Against the Odds: Book One; The Candidate

by Lee Taylor

  They’d brought on a cadre of young, active enthusiasts who wanted to work on a political campaign. Fortunately, Ben and the girls took over their training, knowing that after they won the primary they were going to need all the eager beavers they could find. Particularly the ones who were so excited about the campaign they were willing to essentially volunteer their time. Seeing Aiden surrounded by a cadre of young people sopping up the patently false promises of victory he was swilling, Gia could only shake her head. If only he had that much energy and optimism in front of people that mattered as he did with the adoring teenyboppers.

  In addition to her concerns about the fate of the campaign, Gia admitted that to say she and Aiden were on the outs was an understatement. When Ben called to her attention that the staff was commenting on her annoyance with their candidate, she acknowledged that he was correct. She even admitted to herself that, given their campaign was decidedly going in the wrong direction, being the power behind Aiden’s throne was unlikely at best. Dear God, they’d be lucky if he won a third of the votes cast.

  As if all of this wasn’t challenging enough, Gia admitted that she missed Logan. For sure, she hated him with a more visceral hate than she’d known she was capable of. It didn’t help that his negative assessment of Aiden’s chances were spot-on. If anything, it made her tortured dreams more vivid. The almost nightly dreams that woke her drenched in sweat and clutching her pillow forced her to admit that they weren’t real. That the man who’d turned her life upside down, shot her confidence to hell, was gone. Forever.

  She’d kept Aiden’s “must” appearances to a minimum. She particularly avoided opportunities when she couldn’t script him. It was bad enough that he had a hard time following her script, but an open forum was rife with potholes. Even knowing that she was taking a significant chance, both she and Ben agreed that they couldn’t avoid the governor’s fall barbecue extravaganza. Merlin Ojakangas had made the corny event a “must-attend” confab for anyone even remotely involved in politics, particularly those considering running for office. Aiden mounted a vociferous case for why he wouldn’t consider going to such a plebian event. When she indicated that refusing wasn’t an option, he’d planted a sneer on his face and refused to speak to her for a week. Making his point clear, he also skipped out on five of the other events she’d scheduled.

  Entering the grounds at the governor’s mansion, Gia was gratified at the number of people who greeted her when she and Ben and their scowling candidate entered the party. Governor Ojakangas, who owed his election to her father, broke from the group surrounding him and yanked her into his arms, planting a noisy kiss on her cheek. Grasping both of her arms, he held her in front of him and marveled. “Goddamn, Gia, you’ve done the impossible. If anything, you are even more beautiful than the last time I saw you.” Speaking to the crowd surrounding him, he bellowed to no one in particular, “Good God, men, tell me if you’ve ever seen a more gorgeous woman, and I’ll tell you it ain’t possible.”

  Knowing that she was blushing, Gia managed to buss the effusive man on the cheek, whispering her thanks. Apparently, the governor wasn’t done. He glanced behind her and smiled at Ben, then apparently saw Aiden. He frowned and then did what every accomplished pol did when he couldn’t remember someone’s name. He grasped Aiden’s hand and said, “Ah yes, you’re . . . the young man that Gia intends to make a congressman.” Seeing that he was not going to name him, Gia smiled. “Thank you, Governor, for the boost of confidence, and yes, this is Aiden Maxwell, and I know you’ve met Ben Knight, who’s helping me manage the campaign.” Ignoring Aiden, the governor seized on Ben. “Hell yes, Gia. Leave it to you to snap up the most promising young political operative around. Great to see you, Ben! And if she ever lets go of you, you can be on my team any time you want, as long as you bring your boss with you.”

  Managing to escape the voluble man and dragging her flushed candidate with her, Gia aimed for the largest hole in the ground that she could find. Apparently, even Aiden knew how badly he’d been dissed. He snarled in her ear, “We’re leaving, Gia, now!” When she shook her head, indicating that wasn’t an option, she was surprised when Aiden said, “Savannah . . . Savannah Phillips, whatever are you doing here?”

  Startled at his surprisingly pleasant greeting, Gia turned and saw the witch who’d haunted her nightmares, the blonde bitch from the art museum event. But it wasn’t the haughty woman sneering at her that stole her breath. It was the tall, narrow-eyed man next to her that made it impossible for her to breathe.

  Stepping into the breach, Logan blew out an audible breath and pasted the semblance of a smile on his face. “Good afternoon, Aiden, Ben, Gia.” Focusing on Aiden, he said, “I see you know my companion, Savannah Phillips.”

  Aiden was positively fulsome. “Of course I do. Savannah and I spent our summers in the Hamptons.” Stepping toward her, Aiden groaned. “Good God, Savannah, what are you doing here? You’re hardly a barbecue hoedown kind of woman.” Then, as if seeing Logan for the first time, he said, “Oh, of course. Good to see you, Mr. Fowler. It’s . . . been a while.”

  Feeling Ben’s arm around her waist, Gia forced herself to nod to Logan, then turned to the woman beside him, who was glaring at her. The icy blonde was as thin as she remembered and, distaste clear on her face, was as dismissive of Gia as the last time they met. When Gia merely nodded and moved closer to Ben, Savannah’s lips curved in what approximated a smile but came off as a smirk. “Ah yes, you’re that woman. The one in the green dress.”

  Gia nodded. “Guilty as charged. It’s nice to see you again.” She leaned into Ben and had turned to go when Aiden surprised her. “Gia, where are you going? God, in a million years I never thought I’d see Savannah here . . . at this kind of an event.” He barked a hearty laugh. “It’s not exactly the kind of party we attended when we were growing up, is it, Savannah?” Before she could respond, he chortled. “God, do you remember when Bertie Schroeder launched his thirty-six foot yacht and we all went skinny-dipping in the bay? I thought our parents were going to skin us alive.”

  At Savannah’s agreeing laugh, Gia clutched Ben, hoping that she didn’t break his skin because she was digging her fingernails so hard into his arm. Turning to Aiden, she said, “I’ll let you and Savannah catch up. Ben and I need to make the rounds.” Nodding to Savannah and avoiding looking at Logan, Gia gripped Ben’s arm. Somehow they made it through the crowd of people, all of whom seemed determined to stop and talk to her. With Ben’s help, she fielded the questions and did her best to smile. At one point, Ben murmured, “Have I told you how proud I am of you, boss lady?” Gia fought the tears burning the backs of her eyelids and nodded. “Yes, you have, but do you mind telling me again?”

  At that moment, Aiden caught up with them. Not hiding his anger, he hissed, “Just once, one fucking time, Gia, could you act civilized? Not like a snotty bitch? Good God, do you have any idea who Savannah is? Her family owns half of the coaling industry in Kentucky. They’re mega-rich. Her father might even get a seat in the president’s cabinet. And God, Gia, you practically dissed her. As if that isn’t bad enough, you barely said hello to Mr. Fowler. I thought you were trying to get him to support us. I can tell you, the way you pranced out of there, you likely blew my chances of getting his support.”

  Wishing that she had pranced, but knowing that she’d come closer to crawling away from the impossible scene, she shrugged. “Golly, Aiden, if Savannah is that important, and seeing what good friends you are, I sure hope you got her to contribute to your campaign.”

  Aiden snorted. “Sorry, Gia. But going after money is your job. And by the way, according to my father, you’re not doing all that great a job convincing people to support my campaign.”

  After they’d stayed the requisite amount of time, circulating through the crowd that was becoming rowdier by the moment, Ben left to get the car. Gia congratulated herself that, with Ben’s help, she’d talked with everyone she needed to. The hardest part was avoiding Logan. Fort
unately, her antennae were so finely tuned to his presence that she was able to reverse course whenever she felt him closing in on her. As the crowd was beginning to thin and Aiden had left, making it clear that he should have never come, her trusty antennae let her down.

  Hearing a familiar voice, she turned to see Jerry Riley waving to her. Knowing that she couldn’t avoid him, she tried to ignore the fact that not only was he standing with Logan and Savannah but Gus Underwood, the Republican candidate for Congress, had joined them. When she tried to pass by them with a friendly wave, Jerry stopped her. “Oh no you don’t, Gia. You don’t get to brush by one of your greatest admirers.” He must have seen her distress because he smiled. “Hey, don’t let Gus chase you away. Since when did the ballsiest campaigner I know avoid an opportunity to dis an opponent?”

  Gia pasted a smile on her face, certain that if the effort didn’t crack her face, nothing would. Moving next to Jerry, she leaned over and bussed his cheek, then turned to Underwood. “I’m out of putdowns, Gus. All I can do is wish you the best.” She smiled. “But three weeks from now, when we’ve finally won the primary, I suggest you don your toughest armor because that noise you hear coming up behind you is little ole me.”

  Underwood laughed. “You can chase my ass anytime you want, sweetheart. Just promise me you won’t bring that insipid candidate of yours with you.” As if his misogynist comments weren’t bad enough, the candidate, who’d clearly had two or four drinks too many, licked his lips and said, “But, honey, after the way you chopped off Mike O’Brian’s dick, you can bet your sweet ass I’ll be donning my steel jockstrap when you’re within a mile of me and hoping like hell that you strip it off me.”

  Shocked at his openly sexist, diminishing taunt, Gia didn’t know how she managed to ignore Logan’s stern gaze or Savannah’s simpering smile. Instead, she squeezed Jerry’s hand, then fled to the exit, praying that she would make it without falling flat on her face—or more likely letting anyone see the flood of tears coursing down her cheeks.

  Chapter 18

  You didn’t ask for my advice, Underwood. I’ll give it to you regardless. There never was a time when crass, misogynistic comments were appropriate. But as a candidate running for national office, it would behoove you to acknowledge that the ‘me too’ movement has significantly changed the political ground rules between men and women.”

  Gus looked surprised. “What are you talking about, Fowler?” Then, seeing Logan’s dark, forbidding frown, he was disbelieving. “Surely you ain’t talking about what I said to Gia? If you did, buddy, you can relax. Gia Tremaine can give as good as she gets. You don’t have to worry about that little pussy. She’s been putting men in their places since she was a kid.”

  Logan closed in on the grinning man and glowered at him. “Yes, Gus, I am talking about Ms. Tremaine. Forget the ‘me too’ movement. In any civilized conversation, your crass remarks were more than out of line. I strongly recommend that in the future, you don’t do what you just did to Ms. Tremaine. Unless you want your audience to know that you are a reprehensible boor unworthy of holding any office, particularly one in the Congress of the United States of America.”

  “What the fuck . . . You’ve got to be kidding . . . ” Clearly taken aback, Underwood looked to Jerry for support. “Hell, Jerry, tell this fine, upstanding man who seems to think he can educate me on what is appropriate and what isn’t that Gia Tremaine can take care of herself.”

  Jerry shook his head. “Sorry, Gus. Logan is on-target. Apparently, you didn’t see Gia’s face when you unloaded that macho crap on her. If I didn’t know better, I’d have thought she might cry.”

  Apparently not willing to be a bystander in the conversation, Savannah stepped forward. She put a possessive hand on Logan’s arm, then simpered, “I’m impressed, Logan, I never pegged you as a feminist. But surely you know that you needn’t waste your concerns on people who don’t deserve them. I’m with Gus. If I’ve ever seen a woman who asks to be disrespected, it’s that brazen hussy, Gia Tremaine.”

  Logan pinned her with a narrow-eyed glare. “I don’t agree, Savannah. Frankly, I’m surprised that you aren’t defending another woman who has been disrespected.”

  Savannah shrugged and smirked. “My, my, Logan. Don’t tell me you think that tarty young woman needs you to defend her. In my mind, she is more than capable of defending herself. She is hardly a shrinking violet.”

  “You’re correct, Savannah. Ms. Tremaine doesn’t need me to defend her. However, in my opinion, Gia Tremaine is one of the most impressive political operatives it’s been my privilege to know. A fact that any candidate worth his salt would know and respect.”

  Jerry Riley frowned, then nodded at Logan. “I agree with you, Logan. Gia is peerless. She is a worthy successor to her remarkable father. In that we agree on her talents, I’m surprised you aren’t supporting Aiden Maxwell.”

  Logan shrugged. “Unfortunately, even an operator as sharp as Gia can occasionally choose a candidate who isn’t worthy of her professional guidance.”

  “Interesting that you say that, Logan. That’s the conclusion all of her father’s old cronies have come to. Much as we hate to see her fall on her face, it may be what it takes for her to get over her anger at her pappy and start to rely on her never-fail political instincts.”

  Savannah sniffed. “Sorry, boys. You can talk all you want about her ‘political instincts.’ But I can tell you without that over-ripe body of hers—no telling how much of it is real—neither one of you would be haranguing Gus for his supposedly off-color remarks. That said, in my opinion, I think the Tremaine woman not only asks for but deserves every misogynistic jibe she gets.”

  Confirming that the last thing he would do was spend another evening with the viperous woman, Logan glared at her. “Savannah, to be clear, I won’t be taking you home tonight. I’m confident you understand.” Reaching for his wallet, he took out a large bill and handed it to the surprised woman, then said dismissively, “Ask the guys at the valet stand. I’m sure one of them will be pleased to see you home.” Nodding to the two men, he said curtly, “Good evening, Jerry, Underwood.” Turning on his heel, he strode across the lawn to the exit.

  Savannah flushed a deep shade of mauve, then sputtered, “Well, I never . . . ”

  Gus looked from Savannah to Jerry and agreed. “I’m with you, Ms. Phillips. What the hell got into Fowler? He’s the coolest son of a bitch I’ve ever met. I sure as hell never expected him to act the self-righteous prick like he just did.”

  A crafty smile crept across Jerry’s face. Nodding to the bamboozled pol, he said, “If I had to hazard a guess, Gus, I’d say that Gia Tremaine got into him.” At the contemptuous snort from Savannah, he shrugged. “Sorry, Savannah, but that lovely Irish lass has been bedeviling us long-time pols since she was a little girl. Appears she’s hooked another one.” He blew out an impressed sigh. “And from everything I know about Fowler, this time she’s landed a big one.”

  ****

  Gia crawled onto the recliner on her narrow balcony and forced herself to deal with the hideous afternoon. Fighting her angst, she reminded herself that against all odds she’d survived an un-survivable evening. Embarrassed and horrified at Gus Underwood’s crass come-ons, she allowed herself to remember Logan’s reaction. While he didn’t jump on him, his stern glare signaled that after she left, he no doubt took on the boorish creep for his unacceptable behavior. She sniffed, wondering if he would have the courage to take on that truly insufferable woman with him. Probably not. Savannah, Aiden’s boyhood pal, appeared to be Logan’s recurring companion. Which underscored how little he must think of her if her “competition” was the ice queen.

  She texted Ben, thanking him for his unwavering support. “Hey, caretaking man of mine. I don’t think I could have survived that hideous event if you weren’t by my side.”

  His texted reply was immediate. “C’mon, boss woman, you were spectacular. You never missed a beat even when that horrible woman with Logan
took off after you.”

  “Hmm, so it wasn’t just my imagination that I felt a dozen sharp knives in my gut?”

  “LOL. She really is a piece of work, isn’t she? And yeah, knives weren’t the only thing she was aiming at you. Clearly, she sees you as a significant opponent.”

  “Why ever would she?”

  “Hmm, maybe she isn’t so nuts that she didn’t see Logan’s expression when he saw you.”

  Not wanting to hear what he had to say, Gia couldn’t keep from asking, “You mean when he couldn’t bother to talk to us?”

  “C’mon, Gia, you have to have seen the way that he looked at you. He was clearly upset. Trust me, if you didn’t see how he was looking at you, the blonde-haired bitch sure did.”

  Not wanting to talk about Logan or even think about him, Gia found herself needing to tell Ben about the horrible scene with Gus Underwood. After describing the ugly things that Underwood had said, she admitted, “To be fair, except for the fact that he was three sheets to the wind, I have to admit creepy Gus would have to be brain dead not to see how angry Logan was.”

  “That’s what I’m talking about, Gia. I’ll lay money on the fact that after you left, Logan lit into that crass blowhard and told him precisely what he thinks of men who disrespect women.”

  Gia snorted, remembering how disrespected she’d felt when Logan sent her a note telling her he wouldn’t support her. Although, she admitted that he’d made it clear it was Aiden he couldn’t support. Done discussing Logan or Savannah, she shot off another text to Ben. “Again, Ben, thanks. I truly couldn’t have made it through that awful party without you by my side.”