of course," Lily replied.

He cleared his throat. "Now, I don't care to know the details, but the fact that you're willing to go… the extra mile is admirable. Keep him distracted. Good plan." He smoothed his hands over the surface of his desk. "So, carry on. Do what you have to do."

"Right," Lily said. She turned and walked out of the office on wobbly legs, then continued past Mrs. Wilburn to the stairwell. When she reached the stairs, she willed herself to calm down. "This is just perfect," she muttered. "I didn't lose my job and he doesn't think I'm a traitor. Instead, he thinks I'm a slut."

Lily groaned and sat down on the first step. Well, she now had official permission to have another night or two of hot sex with Brian Quinn. Lily pushed to her feet. So why did that suddenly seem like the last thing she wanted to do?

Brian walked into the diner and glanced around at the patrons seated for an early lunch. The place was a favorite hangout for media junkies, offering quick lunches and bottomless cups of coffee and 24-hour CNN on the television. There were plenty of empty spots at the counter so he grabbed a stool and sat down, figuring he and Sean could snare a table when his brother arrived.

He ordered a Coke, then pulled out his cell phone from his pocket and punched in Lily's number at work. But, before the phone rang on the other end, he hung up. He needed to let Lily deal with her business problems on her own. Since he'd left her Friday night, he'd been preoccupied with worries about her. She had been so upset when she'd walked away, so certain that being seen in public signaled the end of her career.

Brian grabbed a menu and stared at it. He didn't want to see Lily hurt, but there was no denying that his interest in her was causing a problem-in both their lives. Last week, they'd spent nearly every free moment together. It hadn't taken long for Brian to realize that his feelings for Lily ran deep-much deeper than simple lust.

He'd never meant to fall in love, but he was coming dangerously close to doing just that. He looked forward to seeing her and felt restless when she wasn't near. He loved the sound of her voice and the way her face lit up when she smiled. And when she touched him, every nerve in his body came alive.

Brian closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath, then tried to focus on the menu again. He'd call her after work and hopefully, her worries about Mrs. Wilburn would have been eased or maybe forgotten entirely. "Or maybe, she'll be out of a job and looking for someone to blame," he murmured to himself.

"You're Brian Quinn."

The man who spoke sat down next to Brian and Brian sighed inwardly. He'd just wanted to have a quiet lunch. But with his face on the side of every bus in Boston, it was tough to walk around unrecognized. He reached into his pocket for a pen. Hopefully all the man wanted was an autograph. He turned and smiled. "Yes, I am."

The man sat down on the stool beside him. "I saw your report on that building inspector who was taking bribes. That was great work." The man held out his hand. "I'm Jim Trent. I'm the city editor over at the Globe."

Brian tried to contain his surprise. "Hey. It's good to meet you. I read the Globe. I love the Globe. I used to work at the Globe."

"You did?"

"Yep, when I was in high school and college. I used to load the trucks. But that was more than ten years ago. You weren't there then. Marcus Reynolds was city editor. He was great, but I think you're doing a better job. Harder hitting pieces, tighter writing."

"Maybe. But let me tell you, I don't like what I see coming from you. You've scooped us on almost every story you've done this last year. We should have had those stories."

"That's my job," Brian said.

"You're good on camera, but how are you on paper?"

"What are you asking?"

"Are you a writer or just a face?"

"I worked at a couple newspapers, in Hartford, Connecticut, and Burlington, Vermont, before I took the job at WBTN. I thought I was a pretty good reporter. I still write every word of my copy. Why? Are you offering me a job?"

"I've got a spot for a staff writer who can make things happen," Trent said. "Are you interested? You'd have to start at the bottom."

Brian didn't want to appear too interested, but inside he could barely contain his enthusiasm. The Globe was one of the best newspapers in the country, right up there with the New York Times and the Washington Post. He'd be starting at the bottom all over again, but he'd have a chance to prove himself by his work and not his pretty face.

"I am," Brian said. "But this has to stay between us for now."

"When does your contract with the station expire?"

"Six months," Brian said. "But they're already starting to renegotiate. My agent isn't going to like this. A job at a newspaper won't pay his commission."

Jim held out his hand and Brian shook it. "I'll be in touch," he said. "Or you call me." He clapped Brian on the shoulder. "Before I leave, you wouldn't want to tell me what you're working on now, would you?"

"If I tell you all my secrets, you won't want to hire me."

"Hey, I know all your secrets. I read the Herald." He turned and walked out the door, pushing it open just as Sean walked in from the street. Sean saw Brian immediately and strode over. "Buy me lunch," he said, slapping a large manila envelope on the bar.

"Why should I buy you lunch?"

He pointed to the envelope. "Check it out."

"What is this?"

"You wanted something to use against Patterson, to pay him back for that article in the Herald. There it is. Nice and juicy."

Brian opened the envelope and withdrew a stack of eight-by-ten glossy photos. At first, he wasn't sure what he was looking at-until he recognized Richard Patterson's face… and his chest… and his naked ass! Brian shoved the photos back in the envelope. "Where the hell did you get these?"

Sean rolled his eyes and grabbed the envelope. "You didn't get to the good ones." He pulled out the stack and flipped through the photos until he came to one in particular. He showed Brian a photo of a naked Patterson with an equally naked woman.

"So he and his wife like to walk around the house in the buff," Brian said. "That's not news and I'd be laughed out of town if I reported it."

"That's not his wife," Sean said. "And that's a sleazy little no-tell motel out on Route 28. You can tell by the television. You have to feed it quarters to get porn. Poor man's pay-per-view."

"Who is the woman?"

"I don't know," Sean said. "I was hoping you could tell me. I followed her home the other afternoon. They meet every other evening from about five until seven. He leaves from the back entrance of his office building and takes a company car. She drives a black Mercedes and lives at the same residence as Dick Creighton."

"Creighton?" Brian let out a tightly-held breath. "Louise Creighton is head of the planning commission. She ultimately decides what gets built in Boston and when." He stared at the photo again. "That's her." Brian laughed. "That's Louise Creighton."

"He buys her jewelry," Sean said. "Expensive stuff. He bought her diamond earrings last week."

"Geez, Sean. This is incredible. Do you know what this means? I have the link. I know how Patterson is getting his approvals. Man, this could be the scandal of the year. And I've got photos!"

"Can we order lunch now?" Sean asked. "I'm starved."

Brian reached in his pocket and withdrew his wallet, then motioned to the waitress behind the counter. "Run this through," he said, he said, offering his credit card. "I'm paying for my brother's lunch. Give him anything he wants. In fact, give him five of everything he wants. And add a tip for yourself."

Brian grabbed the envelope, then hurried out to the street and hailed a cab. He gave the driver directions to Patterson's office building. For the second time in ten minutes, Brian punched her number into his cell phone and asked for Lily when the receptionist answered. When he heard her voice, he couldn't help but smile.

"Hi, it's me. How's it going?"

"Surprisingly well," Lily said. "I still have a job."

"I need to see you. Can we have lunch?"

She hesitated. "I can't. Brian, I don't think we should see each other anymore. I have to focus on my job."

"This is important. I need to talk to you now. I promise, this is strictly business."

"All right."

"I'm in a cab about five minutes away. Be out front." He paused, fighting the urge to tell her how he felt. What was he supposed to say? I think I'm falling in love with you? How the hell was he supposed to be sure? "I'll see you in a bit."

Brian flipped off the phone, then tipped his head back and closed his eyes. Maybe he shouldn't worry. The way things were going with the rest of the Quinn boys, he probably didn't have much choice in the matter. If the curse had struck again, he'd realize his true feelings sooner rather than later.

But then, he was only seeing this from one angle. Lily had a life in Chicago and for now, she still had a career. He might fall in love with her, but the curse didn't necessarily force her to feel the same way. "It's too early," Brian murmured. "Or maybe, it's too late."

The cab pulled up to the curb a few minutes later and Brian asked the driver to wait. He stepped out and saw Lily, then waved at her. When she hurried up to him, he pressed his palm into the small of her back. "Come on," he said.

When they were in the cab, Brian leaned forward. "Take us over to Storrow Lagoon on the Esplanade." The cabbie pulled back out into traffic and Brian immediately slipped his arm around Lily's shoulder and pulled her in for a kiss. "I've been thinking about that all morning," he murmured.

She bit her bottom lip. "You promised you wouldn't-"

"So, what happened?" Brian interrupted. "I assume that Mrs. Wilburn kept her mouth shut."

"No. She told Patterson and he called me in. He thought I was using my feminine wiles to… influence your pursuit of the story. You know, trading my body for your silence."

"He said that to you?" Brian asked.

"Not in those words, but it was implied. And encouraged. So I guess we have a green light. We could go get a hotel room right now." She laughed, but it sounded forced. Lily folded her hands on her lap. "So, what did you need to talk to me about?"

"Not right now," Brian said. "I just want to kiss you, then we'll talk." He reached out and ran his thumb over her lower lip, his gaze fixed there. "Do you want to kiss me, Lily?" He touched her lips to his, gently teasing with his tongue.

She opened beneath his gentle assault, but Brian felt as if she were holding something back. He'd kissed Lily enough to be able to read her feelings, to sense her emotions. And Lily didn't taste happy to him. Hesitantly, he drew back, then grabbed her hand and wove his fingers through hers.

The cab dropped them off near the lagoon and they walked across the grass, his hand still clasping Lily's, the other holding the envelope filled with pictures. The lagoon was one of the prettiest places along the Charles River. Across the lagoon, a slender island was connected to the river bank by little stone bridges. On a warm, sunny day, children usually sailed toy boats in the water, but today's windy and threatening weather had driven most people closer to shelter.

"Every day you show me a place that's prettier than the last," she murmured.

Brian pointed to a bench. "Let's sit."

Lily took a spot on the far end, sitting just far enough away so that they wouldn't touch. Brian took a deep breath. He wasn't sure whether he was doing the right thing, but he'd know in a few seconds. Brian handed her the envelope and watched while she opened it. As Lily flipped through the photos, her eyes grew wider and wider.

"Where did you get these?"

"That doesn't really matter."

"Are you going to use them?"

"That's the head of the planning commission with him. It makes the connection I need. It's only a matter of time. He'll be up for bribery of a public official and he'll probably go to jail. I just thought you might want to know."

"Why?"

"I don't know. So you can be prepared," Brian said. "This is going to get messy, Lily. I just want us to come out all right on the other side."

She stared down at the photos. "There's no way I can… I can't tie a ribbon on this and make it look good." She stood. "I have to go."

"Lily, let's talk about this. You have to understand. He's breaking the law. I have to report the story. If it were just unfounded suspicions then I might be able to sweep it under the rug, but in a few days, I'm going to have all the proof I need."

"Do what you want," she said. "I'm finished." She started back toward the street and Brian jumped up and followed her.

"What do you mean, you're finished?"

"I'm going back to Chicago. I've got the groundbreaking in a few days and then I'm packing my bags and leaving. They can send someone else to clean up the mess."

Brian frowned, grabbing her hand and spinning her around to face him. "You can't leave."

"I can. I'll just quit. It's really quite simple. My boss will assign someone else and they can deal with the problem. And you can report your story and gather your awards."

"No," Brian said, his temper rising. This wasn't like Lily. She didn't give up so easily. But she looked so defeated, as if the photos had taken the last ounce of fight out of her.

"This is for the best," she said. "Really. From the start we knew we were on opposite sides. I just don't see any way that we can both come out of this with our integrity intact. I should have stayed away from you from the start. I should have been stronger."

"Lily, I didn't give you much of a chance."

"This is the way it's always been. I just pick the wrong kind of guy. There's always something. They always look good on the surface, but then sooner or later, I find out the truth. I thought if I tried a different approach, I wouldn't get hurt. I guess it didn't work either." She started off again toward the street, but this time when Brian went after her, she turned and held out her hand. "Just let it go. It's for the best. Really, I'm fine."

Brian watched her walk away. He wanted to follow her, to find some way to work this all out. But though his heart was willing, he knew in his head that they'd just go round and round and come out in the same place all over again.

"So much for the Quinn family curse," he muttered.

The office at Patterson Properties and Investments was quiet, the lights were dimmed and the sounds of the cleaning crew drifted through Lily's open office door. It was nearly seven, but she'd been working on the media kit for the Wellston waterfront project, readying everything for the official ground-breaking on Friday afternoon. She'd made contacts with all the news organizations and made sure that any questions would be answered in the media kit. And now, all she had to do was wait… and hope.

Lily reached into her desk drawer and pulled out a bag of peanut M &Ms. She dumped a pile on her desk and popped a few in her mouth, the chocolate immediately calming her cravings. A few days ago, the only cravings she'd had were for Brian Quinn. And now, she'd gone back to sweets. "I'll weigh two hundred pounds, but at least I won't have a broken heart," she murmured.

Lily had been waiting all week for some story-any story-to hit the news, for Brian Quinn to finally reveal his case against Richard Patterson. It was like waiting for an earthquake. She knew it would come sooner or later, but she wasn't sure just how bad it would be when it did. Lily had prepared contingency plans for every possibility, ready to jump to Patterson's defense at a moment's notice.

It was best that she'd decided to break things off with Brian. She'd ignore his messages and avoid seeing him and pretty soon, she'd wouldn't think of him at all. Lily shook her head. It was a nice little delusion, but right now, that's all she had to hang on to.

Her phone rang and Lily noticed it was her direct line. She hesitated before picking it up. She hadn't given Brian the number, but she had given it to Emma. Emma, Lily mused. She could use the advice of her best friend. She snatched up the phone. "Lily Gallagher."

"Miss Gallagher, this is the security desk downstairs. I have a gentleman here to see you." The man lowered his voice. "It's Brian Quinn, the news guy."

"Tell him I'm not in," Lily said.

"I'm afraid I can't do that." The guard cleared his throat, then whispered again. "He's standing right here."

"I'll be right down," Lily said. She dropped the phone back in the cradle, then stood and smoothed her skirt. As she walked to the elevator, she thought about what she should say, how she should explain. She'd experienced her share of breakups, but she'd always been on the receiving end. An ultimatum might work-choose her or his story. She knew he'd choose the story and it would be over between them.

"That seems too simple," Lily muttered. "But sometimes, simple is better." She walked to the elevator and punched the button, shocked when the doors actually opened up in front of her. She stepped inside and rode down, all the while telling herself to be strong. But the moment she saw him standing in the lobby, her resolve wavered.

He wore an immaculately pressed shirt and pleated trousers, his usual work attire minus the coat and tie. In all honesty, Lily thought he looked pretty amazing in just about anything he wore. She frowned. With all the intimacies they had shared, she'd yet to see him completely naked. Her heart skipped at the thought of slowly undressing him. He would be so beautiful to look at-to touch.

They slowly approached each other and Lily found his expression impossible to read. He didn't look angry, but he also didn't look happy to see her. "Hi," she murmured.

Brian grabbed her hand and drew her back toward the elevators, away from the prying ears of the security guard. "What the hell is going on here, Lily?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"I call you at the hotel, you don't answer. I leave messages at your office and you don't reply. What's with you? If you're blowing me off, then at least tell me to my face. Don't make me figure it out on my own."

Lily drew a ragged breath. "We've had a wonderful time together, but-"

"I'm not going to use those photos on the air. Hell, I'm not even going to report that they're having an affair."

"You aren't?" she murmured.

"What do you want from me Lily? Either we're going to do this or we aren't. It's up to you. Personally, I think we're pretty good together. I've never met a woman quite like you."

"You know it will have to end sometime," Lily murmured. "If it's not this story, it will be something else."

"Maybe. But maybe not. We won't know until we try. And I want to try."

She glanced up at him, surprised at the admission. She'd just assumed that he was taking their little affair much more casually than she was. Every instinct warned her to walk away. If he broadcast his story about Patterson, they would be forced to battle each other in the media, no holds barred. And if he didn't, she'd be done with her work and on her way back to Chicago next week.

"What if I asked you to give up the story about Patterson?" she asked. "Would you do it?"

Brian opened his mouth to reply, then snapped it shut. He considered her question for a moment longer. "I thought we agreed we were going to keep our professional and our personal lives separate."

"That's what we said. But I can't put things in little compartments. This is my life and if you're a part of it, then you're part of all of it. And if you're not, then you're not."

"What are you asking, Lily? Whether I will make the choice? Or whether I want to make the choice."

She straightened, then shook her head. His answer was obvious. "I'm asking you to stop calling. To just… stay away. I had a wonderful time with you, but from the start, I wasn't looking for something… serious."

"Ah, hell," Brian said, turning away from her and raking his hand through his hair. "I do not want to have this talk right now. Neither of us should be making any decisions. It's too soon."

"I have to go," Lily said. "I still have a lot of work to do and you've probably got to get to the station tonight." Her hand trembled and she longed to reach out and touch him just one more time, so that she could remember what his skin felt like beneath her fingertips.

"I'm doing the report tonight," he murmured.

"What? But you told me-"

"I edited it this afternoon. We have film of Patterson and the planning commissioner coming out of a motel room. We're going to run it. That's what I came here to tell you. I'm telling you now. Tomorrow, it's going to be all over the news. I hope you're ready."

She straightened her spine and tipped her chin up. "I will be." With that, Lily turned on her heel and strode back to the elevator, then punched the button emphatically. That was it. The end of everything they'd shared. She'd almost been grateful that she hadn't been forced to choose. She bit back a sob, unwilling to give in to her emotion.

The elevator doors opened immediately and she stepped inside, praying that they'd close just as quickly. Brian watched her for a long moment, his gaze fixed on hers, and then at the last instant, he stepped inside as well, the doors closing behind him.

"What are you doing?" Lily asked.

"We're not finished yet."

He punched the button for the 20th floor and the elevator started up. But Lily reached around him and pushed the button for the lobby, intending to ride right back down again. "This doesn't have to be all messy and emotional," she said.

"Maybe it should be," he said. "Maybe you shouldn't be able to just end it without at least some sort of discussion."

A grinding sound filled the elevator and Lily looked up. "What was that?" The sound stopped suddenly and then, so did the elevator. It bounced a few times and Lily waited for the doors to open, but they didn't.

Brian pushed the button for the 20th floor again, but the elevator didn't move. "I think we might be stuck."

"No!" Lily cried, punching every floor between one and twenty. "We can't be."

"I think we are." He opened the door beneath the control panel and pulled out a phone. "Do you want to call or should I?" He pulled the phone away as she reached for it. "Or maybe we shouldn't call. This might be Fate lending a hand. And I'm never one to mess with Fate."