“Sigourney Stewart,” I responded as we shook hands.
Her palms were warm and dry, her handshake firm before she let go and proceeded to turn her back on me. “We’ll speak in my office and conduct the interview there.”
“Is the Governor on site?” I inquired while I tried to keep up with her long stride. Clearly I wasn’t as practiced walking in four-inch designer heels as the campaign manager. I’d only recently graduated from university, and was much used to running from class to class in Nikes or one of my favorite pair of UGGs.
Kylie stopped walking and I barely managed to stop myself before I ran into her as she whipped around to face me. “Why do you want to know where the Governor is? Are you getting ready to bat your eyelashes and fan-girl the man? For God’s sake, Governor Coburn is married, Miss Stewart.”
“I know that, Ms. Miller.” My face flushed and I could feel a blush creep up from my neck as I tried to keep my temper in check. “I planned to do no such thing. I only wanted to meet the man. I’m from Maryland and meeting the Governor is not something that happens to me everyday. I’m sorry if I offended you, it wasn’t my intention.”
She smirked this time before she turned away from me and continued to walk. “The Governor is in Annapolis but the campaign headquarters will remain here in Washington, D.C. I hope I don’t have to explain to you why. This is where all the top political figures are, including President Nyongo-Rice. She has been mum about who she would like to take over for her after she finishes her eight years in 2016 but it’s a given Elaine Riley sees herself as a natural successor, merely because her husband was also President of the United States. This campaign is about continuing with Nyongo-Rice’s policies and not changing a damn thing. Is that understood?”
“Yes, Ms. Miller,” I managed to reply to her canned speech.
“Good.” She opened her office and I followed her inside. She closed the door behind me as I took a seat in front of her desk. There was a seventeen-inch laptop open and her workspace was generally uncluttered. The office was cold, impersonal, without even the basic necessities there like photos or memorabilia.
As she took her seat, I noticed her glance at her laptop screen before she slammed it shut and faced me again with cold green eyes.
I cleared my throat though my gaze never wavered from hers and she looked away first. “I’ve seen your resume and know the basics about you. You’re impressive: you graduated from Harvard with a Political Science degree, Magna Cum Laude, and you recently graduated from law school at Georgetown. Tell me, do you plan to take the bar exam this summer?”
“Only if I don’t get this job. There is a good chance I can get a job in my field if this doesn’t work out.”
Kylie raised a perfectly manicured brow in my direction though she said nothing.
“I mean, if there aren’t any jobs here in the political area then I might as well continue with my backup plan of corporate law.”
“Oh? Corporate law? It doesn’t seem very civic duty to me, Ms. Stewart.”
“Well, actually it is. Most of the lobbyists have some form of higher education and personally, I would like to work for one of the pharmaceutical companies.”
I cursed myself inwardly. What a stupid fucking answer!
“A pharmaceutical company?” Kylie bit out. “Tell me, how does that help the average American? They hire you at a starting salary of say, one hundred thousand dollars per year, do you think Joe and Jane America are truly going to benefit under Nyongo-Rice Health Insurance? No, they aren’t because they’re going to raise the price of their already outlandish drugs to help pay for your salary, Miss Stewart.”
I took a deep breath before I continued. I knew it no longer mattered what I said because this shark was going to jump on everything and make me believe I was wrong.
“Actually, my father is a doctor at Johns Hopkins and he thinks they need more people like me in corporate law. He’s always been very supportive of my efforts and my wish to work at a pharmaceutical company has nothing to do with money and everything to do with helping the average American who is paying through the nose for prescription coverage and out of pocket costs.”
A total bullshit answer to this bitch before me but what was I supposed to say? I was part of the iPod Generation and damn right I wanted to make money, if only to pay back a year’s worth of school loans good grades and scholarships didn’t cover entirely. Did this cunt think they would disappear by osmosis?
Kylie smiled again. “Interesting. However, we aren’t here to talk about your backup plan, we’re here to speak about your wish to work for the Coburn Campaign. So, I have to ask you now. Why Peter Coburn? Why not Elaine Riley? She is a woman after all.”
What kind of answer did she want to hear?
I blurted out the truth.
“To be honest, I wasn’t crazy about her husband, President George Riley. He was an egotistical megalomaniac who seemed to only care about keeping this country out of wars and playing under women’s skirts. That is not an admirable trait in any president—Democrat or Republican. I care even less for his politically ambitious wife or their stuck-up socialite daughter.”
She smiled rather slowly while nodding her head. “My sentiments exactly. We already had eight years of the Riley fiasco, why would we want another eight again? I’m glad you feel open and honest enough to discuss it with me, Ms. Stewart. At least I know you’re trustworthy and forthright with your opinions. This campaign could use these kinds of attitude.”
I smiled brightly and with genuine warmth for the first time since the interview started. “Thank you, Ms. Miller.”
“Well, now that we have gotten that out of the way, do you have any questions for me about the Coburn Campaign?”
“What exactly does my job consist of?” I felt stupid but campaigns were like politicians, purposefully complicated and obtuse. One was never told their responsibilities until you were thrown into the deep end.
The scowl returned to Kylie’s face as she pursed her lips. “We’ll get to that if you get the job. Please sign this NDS and you can be on your way. Expect a call within the next few days whether you get the job or not.”
Typical! An interview required a Non-Disclosure Agreement? Paranoid much?
“Is this just to make sure I don’t spill any secrets?” I questioned sarcastically before I scribbled my signature.
“Actually it protects both you and us. If you do decide to work for the Riley Presidential campaign, we will not leak this interview to her people. We record everything so we’re kind of like the National Security Agency.” Kylie stood after she snatched my NDA and filed it in a security-encoded file cabinet.
I stood up and smoothed my skirt down. “It was nice to meet you, Ms. Miller.”
“And you as well, Ms. Stewart.” She held out her hand and I shook it ever so briefly again before I turned and left her office in record timing.
My right shoulder felt heavy with the weight of my designer hobo bag while all I could think about was how I’d fucked up the interview. I would now have to make an appointment to meet with the Riley people as well and to be honest, although my father’s connections would get me an interview, it might turn out similar to this one.
I still didn’t have a low-paid campaign job and no experience in real world politics. It looked like I’d be taking the bar examination this summer after all.
A man grabbed my arm and rustled me out of the way in time for me to look up and realize the Peter Coburn stood mere feet from me.
“Ease up, Eric. That’s not necessary.”
The hypnotic timber of a sensual male voice with a deep east coast accent, cultured of course, tickled my ears. They burned with embarrassment as I met the eyes of the governor. His eyes were gorgeous and unusual, steel-gray, which easily expressed kindness, empathy and sexual attitude.
Eric let go of my arm abruptly yet I still felt breathless and my heart thundered in my chest. “Thank you, Governor Coburn.”
He loo
ked me up and down though I couldn’t say I minded. I checked him out as well—how could I not? He was tall and well built, good looking with chiseled features and not one bit smarmy. I’d met way too many politicians in my lifetime and the ones who weren’t unattractive man-whores were either alcoholics or the holy-roller types. Washington, D.C. had always been the Hollywood for the intelligent and not-so-attractive but over the years, politicians had become younger, distinguished and sexier. Peter Coburn definitely fit this category with ease and expertise.
“Sigourney Stewart I presume?” Governor Coburn questioned softly.
“H-how do you know my name?”
“I read your resume and you’re extremely intelligent, graduated from Georgetown and have been accepted into Harvard Law School. How could I not know about you? I wanted Kylie to interview you personally.”
Premieres March 24, 2014
Holding Her in Madness Page 25
