The Romance Vote

by Ali Vali

  She laughed and nodded. “We get any better at it and we could run for office.”

  “Fuck that. We’re better off as kingmakers than slaves to the confinement of office.”

  “And you say I have a way with words.”

  “I do, and I have a way to remove your spleen with a dull, rusty spoon if you fuck up any relationships here. And before you think that’s gibberish, I’m dead serious about it. We understand each other?”

  “I understand you, boss, and I keep a dull, rusty spoon in my desk, so don’t think you’ll have to hunt for one if I forget this conversation.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  On their last day in Cabo San Lucas, Sam laughed at Chili and Dale’s antics. They were constantly teasing each other, but they’d never left her out of their fun. It had only been four days, but it was enough time to get Chili to relax to the point that Sam felt she’d made it over every barrier Chili had erected around her heart. What really made her happy was that Dale was her greatest ally on that front. His acceptance of her in what had been up to then his time with Chili, and his joy for what they’d found together, made her extremely happy.

  They’d spent the day on the boat Chili had hired for their trip, and the siblings had caught enough fish to keep the restaurant in entrees for months. When Chili had said Dale always picked fishing, she didn’t realize that’s all they did every day of their vacation, but it had been fun watching them enjoy each other’s company. Throughout their last day, Dale, she thought, had overindulged so he’d have a good excuse to leave them alone for the night, and when they docked again, she kissed his cheek before he left to sleep off some of the hangover that was surely coming.

  While she was getting ready, Chili went to his room to make sure he was okay, and Sam had ordered room service for him for later. She’d offered for them to stay and take care of him, but Chili refused and stripped to jump into the shower. Once she was in there Sam finally took off her robe and got dressed.

  Chili came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her waist, and that made Sam want to stay in for other reasons than to take care of Dale, but she was ready for some fun on the town and Chili had promised another memorable date. “You look a lot sexier with a tan, babe,” she said when Chili stopped to study her from head to toe as she spoke.

  Chili struck a pose with her fists on her hips and held it for a few seconds before she started laughing. “I’m glad you think so, but you’re the good-looking one in this relationship.”

  She’d laid out Chili’s clothes after she’d gotten dressed first, wanting to surprise Chili with the outfit she’d bought the first day they got there and she’d picked shopping instead of fishing. The top and skirt she wore would only make future appearances when they were on vacation, and she’d bought it to give Chili some incentive to invite her along again. Now that she had Chili’s attention, she crossed her legs and the slit at the side of the long skirt made the material fall away, showing plenty of leg.

  “You sure you want to go out?” Chili asked as she dropped the towel.

  “Yes, so get dressed and behave. You promised me a date, and after tonight I have to go back to a weekend in the marsh chasing ducks with a bunch of air-bag politicians, so I’m holding you to it.”

  “You drive a hard bargain,” Chili said as she started to get dressed. “And you might not find that duck thing as bad as you think.”

  “Actually I’ve been thinking about that.” She stood and pulled the drawstring on Chili’s light cotton pants and tied it off. “You don’t really strike me as the big-gun hunter type.”

  “When duty calls I can adapt.” Chili pulled the linen shirt over her head and held her hand out to her. They weren’t really leaving the resort for dinner, but they did plan to go into the city later on for some entertainment.

  “I’m looking forward to seeing that in action.”

  “Speaking of action, are you sure you don’t want to stay put tonight?”

  Sam stopped and put her arms around Chili. “A light dinner and a little dancing will warm me up.”

  “Okay,” Chili said as her hands wandered a little.

  “That will make me warm, but when we get back I should be hot.”

  “I need to write that down,” Chili said as Sam grabbed her by the wrists to help her keep her resolve to go out.

  “You won’t have time to take any notes tonight.”

  “Good thing I have a good memory.”

  Sam smiled as Chili opened their door. “Your ass ain’t all that bad either.”

  *

  When they got back, Chili and Sam were the only two with a great tan, which made it hard to deny they’d spent their break together. If Huey was pissed by that fact, he hid it well. That was until he came down and called Sam upstairs with some lame excuse about needing her help for an upcoming debate tour for a few of the offices up for grabs in the coming three years.

  The one good thing was that he’d gotten Chili the one meeting she most probably wanted when it came to the governor’s race. Sam had seen the excitement in Chili’s face as she left to meet with Kathleen Bergeron’s people and knew from some of their conversations that getting Kathleen elected would mean a major shift in policy in Baton Rouge. Their governor now was as far right as you could get without actually falling off the scale, and some of his ideas he’d pushed into becoming law had done extensive damage to a lot of entities dear to Chili’s heart, like higher education.

  “Did you have a nice time on your short vacation?” Huey asked as they sat in his conference room with a lot of paper in front of them that outlined some new strategies he wanted to implement.

  “Very relaxing, thanks for asking. It was good to get away from all this for a little while.”

  “Did you talk to Chili while you were gone?”

  “I get enough of Chili the poll-vaulter Alexander while I’m here. I didn’t need that on vacation,” she said with some heat. She didn’t add that she couldn’t really get enough of the laidback Chili who couldn’t keep her hands off her while they were away from judgments like Huey’s.

  “That doesn’t sound good,” he said as he cocked his head to the side, as if trying to figure out what was behind her outburst.

  “Maybe I’m not over her dressing me down on my first day.”

  “Okay, then before we get started on this, I wanted to talk to you about a few things. This might be a good time to cover them.” Sam turned her chair to face him and waited for him to speak. “I’m thinking about moving you up here after Rooster’s campaign. Once that’s over and with the experience you gained during Virgil’s campaign, I think it’s time for you to take a more active role in running this place.”

  She paused before answering, since her father’s declaration was like throwing down a dozen land mines, and she didn’t want to step on any. “If I weren’t your daughter, would you promote someone this fast? And please be honest.”

  “No, but you are my daughter, and like it or not, you’re my only heir.”

  “That’s true, but it’s going to take a lot more than Rooster and Virgil to qualify me for your office, so if you’re asking me, I respectfully decline.”

  He put his hand on her knee and took a deep breath. “When I started this firm I had about that much experience myself, but I took the chance anyway. I did it because your mother and I saw that working for someone else wasn’t the way to make the changes in the world that we wanted. If you don’t want to move up to this floor, maybe it’s time to move you up on the floor you’re on.”

  “What do you mean by that?” she asked, thinking he’d move her in with Chili. That was a win if he decided to be that progressive.

  “You taking over for Chili.”

  “How about we drop this and wait at least another year before we talk about it again. You and Mom might’ve been in a place where you could start at the top with no experience, but I know myself. I’m not at that point yet.”

  “Fair enough,” Huey said as h
e squeezed her knee and leaned over to kiss her cheek. “How about you get back to your cubicle and we’ll discuss this later. When Chili gets back I’m sure she’ll be ready to go.”

  “Let’s work a little, and I’ll get in line when she gets back.”

  “You okay?” he asked, when she took a few deep breaths.

  “Peachy,” she said, but what she really wanted to do was run out and find Chili in case her father was planning an ambush for some reason.

  *

  They went down together when the call came that Chili was on her way back after having closed the deal. The first thing Sam heard was the whispers of how Chili couldn’t fail in a room full of women, straight or not. It was almost a known fact to these people that Chili could bend lines when it came to any woman she set her sights on. After they’d gotten together, joking like this had made Sam angry that people still saw Chili that way, and it upset her that Chili had enough wins in that area to have gotten the reputation in the first place. Sometimes the fun of the past was hard to compete with.

  She concentrated instead on the truth that she wasn’t the only woman to share a bed with Chili, but she did plan to be the last one. And when the object of her thoughts walked out of the stairwell door, the smile on her face meant there might’ve been a little flirting going on. Not enjoying the jealousy that overtook her senses, Sam decided to follow her father back upstairs for a little while.

  That stay had been short-lived when he loaded her down with his new project and sent her back to her cubicle. She decided to take the stairs even with the box of papers and smiled when she heard footsteps headed her way. “You look way too smug, baby.”

  “That’s the hazard of being this good,” Chili said before she stuck her tongue out at her. “I finally get to have fun when it comes to the governor’s office.”

  “How much fun did you have this morning? I know the meaning of that smile you had when you got back, and it means nothing but trouble.” She gave up her box when Chili took it from her and didn’t put up a fight when Chili stood a step down from her and kissed her.

  “I was smiling because I was thinking about celebrating with you later.”

  “Uh-huh,” she said as Chili put the box down and her hands went to her butt.

  “I’ll prove it to you when we get out of here,” Chili said, and kissed her again. “Let me run this down for you, and then I have an appointment with your father.”

  “I should warn you he’s in a strange mood.”

  “What are you talking about?” Chili moved slowly enough for her to keep up.

  “First he offered me his job, I think, and when I turned him down, he offered me yours.”

  “I’d be okay with that,” Chili said, and laughed.

  “Sure you would.”

  “Are you denying I do a great job under you?” Chili said, and Sam’s face got hot. “If this door was locked you’d be in big trouble, but until then…” Chili kissed her again, long and hard enough to make Sam want to take the rest of the day off. “While I’m still your boss, get to work and make sure you read the report.”

  “Rooster’s dad didn’t abandon him, did he?”

  “I don’t know, but it might be in the report. Ask an uninformed question now, and I reserve the right to put you over my knee and spank you.”

  “That’d be something your little minions won’t ever forget.”

  “Neither will you when we try it out later at my place,” Chili said, and Sam’s face got hot again. “Go on before that blush stays put. I’ll be down in a little while.”

  *

  “What’s on your mind?” Huey asked when she closed the door to his office and sat down. “Before you start, though, let me repeat what a great job you did with Kathleen. I might even move downstairs and help you with this one.”

  “Thanks, but I wanted to talk to you about something else.”

  Huey stood and walked around his desk and sat next to her. “What can I do you for?”

  “First, I want to apologize for keeping something from you. I not only work for you but I consider you a friend, and I don’t especially like deceiving you in any way. Not that I did, but I’m sure you’ll see it that way.”

  “You’re seeing Sam after I asked you not to.”

  “I am, but it’s not what you were worried about.”

  Huey leaned back and tapped his fingertips together. “What do you think I was worried about?”

  “That I’d play her like I have in the past. Forget about ancient history. It’s not why I asked to see you.” She’d practiced this talk the night before and on the way back from her meeting. “I want your blessing.”

  “Blessing?” Huey repeated the word, making it sound like she didn’t understand it. Then he was as blunt as ever as he spoke his mind. It didn’t go quite as she’d planned, so she thanked him for his time and went downstairs to try and lose herself in the work. She didn’t come up for air until Sam called her to remind her what time it was with the cute line about pinching nipples.

  They’d have to talk about what had happened, but not tonight. It could wait for tomorrow, even though they’d be stuck at a duck hunt. “I’m in the hunt now, but I feel more like a sitting duck,” she said when she got in her car. “Not a good thing with the number of guns that are going to be around tomorrow.”

  *

  An eerie mist rose from the water of the bayou the group the firm had invited was standing around while the hunting guides put small boats in the water. Everyone was wearing camouflage and shivering as they stood there holding shotguns and trying to stay warm until some of the eager media personnel noticed them. The news crews always came, wanting to get pictures and sound bites for the Saturday-night news cycle.

  The annual event was the perfect launching point for those new to the game and those back for another taste of the power apple, and while most everyone outside the state probably didn’t think much of the sport, duck hunting was a Louisiana tradition. Huey had enjoyed this tradition with his father and grandfather, so this was his opportunity to mix a little business with his passion.

  On most mornings during the season Huey could be found on this boat launch introducing his hobby to as many people as were willing to sign up. Only this time not only interns and new friends were waiting for the sunrise; the group consisted of mayors, senators, representatives, councilmen, and other elected officials wanting to build alliances over the weekend.

  Chili finally had no choice but to get out of her car, so she walked over with a beautifully tooled weapon that looked almost too fancy to fire. She held it casually with the double barrels cracked open as she made her rounds, greeting their guests as a few of the female staffers from different places followed her around chatting about different things, like they were trying to attract her attention.

  More than one politician held up a fist full of money when the cameras weren’t trained on them as Chili and her growing entourage joined them. The land was privately owned and stocked by Huey, so more than one bet was made along the way as to who brought back the most ducks. Limits didn’t apply for the day, and Chili’s record hung in the balance.

  “Chili, you ready to go?” Only a few people were left milling around on the dock when Jean Pierre found her. The young man who was Huey’s groundskeeper always gave her a ride out to her blind that he’d built to her specs when she joined the firm.

  “Ready as ever, good luck everyone,” she said as she got in his aluminum-hulled boat most Louisianans called a Joe boat. “Let’s get going before one of these guys fills my ass with buckshot. Did you get out there last night?” Jean Pierre had gladly kept the secret to her hunting success and always stocked her blind with whatever she asked for.

  They both zipped up their camouflage jackets when he pulled the starter on the small, quiet outboard and pushed away from the dock. It was still dark, but Jean Pierre had grown up in the marshes they were headed into and could’ve gotten there blindfolded if necessary.

  Spendi
ng time with him, Chili had come to appreciate the beauty of the wetlands and had joined the growing consortium of concerned citizens fighting to save them. Coastal erosion was the new buzzword in politics, but for people like Jean Pierre, it was a fight to hang on to his heritage. That his priorities had become hers as well was something that made Jean Pierre want to please her more. But it wasn’t lip service. She’d tried to work the fight to save the coast into every campaign and had convinced whoever they were representing to be passionate about it.

  “I sure did, and thanks for the case of Gentleman Jack. You know I won’t tell Huey what you’re doing out there with or without the bribe, right? Though if he finds out, you’d better start running. That’s my advice.”

  “You’d think he would’ve asked before now why I always insist on hunting alone, but like in most things, Huey doesn’t ask when he really doesn’t want to know the answer.”

  Jean Pierre killed the engine and glided the last fifty yards until the flat bow hit the small patch of land that her blind was situated on. “Pick you up at ten so stay put.”

  The heel of her Timberland boot disappeared into the mud when she stepped out, and she tried not to grimace. She didn’t mind the outdoors, but when it started to ooze into her shoes it was a bit much to take. “Stay put, he says. Where in the hell do you think I’m going to wander off to?”

  “I know you, smart-ass, you bore easily, so cool your jets until I get back.”

  “Relax. The only way I’m going swimming out here is if a Starbucks magically surfaces out of the water,” Chili said, and laughed as she stepped on the small deck outside her blind. “Anyway, you should be nice to me or I won’t warn you to ride clear of Councilman Smith’s blind if you don’t want to get your eye shot out. It’s not sunup yet, but he’s already sauced.”

  “How’d that one get past you? He can’t be too effective in representing the masses if he’s drowning his sorrows in Jack every minute of the day. Granted, it’s my favorite, but not while I’m working.”