Read Midnight (McKenna Chronicles Book 1) for Free Online Page B

his lips. “Goodbye,” I whisper,
pulling my hand from his, quickly turning to walk toward the exit of the hotel.
I don’t dare look back, knowing if I do I may do or say something I can’t
recover from.
    The
sting of the cold January air is a welcome slap against my heated face,
breaking through the haze created by this crazy intensity. Imagined or real,
it's profound and disturbing. Holy shit; I’m going to work with him for months.
Now that I’m away from him, I’m rethinking my agreement; I need to stay away
from Colin McKenna.

 
THREE
     
     
     
    “CHARLIE,
YOU’RE CRAZY if you back out now!” Ali’s tone is sharp with her anger.
    “Ali,”
I sigh, “I know my mental status is questionable and will be even more so if I
decline this assignment, but please, please consider what I just told you.” I
have spent the last thirty minutes filling her in on the press conference and
subsequent one-on-one time with Colin McKenna.
    “That's
even more reason to go Charlie!” It’s her turn for exasperation. “Most people
don’t feel half of that intensity in a lifetime. You’re contemplating ignoring
it completely for a reason I can’t figure out.”
    “I
just told you: I could ruin him!” I lean my elbow against the driver-side
window. Maybe it wasn’t the smartest idea to call Ali from the car, leaving
only one hand on the wheel.
    “Oh,
please. Little Charlie Carter cannot bring down a presidential candidate. You
have done nothing wrong.”
    “You
know that’s not true,” I say it on a whisper. It still hurts to think about.
    “Would
you please stop beating yourself up over something that happened fifteen years
ago? You deserve to move past it, finally put it behind you. Please,” she begs
me for the millionth time.
    “Okay,
I’ll try. I really will.”
    “One
day at a time, remember? Just go, have some fun, enjoy meeting new people.
Maybe you’ll even get laid.”
    “Ali
Carter!” I scream, but there’s a smile on my face.
    “Come
on, Charlie. If you would just let yourself relax, you’d love it; trust me.”
    “You’re
terrible, but I love you. Seriously, Ali, you’re really the best.”
    “I
know.” She giggles and then gets serious again. “I love you, Charlie girl.
Promise to call and e-mail all the time so I know you’re okay?” She’s back to big-sister
Ali.
    “I
promise.
Bye.”                        
    I’ll
be at campaign headquarters in less than ten minutes. I left Colin three days
ago, rushing home to pack and get things settled for a lengthy time away. I
have second-guessed my decision to accept this offer one hundred times over the
last seventy-two hours. Even now, minutes out from my first day, the panic has
officially taken hold. On one hand I’m extremely excited; this is an
opportunity few people will experience. On another, it’s completely out of the
scope of my qualifications; the enormity of the endeavor and the people I’ll
work with are way out of my league. The fear of failure is almost crippling,
and years of self-doubt and insecurities threaten to strike, waiting for the
perfect time to break my confidence. I swallow down the angst, repeating my
lifelong mantra—one day at a time.
    Campaign
headquarters is a one-story building that looks like any other you would find
in a business district. It’s an old structure, recently renovated to a modern
exterior with red brick and large floor-to-ceiling windows flanking either side
of a glass door. It stands apart because of the patriotic symbols strategically
placed throughout the exterior space. Campaign signs artistically line the
walk, a large United States flag proudly flies atop a large mast and a sign
etched into the glass door declares McKenna for the People as a
greeting to anyone who enters.
    Taking
a long, deep breath, I push through the door, conscious that my fate is
sealed—I’m really doing this. A young, snappy brunette sitting at a
receptionist desk says, “Good