by Chelle Bliss
Lexi gets a dreamy look on her face, and I shove her. “Stop picturing him wearing nothing but the medal.”
“I wasn’t,” she says, her fair cheeks darkening.
“You were.”
“I may have been,” she admits.
“I am so fucked.” I lean back against the thinly upholstered bench at the fold-down kitchen table of my campaign bus.
“Game face,” Lexi reminds me. “You were fine the first time we watched this announcement.”
“It’s different when the entire staff is in here. With you, I can be myself.”
“Yeah, I know.” She glances at her wristwatch. “Hey, you want me to reschedule your stuff for the rest of the day, and we can wallow? I’ll allow you six hours to wallow before we put our big-girl panties back on.”
I smile. “Thanks, but no. I need to do those interviews and that speech to put on a good face about running against Titan.” I shake my head. “Ugh, even his name reeks of power and capability. I’ve really got my work cut out for me.”
“I’ll be right beside you. And your father will be, too.”
“You’re right,” I say with a deep breath. “We can do this.”
“You unseated Paul Hawthorne after he’d served five terms in the state house,” Lexi reminds me. “Your approval rating is strong. And since when do you back down from a fight?”
She’s getting animated now—her short red corkscrew curls are bouncing as she talks. I love this girl. She’s been by my side since we met as college sophomores a little more than ten years ago.
“Okay,” I say, taking a deep breath. “So Jude Titan’s running. Maybe he’ll lose in the primary.”
Lex snorts and laughs. She covers her mouth with her hand. “Sorry. Maybe he will.” She clears her throat and tries to stop smiling but just ends up laughing again.
I shake my head and walk back to the tiny bathroom. Life on a campaign bus is very unglam. The battle between the male and female staffers over the toilet seat is real, and it’s aggravated by someone’s lousy aim. Putting a pee-stained toilet seat down is just gross.
I fix my hair and put on fresh lip gloss. Before I’m done, I hear the rest of the staff piling back on to the bus. We stopped at a deli for a late lunch, and now it’s time to drive to Charleston for a campaign rally.
The ride to Charleston is quiet. Jude Titan’s announcement has everyone in a thoughtful mood. This election was in the bag. The Democratic primary is uncontested, so my only opponent for the Senate seat my father is vacating was going to be Republican Sonny Solomon, the quirky mayor of a small, southern Illinois town.
Jude is likely to plow over Sonny in the Republican primary, and that victory will give him momentum. I have a strong track record, but still…a handsome war hero is a tough opponent.
I give my stump speech at a rally in a high school gymnasium in Charleston, and the crowd roars to life when I mention Jude Titan at the end.
“Mr. Titan served our country with valor,” I say, my hands wrapped loosely around the edges of the wooden lectern I’m standing behind. “I have nothing but respect for him. Serving in the Senate is different, though. It takes experience and tenacity. I have both. I’m only thirty years old, but I know our state well. I know its needs well. Being Stan Preston’s daughter prepared me perfectly to be your next senator. I need your support, and I appreciate your being here tonight.”
The sound of applause and cheering invigorates me. This is my dream. My life. I grew up idolizing my father and his ideals. I want to be a voice for the middle class and an advocate for education reform. I’m doing it at the state level now, but I’m ready to move up to Congress and have a greater impact.
I step away from the stage and am greeted by people with their hands out, all talking at the same time. I shake hands, pose for photos, and talk to as many people as I can.
Lexi approaches and takes my arm. She’s giving me the look. It means something’s up.
“I’m sorry, guys,” she says to the group of waiting people. “She has an interview at a news station in fifteen minutes. I have to take her.”
One of my deputy campaign managers passes out business cards to everyone who wants one. Lexi steers me toward the waiting campaign bus.
“What’s up?” I ask her as soon as we step on and the driver closes the doors.
“I got a call from a TV station manager in Springfield. He wants to know if you’re interested in doing a Q&A thing with Titan and Sonny Solomon Wednesday evening.”
“Wednesday?” I arch my brows. “Yikes. That’s tomorrow. Not much prep time.”
“I know. I think he wants to capitalize on Titan’s announcement. I can tell him no.”
I shake my head. “No, I’m in. I’d like to size Jude Titan up in person.”
“I’ll let the manager know.”
The bus starts up, and we head toward the news station. Claire, another of my staffers, kneels in front of me and powders my nose.
“I’m sweating like a whore in church,” I say to her. “That gym wasn’t air-conditioned.”
“We’ll get you all fixed up,” Claire says. “Want me to pull up your hair to help cool you off?”
“That would be great,” I say, reaching over to open the fridge from my seat. “You want a water?”
“Sure.”
I take two bottles out and hand her one. As I open mine and take a drink, I’m thinking about meeting Jude tomorrow. I’m eager to find out if his presence is as commanding as it seemed on TV today. I’m also eager for him to see that I can bust balls with the best of them.
Jude Titan can bring it on.
I’m ready.
About Chelle Bliss
In my other life, I used to mold the minds of America’s youth as a high school history teacher. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in History and a Master’s in Instructional Education. I’m now a full-time writer, time-waster extraordinaire, social media addict, and coffee fiend.
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About Brenda Rothert
Brenda Rothert is an Illinois native who was a print journalist for nine years. She made the jump from fact to fiction in 2013 and never looked back. From new adult to steamy contemporary romance, Brenda creates fresh characters in every story she tells. She’s a lover of Diet Coke, chocolate, lazy weekends and happily ever afters.
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Acknowledgments
CHELLE BLISS
There’s a small army of awesomeness behind me, pushing me on, and supporting me every step of the way. Beside my family and close friends, there’s an entire network of indie readers, authors, and bloggers that have shown me so much love that I’m completely in awe and humbled.
Brenda Rothert, you’re
always a blast. Writing with you if effortless and more fun than I ever expected. The ease at which we create the characters and fly by the seat of our pants still astounds me. Thank God you’re not a planner. We’d be in serious trouble.
Our beta team—thank you for being patient with us and helping create the best story possible. We adore each and every one of you. Thank you for loving Kennedy and Nix.
To every member of my Facebook readers group… Thank you! There’s nothing else I can say, but thank you. Your support and enthusiasm for the release of Dirty Secret has been overwhelming.
To my agent, Kimberly Brower, thank you for your support and understanding when I know I’m driving you up a wall. We got together like peanut butter and jelly. I’m the peanut butter though, sticking to the roof of your mouth just enough to drive you crazy.
Lisa ‘Pour Me a Drink’ Hollett—You’re ability to put up with my bullshit astounds me. I know I drive you crazy just like a hemorrhoid that won’t heal, but you love me anyway.
I know I’m forgetting a million people, but it’s literally eight days before release and the sun is barely above the horizon. My mind isn’t functioning yet because I haven’t consumed more than cup of coffee.
To every reader… THANK YOU! Thank you for reading Kennedy and Nix. I hope you loved every bit of their story!
BRENDA ROTHERT
Dirty Secret was so much fun to write. Biggest thanks to my co-author Chelle Bliss for going on this adventure with me. We couldn’t have done it without our amazing team of beta readers. Thanks to Sara Eirew for inspiring this story with the amazing cover photo, and also for the cover design. Editor Lisa Hollett, copy editor Taylor Bellitto and proofreader Fiona Wilson helped us put polish on this story. Joanne Thompson, thanks for being the final eyes on this one. And readers – thanks for taking a chance on us. Love you all.
