“Don’t worry. This is where all the senators I know bring their mistresses. None of them have been discovered yet.” Alex winked at her. “The paparazzi wouldn’t dream of coming here and even if they did, they wouldn’t get a thing.”
He pointed to the windows. She could see the street outside, but when she’d come in, the windows had been an opaque black.
“That makes me feel safer.” Kat smirked, sipping some wine and admiring Alex’s face reflected on the outside of her glass.
Alex wasn’t drinking tonight, because he’d been out drinking with his campaign staff earlier, so she was doing her best to drink for both of them. Pulling up a swatch of her yellow shift dress which was stuck under her, Kat saw Alex diverted.
“Senator Hoylman’s here. What a surprise.” Alex tipped his head in the direction of his former boss and mentor, who was seated with a beautiful woman, three or four tables to the right from them.
“Is she his mistress?” was Kat’s first question.
“His wife.”
The wife looked much younger than him. She couldn’t be out of her forties. Senator Hoylman, meanwhile, was close to mid-sixties.
Kat started to wonder if those around them thought the same about Alex and her. His face didn’t hide his age and according to Bella, she had a baby face. Self-consciously, she picked out maroon lipstick from her purse and smeared some over her lips, so she’d look older. From now on, she needed to take special care to look older, so people wouldn’t suspect the age difference between Alex and her.
Lifting his head up, Senator Hoylman made eye contact with Alex, then smiled. Alex returned his smile and got up from his chair.
“I haven’t spoken to him in weeks. I’ll go over and say hello. Come with me.”
Ironing her dress out with her palms, Kat gave him her hand.
Then second thoughts decelerated her momentum. Pulling her hand away, she examined her appearance. “Are you sure you want him to know about me? I mean…”
Am I someone you care about enough to introduce to most important person in your life? was what she wanted to ask.
Senator Hoylman meant a lot to Alex. That much she knew. Kat had often heard him describe the senator in glowing terms during interviews. In fact, she’d often wondered if Alex saw Senator Hoylman as the father figure he’d never had.
So it was a huge honor that he wanted her to meet such a man.
Alex squeezed her hand. “He won’t tell anyone. He’s very discreet.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
Alex and she were in a steady, good relationship and Kat knew that this was something special, something that would become better with the passing of time, but it hadn’t been long. Wasn’t it premature to think that they had something lasting?
Pulling down his jacket, he closed his hand on her wrist and led her. “I want him to meet you before he mistakes you for something else.”
Something else, here, could only refer to a mistress or sugar baby.
Kat was anxious throughout the short trek over to Senator Hoylman’s table. When they were there, she froze and didn’t know what to say.
“Alex, what a pleasant surprise,” Senator Hoylman said. Alex shared a hug with the senator and kissed his wife on the cheek. “Lydia and I were just discussing the best date to invite you to our new home. We moved to the Hamptons last month.”
“I heard. How is it there?” Alex’s voice acquired reverence.
“Oh, it’s good. Perfect for us.” Senator Hoylman swapped his attention to his wife.
“How’ve you been?” Alex shook Lydia Hoylman’s hand.
“Never mind about me. I’m the same as ever. You, on the other hand, have lost a lot of weight,” Lydia Hoylman remarked, wearing a frown, then set her eyes on Kat. “She was on TV with you, wasn’t she?”
Kat tried to explain away the coincidence. “That was—”
“This is my girlfriend, Kat.” Alex embraced her shoulder from behind, sounding very proud. Something flickered inside her at his enthusiastic endorsement of her. She hadn’t expected that.
Girlfriend. It sounded so foreign. But heartwarming. Meaningful.
Senator Hoylman pursed his lips though Mrs. Hoylman enjoyed a little giggle. “Oh, well, every cloud has a silver lining.”
“Wanna go outside?” The senator asked Alex, with a packet of cigarettes laying flat against his palm.
“I quit smoking,” came Alex’s definitive reply.
Senator Hoylman’s eyes widened at the admission. “But you were smoking in May when we last met.”
And he’d been smoking in June, too, when they’d interviewed at Fox News.
Kat didn’t remember Alex mentioning anything about trying to quit, although he’d not smoked in front of her after that day at the Empire State Building, nor had she ever caught him with bad breath. She’d assumed he must smoke when she wasn’t around. They weren’t together much of the time.
“I quit in July.” Alex’s eyes shifted onto her. “She hates me smoking.”
Kat blinked. Did he really care that much about what she thought?
“How sweet of you to do that for her. I wish he would quit, too.” Lydia Hoylman gave her husband a wishful, nagging look, which Senator Hoylman brushed off.
“Too bad.” He clicked his tongue at his wife, then engaged Alex in talk about someone in the party.
Kat heard the words ‘speaker of the house’ thrown about. She would have been extremely interested in listening to that juicy tidbit but Mrs. Hoylman trapped her in looking at photos of her twin grandchildren on her phone.
“They’re so cute.” Kat tried to sound genuine but she couldn’t even remember their names.
“They turn one in December,” Mrs. Hoylman gushed.
Kat observed Alex and the senator from the corner of her eye. They’d moved on to talking about some colleague’s resignation from the House of Representatives. Dan Ryan, Kat assumed. He was a fellow party member and his resignation was bound to be big talk in the party, especially as he’d resigned amid charges of sexual misconduct.
Five years ago, Senator Hoylman’s son had been accused of the same, and he’d quit the exact same way. While it was wonderful to look at the pictures of Ted’s twin nephews, Kat didn’t think that Ted Hoylman was having such a great time after his premature retirement and succeeding divorce.
“Brad loves talking to Alex. It’s difficult to get them to part once they’re together,” Mrs. Hoylman said. It would be obvious to anybody how close the two were. “I’ve known Alex since he first started working for Ray. He was shy, but I remember he’d help me with my work at soup kitchens. I was involved with a lot of food charities at that time.”
Why wasn’t Kat surprised to hear this about Alex?
A waiter bringing two steaks to the table interrupted them and Kat was glad to be spared from pictures of the Hoylmans’ new house in the Hamptons. Slowly getting away, Kat nudged Alex to move.
“We would love to have you for dinner at our house sometime, Alex.” Mrs. Hoylman’s gray eyes peered into Alex’s and then shifted to Kat. “Both of you.”
Alex’s reply was noncommittal. “We’ll see.”
The senator’s tapped his wife’s arm. “Alex’s going to be really busy for the next year with the elections and then running the city.”
He referred to Alex running the city like the outcome of the election was already certain when Alex hadn’t even won the primaries yet.
Seeing Alex’s whole face light up at the comment from Senator Hoylman, Kat realized how much this election meant to him. It strengthened her resolve to protect him. She’s still not done anything with the information she’d found about his past.
The first course of their three-course meal—a salad—didn’t take long to arrive.
Alex poked a lettuce leaf with his fork, gaze pinned on Senator Hoylman and his wife. “He has a lot of faith in me.”
“Your poll numbers would give anyone faith,” Kat remarked, dr
yly. Over the last few weeks, Alex’s poll numbers had been steadily rising. He still had a fair shot at city hall.
Alex brought his wineglass to his lips.
“The thing I love—and hate—about campaigns is how unpredictable everything is.” Kat counted the sips of wine that passed through Alex’s mouth. Six. “You could be winning one today and something will come up and pull you down the next day. Then something else could unpredictably make your numbers spike. It’s like a game of roulette—exciting but also scary.”
“Are you scared you’ll lose?”
“You know I’m a sore loser.”
Kat gathered up the last few leaves on her plate with her fork and dumped them into her mouth. “You are.”
“I can’t help it. I’ve wanted to be mayor since I first entered politics,” Fire burned in his chocolate-colored eyes. “I might’ve drifted over the years, but I always knew I’d come back to it.”
His passion both energized and unsettled her. She was glad to know he was on the path to fulfilling his dreams. At the same time, she couldn’t support him in his dreams. Not while she knew in the back of her mind that someday, she’d have to write the story that ended his political career.
“I’m impressed you managed to quit smoking. I didn’t know you were trying to.” Kat said, when the waiter cleared away her and Alex’s empty salad plates.
“Once I decide to do something, I do it.” He propped his arm on the table. The silver watch at his wrist shimmered under the lights.
“Then why didn’t you quit before?”
“Because there was no reason for me to.” Salvaging the last drops of wine from his glass, Alex turned his palm up. “Now I have you, so I gotta make sure I’m in good health. I need to keep up with you as I age.”
Flirtation played on his features.
A funny flutter tickled Kat’s belly. She didn’t know how she felt about Alex thinking of them as something long-term. Sure, they were going to be together for awhile, but growing old together… wasn’t that reserved for a one-in-a-lifetime love?
Acid reflux burned her throat and she burped. “Ooops. Sorry.”
What are you doing?
It was so inelegant to burp in such a posh restaurant, with Alex opposite her.
He didn’t mind, though. In fact, he was rubbing his throat. “The salad dressing’s getting to me, too.”
When his smile deepened, Kat’s chest lightened.
One of her favorite quotes was that real love felt like removing your bra. Being with Alex sometimes really felt like that.
That had her thinking that maybe this could be a one-in-a-lifetime love.
The Democratic debate was in the last week of August.
Kat attended it and the New York Times ran a piece on it. She’d avoided taking sides and proclaiming anything too bold in her coverage of it, but the New York Post and Daily News had declared Alex the ‘clear winner of the night.’
In the months between June and August, Alex’s public image had made a remarkable recovery. Kat didn’t know what magic spell his press secretary had cast, but he now had a lead in this race again, according to the Quinnipiac polls released last week.
Looking at the latest numbers, she, along with most others, expected him to sweep the Democratic primaries, since his closest contender was trailing by fifteen points.
Clasping her hands together, Kat felt incredibly happy for him and everything he’d accomplished. She was still not going to vote for him, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t feel good for him.
At the same time, she felt an odd clench in her chest. A painful stab. Controlling her emotions, Kat waited for the pain to pass. Only it didn’t.
In the last few weeks, she’d had more than a few of these awful pains, mostly when she thought of the article she’d written. The worst part was that she’d felt so engaged, so absorbed when writing it, even though it was essentially a character assassination of Alex.
Really, she was a horrible person. She didn’t want to be, but she couldn’t help feeling happy at having written such a thorough, incisive piece.
A thorough, incisive piece that was never going to see the light of day.
Kat ignored the way the pit of her stomach burned when she thought that. She’d been facing a dilemma over the story on Alex’s past for days now.
As his girlfriend, she didn’t want Alex to lose, but what she was doing to protect him wasn’t right, either. Suppressing important information about a candidate was wrong, corrupt and unethical on so many levels. It was against everything she stood for as a reporter. It also was opposed to everything the New York Times stood for as an organization.
The NYT was the paper that had published the Pentagon Papers and gone to court over it. Serving the public interest, upholding the spirit of democracy and taking an honest stand on difficult issues was in the organization’s blood. As a part of such an institution, shouldn’t she have the same respect for public interest and democracy?
Still, she’d promised Alex she wouldn’t tell anyone about his secrets. Breaking that promise didn’t feel like the right thing to do, either.
Especially when she considered that it might end her relationship with him.
She liked him. She really liked him.
When she was with Alex, it was so easy to be happy. It was easy to forget that she had a job that required her to make tough choices.
He filled her life with that special dose of ‘something’ she couldn’t describe. It was the way he managed to make a reluctant smile slip from her every time, the way he engaged her mind, the way he just was.
Tonight, she was going to Alex’s place to watch a game she didn’t expect to enjoy, but she didn’t care, because being with him was the only way she could suppress the gnawing guilt that tightened her chest from time to time.
They still volunteered at the group home. She’d learnt the names of all the boys by now. Breakfast on Saturday still consisted of arguing over news and eating his cooking. Alex made the meanest omelet, by the way. They had their routines, their songs, their stories, their places.
They were at this place where she really knew that what was between them wasn’t going away anytime soon. Which was scary and exhilarating at the same time.
Kat had sworn not to fall in love, but she had. Truthfully, she’d never had a choice.
She’d given her cynical, opinionated heart to him the minute he’d held first her.
Jane carried a burdened heaviness, highlighted by her somber, black ensemble as she clicked her red stilettos and dropped her chin in apology.
“It’s David,” she admitted with a pained expression. Her face lacked even the little color it ordinarily possessed.
In the emptiness of the underground parking lot, her breathy voice echoed.
“I’m not surprised.” Alex scraped the sole of one of his brogues on the gray cement. Putting his hands into his pockets, he clenched and unclenched his fingers.
Shock absorption was his strong suit.
“I don’t know why he did it. Why would he harm a client? I know him. He built Patterson & King with his sweat and blood. It’s ridiculous… I’m sure—” Jane vehemently shook her head, like that would change anything.
“I can think of plenty of reasons. At the top of my list? The lies you’ve told him. He thinks I left you cold at your most vulnerable moment.”
“He’s known that for years. Why would he decide to act now?” Jane gave him an unconvinced frown.
“Because this is the best opportunity he’ll ever have. This race is vital for me, and David realizes it.” Alex’s skin stretched over his rising veins.
The taste of failure was in his mouth. And he hated it. He didn’t want to be afraid of losing. Losing wasn’t an option for him.
“I’m so sorry. This is so messed up…” Jane pinched the gooseflesh on her neck, but her fear was all too real. “David knows everybody in the press. I don’t know how far it’s already gone.”
Alex saw the
impending disaster flash before him. “You didn’t tell David about my history with drugs and delinquency, did you?”
“I only mentioned drugs in passing once. He wouldn’t remember.” Jane kneaded her eyelids for comfort.
Knowing how sharp David was, Alex was sure he’d remember.
“You need to tell him the truth before he does anything worse,” Alex said.
“I can’t!” Jane closed her hand over her lips. “I can’t.”
She started to retreat to the black sedan that she’d parked three strides away.
“Jane.” Alex raised his voice. “You have to do something. You’re supposed to be managing my PR. I’m not having another scandal blow up in my face.”
“That’s right… I should do something,” Jane’s tone was weak and wavering. He sucked in a frightened breath. “I’ll try talking to him. But he can’t know that I’ve been investigating him behind his back. I… maybe I’ll try calling some of his contacts in the press… I should do that.”
She tried to grasp her phone with her trembling fingers, but she couldn’t. “I have a great team, Alex. They’ll be able to sort anything out ASAP.”
So she was going to wait until it came to that? Alex considered firing her and hiring an agency that wasn’t actively trying to sabotage his career. On second thoughts, though, she was the only one who knew the source of his problems intimately and the only one who’d be able to monitor and deal with any future problems quickly.
“If something—”
“Don’t worry. Nothing will happen. I know how to do my job.” She tried a confident, reassuring nod, but it looked neither reassuring nor confident to Alex. “Good luck with the race.” She walked to her car, anxiety making her stroll a sprint.
Alex stood in the silence as the door to her car slammed shut, the engine growled and she pulled away. He felt as powerless as he had at four.
Most people didn’t look forward to seeing their bosses any day of the week, but Friday evening was the worst time Bill could’ve chosen to check on how she was doing with the Alex Summer story.
In my Arms Tonight (NYC Singles Book 2) Page 16
