Although he was standing with a group of people, he immediately broke away and walked over to her, kissing her on the cheek and brushing her hair back behind her ear.
“How are you?” he asked warmly.
“Better now,” she answered honestly.
He smiled. “I've missed you,” he said, simply and sincerely.
Nikki melted a little inside. “I've missed you, too,” she said softly, with every bit as much sincerity filling her voice as had colored his.
“Come on,” he said, “I have some people I'd love you to meet.”
With that, he led her over to the small group of individuals that he'd been standing and chatting with when Nikki first walked in. They were an elegant bunch, with the exception of Phil, Mike's somewhat frumpy campaign manager that Nikki remembered all too well from the flight.
“Nikki,” Mike began, “I'd like to introduce you to our Board of Directors. This is Ronald Dwyer, Brenda Barchek, and Robert Paley. And, of course, you remember my campaign manager, Phil.”
Nikki smiled and shook hands with each of the people in turn, as Mike introduced them. That was one great thing about her job, she had a lot of practice with quickly committing faces and names to memory, and she never forgot them or got them mixed up later. It was just something she had a natural talent for, and she had spent years honing that natural talent.
A small, niggling voice at the back of her head whispered, “that's something that certainly would come in handy as a politician's girlfriend...or even wife...” but she did her best to ignore it.
The thing that Nikki was most surprised about when seeing Mike again was not that she was happy to see him, she had fully expected that. It also wasn't that sparks were flying left and right. She had certainly expected that, as well. The thing that most shocked her was how right it all felt. Standing here next to Mike, shaking hands with people as he introduced her—it felt completely and totally natural and right. It felt, in fact, like she was cut out for this...
The small talk and chatter went on for a few minutes, and Nikki began to relax fully. Even Phil, of the wandering eyes, seemed to be behaving in a civilized manner.
Just as the conversations began to get interesting, Nikki heard a magnified voice announce that lunch was being served, and she glanced toward the front of the room. Amazingly, she had been so focused on the scene, Mike and meeting his associates, that she hadn't even noticed that there was a rather large stage and podium set up at the far end of the banquet hall.
Mike turned to her. “Well, I guess that's my cue.” He winked at her and gave her a kiss on the cheek, and then told her he would show her to her seat and assured her that he would see her immediately after the luncheon and ceremonies were over.
Nikki began to feel the first flutter of doubt and uncertainty in her chest. She cocked her head to the side and eyed him, puzzled. “Are we not sitting together?” she asked, hoping against hope that she had misunderstood.
Mike shook his head regretfully. “Unfortunately, I need to sit on the platform. However, I did reserve you a seat at the best table in the house. You'll be sitting with Phil and the Board of Directors, so at least it won't be with people that you've never met before. Is that all right?”
Nikki smiled. She liked the fact that, even though he was in the middle of an important event and had to rush off to fulfill his duties, he still looked at her with honest concern when he asked her if the arrangements were to her liking. In fact, she had the distinct impression that if she had expressed doubt or discomfort with the way things were set up, he would not have hesitated to run around and make alternate arrangements, just to make her happy.
However, even though she was disappointed that she would not be able to spend time with Mike during the luncheon, she was a big girl, she could handle this. She smiled encouragingly. “That's perfectly fine,” she said reassuringly. “I’ll find my seat. You go and do your thing. Don't give me a second thought.”
Mike smiled broadly at her words. “Not much chance of that. Not only am I going to be giving you a second thought, I'm gonna be giving you a third, and a fourth, and a hundredth...well, you get the idea. In fact, I'm having a hard time figuring out how I'm going to manage to keep my mind on anything but you.”
With that, he gave her a brief kiss on the cheek and strode toward the podium. She glanced around looking for one of the familiar faces of the people that she had just met so that she could suss out where exactly she was supposed to be sitting. She didn't need to look long, however, because almost the instant that Mike left her side, Phil smoothly slid up and took his place.
Phil reached over, grasped her elbow, and began to lead her to her table. She looked at him, a little shocked by the physical contact. He was giving her a smile that was clearly meant to look friendly from a distance, but was cold hard steel underneath.
Nikki was not an easily intimidated person, but she had to admit that even she felt a small hint of fear at the shark-like expression in his eyes. Apparently, there was a reason that he had succeeded so long at the cutthroat game of politics. He may look like a schlubby little man, but underneath all that beat the heart of a cold and manipulative chess master.
Subtly, Nikki tried to extract herself from his grip to no avail. His fingers felt like a vice on her elbow, although to anyone glancing at them casually, she was sure that they merely looked like a couple of event goers making their way to their seats. Nikki's heart began to beat faster. She certainly didn't want to make a scene at Mike's event, but she was going to have to figure out a way to get away from Phil. He was actually beginning to scare her, and he hadn't even said anything yet.
“So, how is your sister?” Phil asked personably.
Nikki gave him a puzzled expression and did not answer.
“Oh, and your two brothers,” he continued in an even, modulated tone—one that was friendly, even. “In...refresh my memory...what's the name of your little town? Hope Falls?”
Nikki nodded without saying anything. It had the effect of making it seem as if she was playing it cool, but in fact, that was an act. The truth was that her throat was so dry she didn’t know if she could speak.
“Oh, yes,” Phil continued amiably as if she actually had responded, “I know all about them. In fact, I know all about a lot of things. You should get used to this level of scrutiny. A lot closer, in fact, if you think you're going to be spending more time with Mike.”
He stopped abruptly, and since he still held Nikki's elbow in a death grip, she jerked to a stop as well. She looked over at him, looked him straight in the eyes, doing her best to keep her expression neutral and mask all of the inner turmoil that his words were stirring up.
A slow smile spread across his face, and there was no friendliness in it whatsoever. “You wouldn't happen to have any skeletons in your closet. Would you, my dear?”
With that, he turned and strode away, and Nikki could not have been gladder to see him go. She had just begun to look around the room to see where any of the Board of Directors were sitting, so she would know where to take her seat, when a polished looking young woman came up and slid her arm through Nikki's.
What on earth was it with these people and feeling like they could just have free reign over Nikki's arm?
“Hello, darling, aren't you just adorable?” the woman said smoothly.
Not feeling as if that was a statement requiring a response, Nikki barely smiled at the woman, pleasantly but uncertainly.
“Oh, forgive me,” the woman said with faux sincerity, “I haven't even introduced myself. My name is Belinda Barker. Lizzie is my best friend. You know Lizzie, don't you? Oh, you must. You and Mike seem like such good friends, I'm sure you've met his girlfriend, haven't you?”
Nikki was taken aback, but luckily she had just been practicing her fake-neutral face, so she already had it just under the surface, ready to pull it up at a moment's notice.
“I haven't had the pleasure,” she managed to say in a tone that gave away non
e of her distress.
“Oh, but you absolutely must!” Belinda Barker exclaimed. “She's such a doll, and she and Mike are so cute together—and so happy, as well! I can't wait to tell you all about it. Luckily, we’re sitting at the same table, so we'll have plenty of time to chat all about Mike and Lizzie and what an absolutely magical and perfect couple they are.”
Nikki had to fight to stay steady on her feet as the elegant woman led her to their table, chatting about Lizzie all the while.
Nikki felt like an idiot. What on earth had ever made her think that she might be cut out for this?
--- ~ ---
Mike felt inordinately happy. In fact, he couldn't remember the last time that he had been this happy at any sort of public or political function. He didn't have to search his mind very hard to pin down the reason for this new spring in his step—it was Nikki. It was all about Nikki.
Having her by his side, making the introductions, felt far better than he could've ever imagined. In fact, he was beginning—against his better judgment—to envision a future where he was making those kinds of introductions for the rest of his life. He grinned to himself. He couldn't help it, the girl was simply amazing.
Since the last time he had seen her or spoken to her, he had been counting the seconds until she would be back in his sphere. Then, he had been blissfully happy as she stood by his side for those moments—and now, even though he'd been away from her for a bit—he found himself counting the moments again, the moments until she would be by his side, where she belonged.
As he mounted the steps to the podium and took his seat at the long head table, he shook his head a little to clear it. He really needed to remove Nikki from the forefront of his thoughts, even if just for the remainder of the event, so that he could get his head in the game. After all, he had to give the keynote speech after lunch. Even during lunch, he was going to be surrounded by important people that he would need to completely focus on networking with. There were influencers here, people that could come in handy to have on his side in the future—leaders in the business and political worlds. He could not be seen as giving them anything but his full and complete attention as he spoke with them over lunch.
Inside, he smiled. Still, that was going to be difficult. Nikki was a hard woman to get out of his head. The past few days had been evidence enough of that—in fact, he had yet to succeed at that particular quest. And this was going to be especially difficult to accomplish because of the fact that any time he chose to glance down at her table, he would see her shining hair, her lovely smile, her expressive eyes, and they would likely pull his mind right back into the swirl of thoughts and emotions that she always engendered. He was going to have to fight particularly hard to keep his mind on the task at hand during this luncheon.
Still, he needed to—if for no other reason than that Phil would have his head if he seemed distracted. He really did not need to deal with that.
By the time the meal was served, Mike felt that he had managed to get in a good headspace. He decided that he would harness what he was feeling for her and use it as a way to energize himself for the task at hand, rather than distracting him. Although it sounded simple, Mike found that it was surprisingly effective.
When the dishes had been taken away and the speeches began, he felt that he was really finding his stride in the “networking with Nikki in the room” game. By the time he heard his name called and got up to give the keynote, he was feeling positively confident.
As he began to speak, he really felt himself getting into the groove of things. He knew the feeling of being “in the zone” well, and he could tell that he was in it for sure. He spoke passionately about the accomplishments of each of the scholarship recipients. It was easy, on that count, because he had gotten to know them during the application process and believed in the potential of each and every one of them.
As his time drew to a close, he glanced at Nikki to get one final “power up” and then delivered the final lines of his speech, which he had labored over in order to get them just right. The most important parts of a speech were, after all, the first lines and the last lines—those were the bits that people would remember, and these three extraordinary students certainly deserved to have a speech delivered for them that would be memorable for the audience in general, and particularly for their family and friends that were in attendance.
“The Jayden Rhodes Scholarship is meant for students who, despite having faced hardships in their lives, have demonstrated not just resilience, but brilliance. This year's recipients most certainly fit that description. Despite overcoming circumstances that would cripple most of us, they have risen above what life has handed them and have achieved a level that can only be described as extraordinary. Please join me in congratulating this year's recipients of the Jayden Rhodes Scholarship.”
The room burst out in applause as the three teenagers who had been chosen to receive the scholarship stepped up to the front of the room to accept their plaques and certificates from Mike, and then paused to have their picture taken.
Mike felt energized from within. This was what he went through all of the bullshit for. Everything that he had to go through to maintain his political career, and everything that he had to sacrifice, was worth it for moments like this when he could truly see that he was helping people. Establishing the scholarship fund and his involvement in the nonprofit organizations that administrate it was one of his proudest accomplishments in public service, and this luncheon was the yearly crowning event for that work. Mike could not have been prouder that Nikki was there to witness it.
Chapter Thirteen
Mike got out of the car and moved around to the passenger side door to open it for Nikki. He knew that nowadays some women didn’t appreciate it when men opened doors for them but Mike would never dream of letting a lady open her own door. He believed that chivalry was not dead, but it was dying.
As Nikki stepped out of the open door, Mike felt a catch in his chest. He was struck again by her beauty, as he had been every single time he had seen her. Still, this was a new record. He had last laid eyes on her only about two seconds ago in the car, and he was still seeing her as if her gorgeous face was a brand new sight to him!
He closed the door behind her and pressed the button on his key fob to lock the door, then turned and extended his elbow. She slid her hand through, smiling.
“My, my, my what a gentleman,” she teased.
He smiled and shook his head, he loved that she called him on everything. Even things like being a gentleman.
“I've told you before. You might not say that if you knew what I was thinking right now,” he winked.
She laughed at the callback to their first conversation. He liked it. Even though their relationship was relatively new, they had managed to create inside jokes. They already had a shared history, however brief, that was bonding them, tighter and tighter every single time they were together.
They stepped inside the stately structure that was one of his favorite restaurants in San Francisco, The Cliff House. He saw Nikki looking around appreciatively, and he took a moment to take in the surroundings, as well, seeing the interior dining room through new eyes because he was with her. It seemed that there were many things in life he was seeing as if for the first time, and it was all because of her.
The vintage mosaic brown and white tiles that lined the floor in decorative patterns were so beautiful and although he had never thought about it before, he realized now that they must be original to the building. They simply had too much character to have been part of some “in the style of...” remodeling effort. The pale yellow walls created a relaxing atmosphere and the signed celebrity photos that covered a large portion of the available space added a touch of whimsy.
But, all of that paled in comparison to the real star of the show. If you walked into The Cliff House for the first time or the hundredth, you were immediately captivated by the many, many windows that comprised the majority of the wall space
and looked directly out onto the massive, teeming ocean where it broke relentlessly and powerfully against the rocks below.
He looked at Nikki. She was entranced.
“Have you been here before?” he asked.
“Never,” she confirmed. “Which is a crime because I live just a few hours away. Not to mention the fact that I'm coming in and out of SFO all the time. This is certainly an experience I should have had at some point.”
She took another moment to take in the breathtaking view, and then turned to him, the teasing sparkle back in her eye. “I don't suppose the food here is any good, is it? With this view, that would simply be too much to ask.”
He laughed. “Believe me, I enjoy my food too much to endure a substandard meal just because it comes with a pretty view. The food is delicious. I generally get the Frutti di Mare, and it's one of my favorite meals of all time.”
“I'll get that, too, then,” she said enthusiastically.
“Without even looking at the menu first?”
She smiled up at him affectionately and put her hand to the side of his face. “I trust you,” she said simply.
Although he knew she was talking about his seafood meal recommendation, hearing her say those words so plainly caused him to stand a little straighter and puff out his chest just a bit. Nikki’s trust in him made him feel that all was right with the world.
As the host led them to their table, Mike saw heads in the place turning toward them. Nikki must have noticed it, too, because she turned to him and said, “Well, Senator, I see your presence is being well-noted.”
He shook his head. “This isn't about me. Trust me. I'm moderately known, but I'm no celebrity. Not to average people. Aside from the recent notoriety, you'd be surprised how few people would recognize a politician if they saw him or her on the street. Or,” he teased, “in a bar.”
“Touché,” she giggled.
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