Lone Rider by B.J. Daniels Page B

again—”
    â€œIt’s not.” She handed him his drink and took hers to the couch. She didn’t speak again until she’d sat down, run a hand down the length of her skirt and taken a sip of her cocktail. Her gaze was clear and steady as she looked up at him. “Are you going to withdraw from the campaign?”
    It was the last thing he’d expected her to ask. He’d thought everything that had happened would have made the decision for him. Of course, it had come out that Sarah hadn’t braked before she drove into the river twenty-two years ago. He’d thought for sure his poll numbers would have plummeted to the point that it would be ridiculous for him to stay in the race.
    But people actually felt sorry for him. They admired him for trying to do the right thing in a difficult situation.
    â€œYour numbers are good, better than good,” Angelina said. “Even my brother’s actions only strengthened your platform.”
    He shook his head, wondering how she could go on as if nothing earth-shattering had happened. What he hadn’t known—and the press still didn’t—was that Angelina wasn’t the only one being blackmailed by the now dead Drake Connors. Her brother, Lane, had tried to hide his affair with the man. Realizing Drake planned to expose both him and his sister, he’d agreed to pay the blackmail, only to meet the man along a deserted road nearby and shoot him twice in the back. To avoid a trial and likely a lifetime in prison, Lane hung himself in his jail cell.
    â€œI don’t understand why we’re having this discussion now. I’m in the race. Angelina, what is it you’re so afraid of?” Buckmaster demanded.
    Tears filled her eyes. “Other than you leaving me for Sarah?”
    He opened his mouth to assure her but closed it. He cared too much about her to lie to her. He had no idea what the future held for the three of them.
    â€œMy other fear? That you’ll be like your father and back out of the presidential race at the last minute. Like you, he was in a position where he could have taken the presidency. And then he just up and quit without any real explanation.”
    Buckmaster didn’t know any more than anyone else about his father’s sudden decision. “When my mother died, he must have felt as if he’d lost everything.”
    â€œI’ve often wondered if Sarah didn’t get the idea to drive into the river from your father.”
    â€œHe didn’t try to kill himself. He’d been drinking, grieving, he was—”
    â€œBrokenhearted over your mother’s death.”
    Buckmaster sighed. The last place he wanted to go was down this particular trail. “Angelina, why do you keep digging up the past?”
    â€œWhy do
you
?” she shot back. “Oh, that’s right, Sarah dug herself out of her grave to force us all back into the past.”
    â€œI thought this wasn’t going to be about Sarah,” he chided her.
    â€œThe past seems to have a way of repeating itself. There was a rumor that your father had another woman in his life, and that’s what killed your mother.”
    He groaned. “A
rumor
. As far as I know, there was nothing to it. You know how these things get started. But I still don’t see what any of this has to do with us.”
    â€œYou don’t see the similarities? You are primed to become the next president. There is another woman in your life. Who says you won’t bail at the last minute like he did?”
    â€œI’m not going to bail. You’re not going to die. I’m not going to get drunk and roll my pickup and end up in the Yellowstone River.” He stepped to her to place his hands on her shoulders. “Have a little faith that things are going to turn out fine.”
    â€œI’m scared something terrible is going to happen,” she whispered as she looked up at him.
    He hated that he’d