How could I? She was everything I never knew I wanted or needed. But will that change? Do I actually have what it takes to be a one-woman man for the rest of my life? I had promised her I would never want anyone but her. She had been burnt so badly before, but I knew I wasn’t capable of cheating. Ever. It just wasn’t in my DNA. If I ever fell out of love with her, I would divorce her rather than cheat, and the mere thought of not loving her caused my stomach to revolt.

Addison was wrong. She was it for me, and would be forever.

That was true, but for the time being, I needed to focus on the campaign. I would be everything my parents needed during the days and would drown in my pain at night. Since we were just points ahead in the polls, Dad’s advisors decided to go balls to the wall the day before the election. Instead of the usual two-city stop, Dad would hit six cities. I guess some jackwad staffer thought it made sense to do a city for each point we were ahead. Because Dad was in it to win it, he agreed, and because I was also a glutton for punishment, I decided to accompany him.

We started off that morning in Miami, and I couldn’t help remembering the time we were there before when Addison charmed the crowds with her fluent Spanish. After Miami, we flew to Cleveland, then to Chicago, Dallas, and finally Los Angeles. It was after midnight when we ended up almost crawling onto The Callahan Corporation jet for our flight back to Virginia.

Dad’s advisors stretched out in the chairs in the main cabin while Dad and I bunked together in the bedroom. It was more than just a little odd to be in bed with my father, but at the same time, I knew if things went according to plan, our time together was about to drastically change.

I’d just fluffed my pillow for probably the hundredth time when Dad’s voice caused me to jump. “Do you want to talk about it?”

I glanced over my shoulder at him. “The campaign?”

He turned his head to scowl at me. “Don’t be coy.”

“I wasn’t, I just figured that was what you meant.”

“Okay then, I’ll make it simple—let’s talk about what happened with Addison.”

I groaned. “Come on, Dad. After the last twenty hours, she’s the last thing I want to talk about.”

“I think we need to talk about her.”

I shoved myself up into a sitting position. “Fine, let’s talk about Addison.”

After rolling over, Dad propped his head on his hand. “Bernie told me she had to stop campaigning because of her feelings for you.”

“Yeah.”

“Did you lead her on?”

“Why is it automatically my fault?”

“When has it not been?”

“Damn, Dad, don’t sugarcoat it.”

“I’m sorry, but it’s the truth. It’s been the truth since you came out of your awkward phase as a teenager and girls started throwing themselves at you.” Dad peered curiously at me. “I would think it was something your mother and I did wrong with our parenting if Thorn acted the same way.”

“Oh yes, perfect Thorn,” I muttered.

Dad furrowed his brows. “Is that it? Do you have intimacy issues with women because you think we loved your brother more than you?”

I chuckled. “No, that’s not it at all.”

“I certainly hope not. More than anything, I would hope you know how much your mother and I love you. We love all of you children equally.”

“I know you do, Dad. Trust me. There isn’t anything you or Mom did or didn’t do that made me the way I am about women. It’s just who I am.”

“It doesn’t have to be, son. You can change.”

“But that’s just it, I did change.” I swallowed hard. “I told her I loved her, Dad.”

Dad’s mouth gaped open, and it took him a few seconds to find his composure. “You did?”

“Yeah, I did.”

“And you really meant it?”

I threw my hands up in frustration. “Jesus, why doesn’t anyone believe me?”

“I’m sorry, it’s just…you surprised me.”

“Trust me, I surprised myself, but it’s the truth. I love her.”

Dad’s face lit up. “That’s wonderful, Barrett. I’m so proud for you.”

“At least you can see I’m sincere.”

“Didn’t Addison believe you?”

Shaking my head furiously from side to side, I replied, “Even though I said what I felt in my heart, Addison couldn’t believe me.”

“Why?”

“She said after all these months together, she didn’t know what was real and what was fake.”

“Oh, son, I’m so sorry.”

I exhaled a ragged breath. “I never imagined telling a woman I loved her, and I sure as hell never fathomed her not believing me.”

Dad patted my leg. “You have to make her believe you.”

“How the hell am I supposed to do that?”

“By fighting for her. Show her how you truly feel. Make her believe without a shadow of a doubt that you love her.”

As I stared into Dad’s determined face, I knew he was right. Although I didn’t have the faintest clue how to do it, I had to fight like hell to make Addison see she was the only woman for me. I had to launch a campaign of my own—one to win Addison’s heart.

ADDISON

I swept through the employee entrance of Divas wearing a baseball cap placed over a platinum blonde wig while sporting huge Jackie O sunglasses. Since my breakup with Barrett, I’d been living at Evan’s apartment in Arlington. It was the easiest way for me to avoid the press. If they got a whiff I was back in DC, they’d be staked out at both Barrett’s and my apartments.