Ralph looked at his watch. “Ten minutes. Oh wow, I didn’t realize the time. Okay, let’s all gather around. I’ll get the TV set up in the meantime,” Ralph said.
We gathered the team and all sat together in the conference room. Reagan had rushed to the kitchen to make pots of coffee for the middle of the table, and we were all sitting and waiting nervously for it to begin.
“Why are we watching this idiot anyway?” someone shouted.
I was just about to say something, but Reagan got there first. “Because we have to be two steps ahead at all times. That means always knowing what our opponent is up to. We need to know what we are up against.”
I shot her a grateful smile. Reagan was exactly what our team had always needed. Nobody had a thing to say about her comment. It made sense.
“Okay, he’s up,” Ralph said and increased the volume.
We all sat in hushed silence as we listened to Frank Hirshman talk. He was very confident, his bright white teeth shining into the camera as he practically flirted with his audience. He spoke about all the things that he would change, and about all the issues that he felt were important. It was a good speech, and not all that different from something I would’ve said. But then, right at the end, when someone asked him a question about us, his attitude changed.
“Josh Maxwell is still in the middle of a big scandal. The friends that he hangs out with are a big reflection of who he is as a person and what sort of things he thinks are acceptable or not. I think it’s very important that you take a look at this, and realize what you are getting yourself into if you vote his way.”
Tempers flared in an instant, with everyone around the table getting angry, and I found myself desperate to turn the TV off. But Ralph told everyone to calm down as we listened to the rest of the talk. It was all much the same really, and when it was finally over, we all sat and looked at each other.
“Wow, nice man,” I said.
“Yeah, how can he say something like that about you? Is that really his strategy? What an idiot.”
“Don’t let him get to you. That’s what he wanted,” Reagan said. “At least you haven’t stooped as low as him. Your campaign has been all about how you are going to better things, and not once have you brought him down in order to bring yourself up. That’s a positive thing. All he has really done is made himself look childish and stupid. His argument is one that you would see on the playground at school, not one that is coming from a future leader. Trust me; you’re still in the lead Josh. I was watching the statistics as he was talking, and you are still in the lead. He just wants the voters to think badly of you. He is obviously not nearly as confident as he makes himself out to be. I really wouldn’t worry. All right, let’s get back to work,” Reagan said. “Let’s show this man what we’re made of.”
I smiled at Reagan, surprised by how quickly she had taken on a leadership role that went well beyond her scope of work. I walked back to my office and continued with my work. I was sure that if Reagan hadn’t stood up to have her say, the staff would’ve been in disarray after watching Frank talk. But now everyone seemed more excited than ever to show him what we were made of. People seemed to be working harder than ever.
At the end of the day, I picked up the phone and called Reagan into the office. My door was closed, and she walked in without knocking again. I chuckled.
“Don’t you knock?”
“Only when I don’t have to,” she said.
She closed the door behind her and sat down.
“How are you feeling about everything? I hope you’re not upset about the conference. Because I really still think you have nothing to worry about.”
“I’m actually feeling fine about it. I like the way you took control of the room, though. If it wasn’t for you, everyone would’ve been freaking out.”
She smiled. “It’s my pleasure. I expected Frank to do something like that, and that’s fine by me. Let him do things his way, and we will do things our way. We still have a week, and that’s plenty of time to continue doing everything we can to make sure you win. I have a good feeling about this, Josh.”
“So do I, actually.” This was the first time I’ve ever truly had anyone in my corner before. I knew my team were all there for me, but it was different with Reagan. She really and truly believed in everything I stood for. She was doing this job because it was what she was passionate about, not just because she had to. I had never felt more supported in my life, and I hadn’t realized how much I had missed out on that feeling until that moment.
“So,” I said and grinned at her, “Is there anyone left in the office?”
She groaned. “Sadly, yes. I must’ve really motivated everyone because none of them have left yet. It looks like everyone wants to work late tonight.”
I sighed. That was probably a good thing. The cleaning lady had almost busted us once, and the last thing we needed was for someone to actually walk in on us again. Still, it was a pity. Reagan was looking particularly beautiful that day.
“Damn,” I said.
She smiled. “Tell me about it. We better lay off the brandy too.”
I laughed. “Such a pity.”
I stood up and quickly kissed her on the mouth. My blinds were closed, and so was my door, but I was quick just in case someone decided to walk in at that moment.
“That was nice,” she said and licked her lips.
“Don’t do that.”
“What?”
“Lick your lips like that. It’s too much for me.”
She giggled. “Sorry.”
“Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you for everything. I’m heading out now. But I’ll see you tomorrow. Probably in the office, but definitely for dinner. You’re still coming over I hope?”
She smiled. “Oh, I’m definitely coming over.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Reagan
I was at the diner early on Friday morning, before the rush came in, talking to Dana. I liked going in at that time. It meant I could talk to her about work and other things without anyone hearing me. Dana’s husband, Drake, was in too, and it was good to see him again. The two of them had the sort of relationship that I had always wanted. After eight years of being together and three years of marriage, they still looked at each other like they had just met. They often joked around with each other and pretended to bicker, but I would always catch sight of the small smile that would pass between them.
“Reagan, you’re here early,” Drake said and handed me a coffee.
I grinned at him. “Yeah, I like getting some time with Dana before people come in and swoop her away from me. This place is always so busy. When are you going to come work here?” I asked. Drake owned the café with Dana, but he didn’t work there. Instead, he ran his own computer business from home. During times when he didn’t have to deal with clients, he would bring his laptop into the café and work there.
“If I worked here, I probably wouldn’t love it so much. And Dana would get sick of me, don’t you think?”
I shook my head. “I don’t think Dana could ever get sick of you. So, how have you been? I haven’t seen you in so long.”
“It’s been busy. I’ve been here, but I think I keep missing you. Although that’s probably because of this crazy time that you get here. From the sound of things you’re just as busy.”
“I don’t think anybody is as busy as Reagan,” Dana interrupted.
I chuckled. “I doubt that. Look at the two you. Non-stop.”
“Times have changed. Back in the day, we used to have so much more time to mess around,” Drake said. “How are things at work, Reagan? From the look of things, you’ve done a great job in the campaign. The last time I checked I saw that Josh’s party was doing well. People seem to love him. And, if I’m not mistaken, you’ve really softened his edges.”
“Oh good. I’m glad you noticed. Has it come across as genuine though? I didn’t want people to think that he has changed just for the votes.”
; “It comes across as genuine. He’s better than he was a few months ago. I must say, I didn’t like the guy all that much. But Dana said he seemed like a nice guy when he came in for dinner with you. She said you’re all smiles when you talk about him. But this latest Josh that I’ve seen is definitely a lot more likable. Seeing as though you’ve been working for him for a while now, which is the real Josh?”
I didn’t mind talking about it because there was nobody else in the diner to listen in.
I smiled at him. “This Josh is the real one. He is a bit cocky, that part is all true, but he’s a good guy. The cocky part is mostly for how. He’s actually a real softie underneath it all.”
“Hmm, Dana is right, you do light up when you talk about him.”
I looked at Dana and pulled a face. “No, I don’t.”
“So nothing is going on between the two of you?” he asked.
I shook my head. “No, he’s just my boss. I like him, but there’s nothing going on.” I could tell them once the campaign was over. For now, it was better if I didn’t say a thing. I was sure that they could see right through it, but there was nothing I could do about that.
“If you say so,” Drake said.
I groaned. “You sound just like your wife. What’s the big deal anyway? Let’s say, hypothetically of course, that there really was something going on between myself and Josh. What would it matter?”
“Well, he’s your boss for one,” Dana said.
“Yeah, so?”
“Does this mean there really is something going on between the two of you? Are you finally admitting it? Because it’s about time you told us the truth.”
I shook my head again. “It was a hypothetical statement. I’m not admitting a thing. Nothing is going on. You know me; I’m still single and not at all ready to mingle.” I knew they didn’t believe me. I could imagine them talking about it at night while lying in bed. The thought made me feel bad but I would tell them eventually, and they would understand.
“That’s not how the saying goes,” Drake said.
“It is when it comes to my life.”
“Anyway, hypothetical or not, you should be careful,” Dana said.
“What do you mean?” I said and frowned at her.
“Well, not so long ago we thought that Josh wasn’t a good guy. I know you always liked what he stood for, but even you said that he looked like a bit of an idiot. You haven’t actually worked for him for that long, and you have no idea if he’s showing you his true colors. Whether you want to admit it or not, the guy likes you. Which means he’s obviously only going to show you the side that he wants to show you. Just be careful. Don’t get sucked into this without knowing what you’re getting yourself into. I don’t want you to fall into a trap with this guy. You barely know him.”
I thought about his lips on mine. I knew him.
“Hey, don’t worry about Reagan,” Drake said. “She’s a smart girl. She knows what she’s doing.”
I smiled at him. “Thanks, Drake. You really don’t have to worry about me.”
“You’re my best friend,” Dana said. “I will always worry about you.”
“And I love you for it. Anyway, I better go. I need to get to work. Today is going to be a busy one.”
“One week to go until the polls open,” Drake said. He knew a bit more about what was going on than Dana. “Good luck. You guys have this one!”
“Thank you. It was good to see you again. Once this all dies down, we all have to do dinner together.”
“Great idea,” Dana said. “And you can bring your boyfriend along too.”
I groaned. “I’m out of here,” I said. I laughed and quickly ran up to kiss her goodbye before hurrying out to my car before she could say anything else.
I had just gotten into my car and was just about to pull off when my phone rang, and I saw that it was Mack. My heart skipped a beat. He said he’d call if he found anything on Josh and I couldn’t help but feel nervous. I just hoped he was calling to say hello and nothing else.
“Sorry to call you so early. I was hoping to get you before work,” he said.
“I was just about to leave, actually. Is everything okay?” I asked nervously.
“I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I have found something. It’s not too bad, Reagan, but I did find something that I thought you should know about.”
I sighed heavily. “Okay. Lay it on me then.”
“It’s about Josh’s mother. Remember the last time I told you that I couldn’t find anything on her. Well, turns out she was put in jail for extortion.”
“What? His mother is in jail? I don’t understand. How do we not know about this?”
“Josh has gone to great lengths to hide this from the public. Names have been changed, people have been paid, that sort of thing. And, to be fair, he’s done a very good job of it. I do this for a living, and it was still not an easy thing for me to find. I had a lot of suspicions, but he did such a good job of hiding it from everyone.”
“Are you sure though?” The last thing I wanted was to get nervous about something that wasn’t even true. “Did someone maybe not just say that?”
“Reagan, I wouldn’t be calling you about this unless I was sure. I’m definitely sure. Look, it’s no reflection on who he is as a person.”
“I know that. It has absolutely nothing to do with Josh and nothing to do with the fact that he is a senator. It shouldn’t matter one bit. But the public won’t see it that way. Or should I say, the media won’t see it like that. In fact, they will just love something like this. They feed off scandals. And the competitor will easily use this to make Josh look bad. You know, in a way, I’m not sure if he should’ve hidden it.”
“What do you mean? Do you think he should own up to it?”
“Look, I know it’s not a nice thing for someone in his position to have in his family, but sometimes the truth speaks louder than anything else. People would’ve figured out long ago that it had nothing to do with Josh. He should’ve said something from the start.”
“But it’s too late for that now,” Mack said. He was echoing my own thoughts on the situation.
“Yeah, it’s far too late for that now. Now if they found out they’re just going to make a big deal about the fact that he kept it so quiet. They’ll blow the whole thing out of proportion. Ah, this is awful, Mack.”
“I’m sorry, Reagan. But like I said, I had a hard time tracking it down, so I’m almost certain nobody will find it. I almost didn’t phone you, but you said that you wanted to know everything and that you wanted to stay ahead of the game. I just don’t want you to worry about something that might never actually see the light of day.”
“No, I’m glad you called me. I do want to know everything. Thanks, Mack.”
“I’ll fax over the details to you so you can have it all for yourself.”
“I’d appreciate that. Thank you. Hopefully I can figure out what to do with this. That’s if I’m going to do anything at all. Lots to think about. But listen, I better go; I need to get into work. Thanks for letting me know, Mack. Come round to Dana’s sometime so we can catch up over coffee. I’ll let you know when my life isn’t so busy.”
“Do that. It’s been too long. Good luck with everything, Reagan.”
“Thank you,” I said and put the phone down.
I drove to work feeling like I had the world on my shoulders. It wasn’t the end of the world, especially considering it took Mack so long to find the truth. But it also wasn’t great news. My biggest worry was that there was someone out there, Frank and his team perhaps, that were doing just as much digging as Mack was. Frank had already asked me to switch sides, and he had already slammed Josh during his press conference, so I wouldn’t put it past him. If Josh was in the lead then he would do anything to gain back those votes. My biggest problem was that I needed to talk to Josh about it all. That was the only way we could figure this out. But if I told Josh I knew about his mother, he would know that I ha
d hired a private investigator to dig up information on him. Josh was not going to like that. I thought that perhaps I should just stop being so paranoid and ignore it all. After all, there was a big chance that nobody would ever find out. But it was also my job to protect Josh from the public, and that meant talking to him about what I knew. I felt so torn.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Josh
I woke up early on Friday morning when I remembered that Reagan was coming over for dinner. I decided to clean the house as I knew I wouldn’t have time after work. I chuckled to myself as I cleaned, and thought about how I hadn’t had to worry about something like this in years. For a long time, I’d just had girls over for a night, and I didn’t give much attention to the state of my house. I didn’t care because I knew I wouldn’t see them again. It was different with Reagan. I wasn’t exactly sure what we were to each other at the moment, but I still wanted her to think highly of me.
Kason would laugh if he had to see me now. He’d never understood why I didn’t hire someone to clean the house for me. We’d had the same argument over and over again in the past. But I just couldn’t bring myself to hire someone to clean my house that I lived in all alone. It didn’t make sense to me. I was a busy man, but it still seemed like a crazy idea to get someone to clean for me. Anyway, I now had something I could say back to Kason. After all, if it wasn’t for his cleaning lady, he wouldn’t have been in the mess that he was in.
Once I was done, I got ready and made my way to work. I just wanted the day to go quickly so that I could enjoy my evening with Reagan. Seeing her at work every day was torture for me, especially since my actual office had so many memories of the two of us together. It was hard not to think about that night with her on my desk.
The day at work went quickly, mostly because everyone was so busy and so stressed. Reagan had her head down most of the day and barely looked my way. She looked like she had a lot on her mind, and I kept wondering if something was wrong. I had to keep telling myself to stop being paranoid. I had no right to think that way about her anyway as the two of us were not in a relationship. Also, everyone else was just as busy, so there was probably nothing to make me so worried. Still, she seemed upset. Near the end of the day I saw that there was nobody next to her desk, so I quickly went up and pretended to talk to her about work.
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